67 research outputs found
Changes in 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring during the 2009 earthquake at L'Aquila
No full textOn April 6, 2009, at 03:32 A.M., an earthquake reaching
the magnitude of 5.8 on the Richter scale (6.3 according to
US Geological Survey, National Earthquake Information
Center)1 and lasting 27 seconds struck L’Aquila. Quakes of
lesser intensity were perceived at earlier and later times.
During this event, we had the opportunity to evaluate 2
different 24-hour blood pressure ambulatory recordings.
Our data offer further support to the hypothesis that sustained
blood pressure and heart rate elevations, likely due to
sympathetic nervous system activation, may represent 2
fundamental mechanisms responsible for the increased cardiovascular
event rates reported immediately after an
earthquak
Causes of hospitalisation before and after the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake.
No full textOn 6 April 2009, an earthquake struck L'Aquila. The San Salvatore Hospital was evacuated, and a field hospital was built. The study aimed to assess the epidemiologic impact of the earthquake through the analysis of patient population admitted to the field hospital during a 2-month period following the disaster. We retrospectively evaluated causes of hospitalisation and demographic data of patients admitted to (i) the Division of Internal Medicine and (ii) the Division of Emergency Medicine of the field hospital from 6 April, 2009 to 29 May, 2009. All data were compared with the admissions made at the same divisions of the San Salvatore Hospital during the same period of previous year. (i) Patient group (n = 102) and comparison group (n = 108). Mean patient age was higher, patients living in L'Aquila were more numerous, while mean length of stay was lower after than before the earthquake. Infectious diseases increased, while 'other' diseases decreased after the disaster both in admission and in discharge diagnoses. Gastroenterological diseases decreased with the earthquake but only in admission diagnoses. (ii) Patient group (n = 5255) and comparison group (n = 6564). Triage codes changed with the earthquake. Cardiovascular, psychiatric, gynaecological, infectious and chronic diseases increased, while pneumologic, gastroenterological, traumatic and 'other' diseases decreased after the quake. The number of hospitalised patients decreased with the tremor, while those discharged transferred to other hospitals and those who rejected hospitalisation increased. A natural disaster completely changes causes of hospitalisation in the Divisions of Internal and Emergency Medicine. These findings can be useful for the design of specific intervention programmes and for softening the detrimental effects of quakes
Long-term blood pressure changes induced by the 2009 L’Aquila earthquake: assessment by 24h ambulatory monitoring
No full textAn increased rate of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events has been described during and immediately after earthquakes. In this regard, few data are available on long-term blood pressure control in hypertensive outpatients after an earthquake. We evaluated the long-term effects of the April 2009 L'Aquila earthquake on blood pressure levels, as detected by 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Before/after (mean±s.d. 6.9±4.5/14.2±5.1 months, respectively) the earthquake, the available 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring data for the same patients were extracted from our database. Quake-related daily life discomforts were evaluated through interviews. We enrolled 47 patients (25 female, age 52±14 years), divided into three groups according to antihypertensive therapy changes after versus before the earthquake: unchanged therapy (n=24), increased therapy (n=17) and reduced therapy (n=6). Compared with before the quake, in the unchanged therapy group marked increases in 24 h (P=0.004), daytime (P=0.01) and nighttime (P=0.02) systolic blood pressure were observed after the quake. Corresponding changes in 24 h (P=0.005), daytime (P=0.01) and nighttime (P=0.009) diastolic blood pressure were observed. Daily life discomforts were reported more frequently in the unchanged therapy and increased therapy groups than the reduced therapy group (P=0.025 and P=0.018, respectively). In conclusion, this study shows that patients with unchanged therapy display marked blood pressure increments up to more than 1 year after an earthquake, as well as long-term quake-related discomfort. Our data suggest that particular attention to blood pressure levels and adequate therapy modifications should be considered after an earthquake, not only early after the event but also months late
. NON SOLO DIABETE INSIPIDO: DIAGNOSI DI UNA MALATTIA RARA ATTRAVERSO UN APPROCCIO OLISTICO.
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