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Comparative efficacy of valsartan and olmesartan in mild-to-moderate hypertension: results of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring
No full textAssociations between plasma fibrinogen levels and cardiovascular risk factors in hypertensive men
No full textBACKGROUND: Fibrinogen levels are reported to be elevated in hypertensive patients and tend to cluster with nearly all other established cardiovascular risk factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between plasma fibrinogen and a number of other cardiovascular risk factors in patients with essential hypertension.
METHODS: We studied 118 men with essential hypertension, aged 18-65 years. The clinical evaluation included measurements of blood pressure (mercury sphygmomanometer, Korotkoff I and V), levels of plasma fibrinogen, total cholesterol, high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides and blood glucose and the ratio of total-cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol levels; a detailed history of medical and personal habits was also recorded.
RESULTS: As expected, plasma fibrinogen levels were significantly higher in smokers than in non-smokers, with the number of cigarettes smoked correlating positively with the fibrinogen level. Patients with a total-cholesterol level in excess of 220 mg/dl had significantly higher fibrinogen levels, and both univariate and multivariate analyses showed total-cholesterol and fibrinogen levels to be positively correlated. A weaker but significant relationship was noted between the fibrinogen level and triglyceride levels (P = 0.0017) and between the fibrinogen level and the ratio of total-cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol levels (P = 0.0006). Fibrinogen levels were not significantly associated with either systolic or diastolic blood pressure
Occupational noise exposure and blood pressure
No full textOBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between occupational noise exposure and blood pressure.
METHODS: We studied 8811 workers at a metallurgical factory, who were exposed to different levels of noise at the worksite: 80 dB for 733 workers. A clinical examination, including measurements of blood pressure (by mercury sphygmomanometer, Korotkoff phases I and V), heart rate (by pulse palpation), body weight and height, was performed. The subjects were stratified into four age groups (18-30, 31-40, 41-50 and > 50 years) and into two body mass index groups: normal weight ( 25 kg/m2). In order to eliminate possible confounding factors and statistical bias, a retrospective case versus control analysis was also carried out.
RESULTS: The epidemiologic approach showed that the systolic blood pressure (SBP) but neither the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) nor the heart rate values were statistically higher in the group who were exposed to noise levels of > 80 dB, although the difference could be considered clinically relevant only in the older age group. The prevalence of hypertension (according to World Health Organization criteria) was higher among the workers who were exposed to the higher levels of noise. Stratification for body mass index confirmed the existence of a higher prevalence of hypertension in the exposed group. The results from the case versus control analysis indicated that both the SBP and the DBP levels in the exposed group were significantly higher than those in the reference group, and confirmed the existence of a higher prevalence of hypertension in the exposed group.
CONCLUSIONS: The present data suggest that occupational exposure to noise levels exceeding 80 dB may lead to a higher prevalence of hypertension and to increased blood pressure values, although the results appear quantitatively different according to the approach that is taken to the problem (i.e. the epidemiologic or the case versus control approach
Cigarette smoking and blood pressure in a worker population: a cross-sectional study
No full textBACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking has been reported to cause an acute increase in blood pressure (BP). Nevertheless, many epidemiological studies have found lower average BP values in smokers than in non-smokers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible existence of a systematic difference in BP values between smokers and non-smokers in a worker population.
METHODS: We studied 7109 employees of a metallurgical factory, all men, aged 18-60 years, 3237 non-smokers and 3872 smokers; of the latter, 816 smoked less than 10 cigarettes per day (light smokers), the others smoked 10 or more cigarettes per day. Clinical examination included measures of resting BP (by mercury sphygmomanometer), heart rate (HR) (by pulse palpation), body weight and height. Data were adjusted for age and body mass index (BMI). Four age groups (18-30, >30, >40 and >50 years) and 3 BMI groups (30) were considered.
RESULTS: In smokers, the adjusted values of systolic BP (SBP) and HR (127.72 mmHg and 75.16 beats/min, respectively) were slightly but significantly higher than in non-smokers (127.1 mmHg, P < 0.05 and 72.64 beats/min, P < 0.001), whereas diastolic BP (DBP) was significantly lower (83.37 versus 84.31 mmHg, P < 0.001). Considering the amount of cigarettes smoked, the mean BP values of light smokers were not significantly different from those of subjects smoking 10 or more cigarettes per day, whereas HR mean values were significantly higher in the latter. The prevalence of hypertension (WHO criteria) was similar in smokers and non-smokers in each age group.
CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed slightly but statistically higher SBP and HR, and lower DBP mean values in smokers than in non-smokers; however, the differences in BP, although significant from the statistical point of view, were not of actual clinical significanc
Transient but not sustained blood pressure increments by occupational noise. An ambulatory blood pressure measurement study
No full textEvaluation of nocturnal blood pressure by the Multi-P Analysis of 24-hour ambulatory monitoring
No full textAmbulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is utilized to identify "dippers" and "non dippers" among hypertensives. Such a classification has either prognostic or therapeutical implications. Rigid definitions of nocturnal time period (e.g., from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.) may not correspond to actual sleep patterns, and thus may lead to faulty interpretations. In our study, we analyzed 32 ABPM; diurnal and nocturnal blood pressure (BP) were assessed by three different ways: the patients' diary method; fixed intervals utilized by Spacelabs software; Multi-P Analysis (MPA) of the data. MPA method proved to be effective to evaluate nocturnal BP values. In comparison with Spacelabs program, it seems to define more precisely nocturnal BP, which differs less from the real sleep-time values. This modifies the percentage of dippers, which is greater than that obtained by Spacelabs program and equal to that calculated by the patients reported nocturnal sleep intervals. These results suggest that MPA method may be a contribution to a better definition of nocturnal B
Effect of benazapril addition to amlodipine on ankle oedema and subcutaneous tissue pressure in hypertensive patients.
No full text
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Comparative study of acipimox and pravastatin in patients with combined hyperlipidemia
No full textThe aim of this study was to evaluate the lipid-lowering effect of acipimox as compared to pravastatin in patients with combined hyperlipidemia. One hundred and six subjects, all males, aged 18-60 years, with total cholesterol (TC) > or = 200 mg/dl, TC/HDL-C ratio > or = 5, triglycerides (TG) > or = 200 and > or = 350 mg/dl were randomized to receive acipimox 250 mg thrice daily or pravastatin 20 mg once daily for 3 months, according to a double-blind, double-dummy design. After a 1-month wash-out period patients were crossed to the alternative regimen for further 3 months. Prior to and at the end of each treatment period, TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, TG, blood glucose, and fibrinogen were evaluated. Both acipimox and pravastatin significantly decreased TC, LDL-C, TC/HDL-C ratio and TG and increased HDL-C, without affecting plasma glucose. However, at the dosages employed in the study acipimox was more effective in reducing TG and increasing HDL-C levels, whereas pravastatin was more efficient in decreasing TC and LDL-C. There was no difference between the 2 treatments in their effects on TC/HDL-C ratio. Unlike pravastatin acipimox caused a slight but significant reduction in fibrinogen plasma levels. No serious adverse event was observed with either drug, but a major incidence of side-effects was reported during treatment with acipimox. Our findings suggest that, although both drugs at the standard dose employed in the study were effective in improving the lipid profile; in the treatment of combined hyperlipidemia acipimox might be preferable in the presence of more pronounced hypertriglyceridemia with low levels of HDL-C, whereas pravastatin might be more useful when hypercholesterolemia is predominan
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