| 1. |
- Lindqvist, A, et al.
(author)
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Artery blood pressure oscillation after active standing up: an indicator of sympathetic function in diabetic patients
- 1997
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In: Clinical Physiology. - : Wiley. - 1365-2281 .- 0144-5979. ; 17:2, s. 159-169
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Dynamic artery blood pressure (Finapres) response to active standing up, normally consisting of initial rise, fall and recovery above the baseline (overshoot), was compared with the early steady-state artery blood pressure level to measure sympathetic vasomotor function in healthy subjects (n = 23, age 35 +/- 9 years; mean +/-SD) and in type I diabetic patients without autonomic neuropathy (AN) (group 1: n = 18, 38 +/- 13 years), with AN but no cardiovascular drugs (group 2a: n = 7, 44 +/- 11 years) and with both AN and cardiovascular drugs (group 2b: n = 10, 47 +/- 7 years). Systolic and diastolic overshoot were similar in the control (15 +/- 13/15 +/- 11 mmHg) and group 1 subjects. Systolic overshoot disappeared in 57% of patients in group 2a (-1 +/- 9 mmHg; P < 0.03), whereas artery blood pressure still overshot in diastole (8 +/- 7 mmHg; NS). Systolic overshoot disappeared in all patients in group 2b (-22 +/- 22 mmHg; P < 0.0006) and diastolic overshoot disappeared in 60% of these patients (-6 +/- 16 mmHg; P = 0.0006). Systolic early steady-state level was not lower in group 2a than in group 1 (NS), but it was impaired in group 2b (P < 0.006), in which six diabetic patients had a pathological response beyond the age-related reference values. There was a strong association between the overshoot and steady-state levels (P for chi 2 < 0.001, n = 58). Overshoot of the control subjects and patients in group 2b correlated to their respective steady-state blood pressure levels (r > or = 0.76; P < or = 0.001). In conclusion, baroreceptor reflex-dependent overshoot of the artery blood pressure after active standing up diminishes with the development of AN and it is associated with the early steady-state level of the artery blood pressure.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Kjellgren, Karin I, 1950, et al.
(author)
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Hypertensive patients' knowledge of high blood pressure.
- 1997
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In: Scandinavian journal of primary health care. - 0281-3432. ; 15:4, s. 188-92
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To investigate hypertensive patients' understanding of the circulatory system, in particular high blood pressure. DESIGN: Semi-structured audio-taped interviews of patients immediately after a regular follow-up appointment with their physician. SETTING: A primary health care centre and a specialist clinic (hypertension unit) in southern Sweden. PATIENTS: 33 hypertensive patients, consecutively selected. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Focus was set on the exploration of patients' understanding/knowledge. RESULTS: In spite of a long history of hypertensive care, on average ten years, patients had a less than satisfactory understanding of their condition. Most patients knew their blood pressure values, but very few were able to give an account of what high blood pressure implies in functional terms. Knowledge of high blood pressure seems mainly to be derived from sources other than the health care system, in particular from the mass media. Knowledge of the risks associated with hypertension was quite good, as was the insight into how these risks could be managed. CONCLUSION: An assessment of patient knowledge of high blood pressure ought to be a starting point for educational strategies that aim to deepen patients' understanding of their state of health.
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| 4. |
- Torffvit, Ole, et al.
(author)
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The association between diabetic nephropathy and autonomic nerve function in type 1 diabetic patients
- 1997
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Clinical & Laboratory Investigation. - 1502-7686. ; 57:2, s. 183-191
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Diabetic cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy increases the risk of deterioration in renal function and is associated with increased mortality in patients with renal failure. Type 1 diabetic patients with long diabetes duration, matched for age (38 +/- 9 years) and diabetes duration (28 +/- 8 years) were studied regarding the association between cardiovascular autonomic nerve function and different degrees of diabetic nephropathy. Eighteen patients were normo- (< 30 mg/l), six micro- (30-300 mg/l), and 13 macroalbuminuric (> 300 mg/l) based on urinary albumin concentrations in three separate morning samples. They were compared with 33 control subjects with similar age. Autonomic nerve function was evaluated by measuring the response of heart rate to deep breathing and active standing. Beat-to-beat finger artery blood pressure (Finapres) was tested during active standing. During deep breathing both change in heart rate (17 +/- 11, 9 +/- 7 and 4 +/- 3 beats/min) and ratio between expiratory and inspiratory R-R intervals (1.32 +/- 0.24, 1.14 +/- 0.15 and 1.05 +/- 0.04) decreased from normo- over micro- to macroalbuminuria (p < 0.05 vs normoalbuminuric and control subjects [17 +/- 5 beats/min and 1.28 +/- 0.10, respectively]). Similar results were obtained during active standing with respect to change in systolic arterial blood pressure (3 +/- 8, 2 +/- 13 and -6 +/- 11 mmHg; p < 0.05 vs control subjects [8 +/- 11 mmHg]). However, the response of diastolic arterial blood pressure or mean heart rate to standing up did not differ between any of the groups. The ratio of maximum to minimum R-R interval during the dynamic response of heart rate to active standing decreased with the degree of nephropathy (1.27 +/- 0.17, 1.11 +/- 0.11 and 1.05 +/- 0.06) with significantly higher values in patients with normo- compared with patients with macroalbuminuria (p < 0.05). All patients groups had significantly lower values than control subjects (1.46 +/- 0.22, p < 0.05). The overshoot of the blood pressure after an initial fall during active standing decreased with the degree of diabetic nephropathy. In conclusion, type 1 diabetic patients with long duration of diabetes have signs of cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy, the severity of which is related to the degree of nephropathy.
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| 5. |
- Kjellgren, Karin I, 1950, et al.
(author)
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Patients' and physicians' assessment of risks associated with hypertension and benefits from treatment.
- 1998
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In: Journal of cardiovascular risk. - 1350-6277. ; 5:3, s. 161-6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Perceptions of effects of a medical regimen may affect patients' adherence to therapy. OBJECTIVE: To assess concordance between patients' and physicians' estimations of the risks of hypertension and benefits of treatment during a regular follow-up appointment. DESIGN: A population-based Swedish multicentre study. Patients were included consecutively from a randomized selection of centres (55 primary health care centres and 11 clinics of internal medicine). METHODS: A questionnaire was given to 1013 patients undergoing their individually prescribed antihypertensive therapy and 212 physicians who were caring for these patients. RESULTS: Without therapy, patients perceived the risks of cardiovascular complications to be higher than did their physicians. Patients were not aware that an increasing number of risk factors has an impact on the risk of complications. Patients furthermore rated the benefits of treatment higher than did their physicians (P<0.001). Of the patients, 14% had blood pressures < or = 140/90 mmHg. Most of the patients (61%) were not aware of their target blood pressure. However, when the target pressure was communicated to patients by the physician, patients remembered it accurately. The patients were generally not willing to trade even minor side effects from antihypertensive therapy for benefits of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: There was a high degree of inconsistency between patients' and physicians' estimations of risks of hypertension. Patients estimated the effects of treatment to be more beneficial than did their physicians.
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| 6. |
- Kjellgren, Karin I, 1950, et al.
(author)
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Perceived symptoms amongst hypertensive patients in routine clinical practice- a population-based study.
- 1998
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In: Journal of internal medicine. - : Wiley. - 0954-6820 .- 1365-2796. ; 244:4, s. 325-32
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: To compare perceived symptoms between patients undergoing antihypertensive therapy and hypertensive patients without drug treatment, and to assess reasons for change of antihypertensive medication in routine clinical practice. DESIGN: Population-based multicentre study. Consecutive patients from a randomized sample of centres were given a standardized questionnaire to assess symptoms as well as opinions about their antihypertensive drugs. SETTING: Fifty-five Swedish primary health care centres and 11 clinics of internal medicine. PATIENTS: One thousand and thirteen hypertensive patients on their individually prescribed antihypertensive medication and 13 5 without antihypertensive therapy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence and perception of symptoms with and without antihypertensive drug therapy, changes of medication and reasons for this. RESULTS: Amongst the group of patients on antihypertensive medication, 57% spontaneously reported having had symptoms of high blood pressure before they started their drug therapy. Amongst the patients without antihypertensive drugs, 52% reported having such symptoms. When answering direct questions about different symptoms related to current drug treatment or increased blood pressure, patients with and without medication reported symptoms to a similar extent: 80 and 85%, respectively. A majority of patients (64%) had changed their medication during the course of treatment (range 0-61 years). The mean number of changes was 2.4 times over 12 years. The most common reported cause for changing drug treatment was side-effects (42%). CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that patients in general perceive symptoms from hypertension. Antihypertensive medication decreases the frequency and intensity of symptoms that might be related to high blood pressure but adds other symptoms linked to the medication. Changes in medication were mostly related to side-effects. The follow-up should pay attention to patients' experience of treatment. A sign of a well-managed hypertension population would be a decrease of symptoms over time.
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| 7. |
- Berntorp, Erik, et al.
(author)
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Centraliserad vård grundläggande i vårdprogram för blödarsjuka
- 1999
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In: Läkartidningen. - 0023-7205. ; 96:15, s. 1849-1852
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Haemophilia is a rare and potentially life-threatening disease. In Sweden, with a population of approximately 8.5 million, about 350 people suffer from the more severe forms of haemophilia or von Willebrand disease. Meticulous management is important if the patients are to be spared chronic disability and serious treatment complications. The disease is lifelong and affects psychosocial aspects of life among patients and their families. With the help of a grant from the Swedish Board of Halth and Welfare, a care programme has been designed to guarantee Swedish haemophiliacs comparable and optimal care. The programme has been drawn up by representatives of the three haemophilia centres in Sweden (at University Hospital, Malmo, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, and Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm) in co-operation with the World Federation of National Haemophilia Organisations. To ensure optimal individual application of the programme, individualised management strategies and patient information leaflets have been prepared.
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| 8. |
- Jönsson, Henrik, et al.
(author)
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S100β after coronary artery surgery: release pattern, source of contamination, and relation to neuropsychological outcome
- 1999
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In: Annals of Thoracic Surgery. - : Elsevier BV. - 0003-4975 .- 1552-6259. ; 68:6, s. 2202-2208
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background. S100β has been suggested as a marker of brain damage after cardiac operation. The aim of this study was to characterize the early S100β release in detail and relate it to neuropsychological outcome.Methods. Three groups of patients were investigated. All patients underwent coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) with extracorporeal circulation. In group A, 110 patients had sampling of S100β for the first 10 postoperative hours and also underwent neuropsychological testing. In group B, 14 patients were examined for the effect of autotransfusion on S100β levels. Eight patients in group C had their intraoperative bleeding processed with a cell-saving device.Results. Group A had a heterogeneous release pattern with several rapid elevations in S100β concentration. In group B, high concentrations of S100β were found in the autotransfusion blood (range 0.2 to 210 μg/L) with a concurrent elevation of serum S100β levels after transfusion of shed blood. In group C, high levels of S100β were found in the blood from the surgical field (12.0 ± 6.0 μg/L) and decreased (1.1 ± 0.64 μg/L) after wash. Group C had significantly lower S100β values at the end of cardiopulmonary bypass compared to group A (0.53 ± 0.35 μg/L versus 2.40 ± 1.5 μg/L). S100β values were corrected for extracerebral contamination with a kinetic model. With this correction, an association was found between adverse neuropsychological outcome and S100β release in group A (r = 0.39, p < 0.02).Conclusions. A significant amount of S100β is found both in the blood from the surgical field and in the shed mediastinal blood postoperatively. Infusion of this blood will result in infusion of S100β into the blood and interfere in the interpretation of early systemic S100β values.Previous article in issue
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| 9. |
- Kjellgren, Karin I, 1950, et al.
(author)
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Antihypertensive medication in clinical encounters.
- 1998
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In: International journal of cardiology. - 0167-5273. ; 64:2, s. 161-9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In managing hypertension, patient participation and understanding of the nature and significance of treatment are decisive. We analysed the communication between patient and physician with respect to antihypertensive medication at a follow-up appointment, and assessed patients' knowledge of their medication. The empirical data consist of audio-recordings from 51 hypertensive patients' follow-up appointment with their physicians. Thirty-three of these patients were interviewed in depth immediately after the appointment. The study was performed in primary health care centres and at a specialist clinic for hypertension. When discussing medications, patients mainly talked about experiences of being on medication, whereas physicians generally focused on the pharmacological effect and dosage of the drug. Physicians routinely asked about compliance with drug regimen, but seldom in any depth. Little effort was invested into discussing the effect and goal of therapy. The main finding was that patients had a very fragmentary understanding of the functional nature of their antihypertensive medication. This is unsatisfactory both from the point of view of treatment efficacy and also when considering the legal requirements of involving the patient in the decision making. The follow-up appointments studied gave few possibilities for the patient to learn about their antihypertensive medication.
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| 10. |
- Kjellgren, Karin I, 1950, et al.
(author)
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Taking antihypertensive medication--controlling or co-operating with patients?
- 1995
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In: International journal of cardiology. - 0167-5273. ; 47:3, s. 257-68
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Low compliance with antihypertensive drug regimens has been a well documented reason for inadequate control of hypertension. We assessed recent literature regarding compliance from different disciplines to clarify the nature of reported problems on low compliance to prescribed antihypertensive medication. Much research focuses on primary factors for compliance, methods to monitor and measure individual rates and patterns of compliance. From a behavioural oriented point of view, the focus is on understanding why patients act as they do. This review indicates that there is an almost complete lack of knowledge about how the decision making in the clinical practice is organized when prescribing antihypertensive medication and/or when following up treatment from patients already taking such drugs. Since the concrete communication and collaboration between patient and physician in the clinical setting are of prime significance for patient adherence to drug regimens, it is important to shed light on what happens in this critical situation.
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