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Biomedical subjects

A Lant

Publications and source records attributed to A Lant.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

The role of anxiety and depression in quality of life and symptom reporting in people with diabetes mellitus.

Although quality of life evaluations are widely used throughout medicine, relatively little is known about the psychological processes involved in making these judgements. What is known is that quality of life judgements are not straightforwardly associated with objective measures of health status or clinician ratings. In particular, patient affect appears to be associated with quality of life ratings but whether this relationship is secondary to physical health or not is controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the role of anxiety and depression in the reporting of quality of life in a group of patients with diabetes mellitus. One hundred consecutive patients with diabetes (insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus n = 36 and non-insulin-dependent diabetes n = 64) were assessed using a self-report measure of quality of life, a symptom checklist and a questionnaire measure of anxiety and depression. In addition, they were independently rated for their level of physical impairment. The results showed that depression and, to a lesser extent, anxiety were significantly related to self-reported quality of life even when the differences in physical health and age were controlled for statistically. This study shows that, independent of the level of physical illness, affect, particularly depressive affect, is an important factor in the determination of quality of life.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1997

Interpractice audit of diagnosis and management of hypertension in primary care: educational intervention and review of medical records.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether peer review medical audit in a primary care setting changes clinical behaviour in relation to the management of hypertension. DESIGN: Review of medical records in general practices to identify hypertensive patients followed up by assessment of the pre-educational and post-educational management of interventions. SETTING: Six general practices in north west London picked at random within defined criteria of geography and size. SUBJECTS: 740 hypertensive patients managed by 25 different general practitioners. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Improved level of care in terms of better diagnosis by having at least three blood pressure readings before the start of drug treatment, better level of recordings of lifestyle parameters as shown by the level of recordings of body mass index and total lipid values, and better control of blood pressure and harm minimisation as shown by the level of recordings of urea and electrolyte values. RESULTS: Improvement was noted in the level of recordings of body mass index, total lipid concentrations, and urea and electrolyte values but not in better diagnosis or blood pressure control. CONCLUSION: Clinical behaviour of general practitioners can be changed by peer review but more complex behavioural changes which require the cooperation of the patients and cognitive actions by the general practitioners need further investigation.

Blood Pressure Determination↗
PubMed1993

Improving prescribing of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in hospital: an educational approach.

An assessment has been undertaken of the effect of an educationally-based voluntary prescribing policy on the overall prescribing of NSAIDs in two acute hospital units. The policy engendered a fall in district expenditure on these drugs of 12% over 1 year. The long term impact of the policy was studied after 3 years within one area of hospital prescribing, the Accident and Emergency (A & E) department. At the time of formal appraisal, a high degree of compliance with the agreed policy, of greater than 95%, was being maintained. The effect of regular audit sessions between prescribers, specialist clinicians and pharmacists was studied in detail over a period of 30 weeks. A reduction in total NSAID prescribing of 40% was achieved after a single session. A change in junior medical staff was associated with a fivefold increase in prescriptions for NSAIDs, which was not sustained. Total A & E prescribing remained static over the period of study. The audit process was also associated with a reduction in analgesic prescribing in general. The results of this study indicate that an educationally-based system for improving prescribing can change prescribing habits in the short term; these can be maintained in the longer term provided that the policy is continually monitored and reinforced by regular appraisal meetings with specialist clinicians and pharmacists. It is suggested that this educational approach can readily be adapted to the primary care setting, with general practitioners rather than specialists taking the leadership role. This would encourage the achievement of common prescribing strategies between hospitals and community that are not wholly financially led.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗
PubMed1992

An interactive videodisc 'cancer patients and their families at home', designed for education in primary health care.

This article describes the development of an interactive videodisc program to support professional education in the field of cancer for the primary health care team. Based on a survey of needs, it concentrates on common symptoms and their control, and problems in communication. The educational approach adopted was chosen on the basis of an extensive consideration of the needs, and what was felt most appropriate for adult learners. Plans were carefully reviewed at each stage, with external advisers, and the prototype system independently evaluated in four sites before completing the package. With financial backing from the 'Europe against Cancer' initiative of the European Commission, and close cooperation with national practitioners, Dutch, German, Greek and Portuguese versions of the package have been developed. Local differences in practice are taken into account and translations of key aspects are provided.

Home Care Services↗
PubMed1992

Blood pressure measurement by junior hospital doctors--a gap in medical education?

A questionnaire survey, combined with an observational study, evaluated the knowledge of doctors in training grades on the practical aspects of blood pressure measurement. Eighty (non-consultant) junior hospital doctors, graduates from 30 separate medical schools, participated in the study. The results show that 27 (33%) doctors acknowledged no formal education on how to measure blood pressure. This lack of precise theoretical knowledge was matched by an observed poor clinical technique in over one third of the study group. The precision and accuracy of blood pressure recording is fundamental to the clinical examination of patients, and crucial in their management in both hospital and community settings. The findings of this study support the urgent need for further training and assessment of blood pressure measurement at undergraduate, and postgraduate level.

Blood Pressure Determination↗
PubMed1986

Diuretic drugs. Progress in clinical pharmacology.

Oral diuretics are amongst the most widely used drugs in clinical practice today. Their discovery close on thirty years ago remains a major milestone in therapeutic progress. Though originally designed for treating heart failure, diuretics are more commonly prescribed, worldwide, in hypertension than for relief of oedema. Since the introduction of chlorothiazide, diuretic development has passed through a series of distinct stages. The thiazide era was followed by the 'high-ceiling' diuretics, the antikaliuretics and, more recently, polyvalent agents that cause both saluresis and uricosuria. Alongside these synthetic achievements, major advances have occurred in the knowledge of nephron function and ion transport mechanisms. These have acted as stimulus to the design of novel categories of diuretics. The practising clinician thus has a wide range of available diuretics to choose from. The most appropriate choice of an agent aimed at the relief of symptoms with minimal adverse effects requires an understanding of where and how diuretics act within their primary target organ, the kidney. Whereas various procedures, ranging from micropuncture to the study of brush border membrane vesicles, have been utilised experimentally, investigation of the mode and sites of action of diuretics in man has largely depended on application of clearance methodology. Refinements in analytical chemistry have encouraged study of the pharmacokinetic and metabolic fate of diuretics. Taken together, available evidence shows that most diuretics exert their saluretic action from the intraluminal aspect of the renal tubules. The time-course of drug delivery, as well as total quantity of drug transported into the lumen determine the cumulative drug response. Exceptions are muzolimine and the aldosterone antagonists which act at the peritubular membrane. Distinctive stereospecific effects on luminal tubular ion transport occur with indacrinone and etozoline. The clinical use of diuretics often involves concurrent administration with other drugs. The mechanisms involved in a number of the resulting pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic interactions have considerable relevance in patient management. Notable examples of these interactions are the blunting of diuretic action by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents and the diuretic-induced diminution in the renal clearance of lithium salts.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1985

Diuretics. Clinical pharmacology and therapeutic use (Part I).

25 years have elapsed since the introduction of the first effective oral diuretic, chlorothiazide. Diuretics are now amongst the most widely prescribed drugs in clinical practice worldwide. Availability of these drugs has not only brought therapeutic benefit to countless numbers of patients but it has at the same time provided valuable research tools with which to investigate the functional behaviour of the kidney and other electrolyte-transporting tissues. Despite many remaining gaps in our knowledge of the biochemical processes involved in diuretic drug action, available compounds can be divided into 5 groups on the basis of their preferential effects on different segments of the nephron involved in tubular reabsorption of sodium chloride and water. Firstly, there is heterogeneous group of chemicals that share the common property of powerful, short-lived diuretic effects that are complete within 4 to 6 hours. These agents act on the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop and are known as 'high ceiling' or 'loop' diuretics. The second group are the benzothiadiazines and their many related heterocyclic variants, all of which localise their effects to the early portion of the distal tubule. The third group comprises the potassium-sparing diuretics which act exclusively on the Na+-K+/H+ exchange mechanisms in the late distal tubule and cortical collecting duct. The action of drugs in groups 2 and 3 is prolonged to between 12 and 24 hours. The fourth group consists of diuretics that are chemically related to ethacrynic acid but have the unusual property of combining within the same molecule the property of saluresis and uricosuria. These compounds have actions, to different individual extents, in the proximal tubule, thick ascending limb, and early distal tubule and are known as 'polyvalent' diuretics. Finally, there is a mixed group of weak or adjunctive diuretics which includes the vasodilator xanthines such as aminophylline, and the osmotically active compounds such as mannitol. Available evidence on the molecular mechanisms of action of diuretics in each group is reviewed. The haemodynamic, humoral and physical factors involved in control of electrolyte and fluid handling by the kidney in normal conditions and pathological states are discussed in relation to rational choices of different diuretics in the treatment of various oedematous and non-oedematous conditions.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Diuretics. Clinical pharmacology and therapeutic use (Part II).

25 years have elapsed since the introduction of the first effective oral diuretic, chlorothiazide. Diuretics are now amongst the most widely prescribed drugs in clinical practice worldwide. Availability of these drugs has not only brought therapeutic benefit to countless numbers of patients but it has at the same time provided valuable research tools with which to investigate the functional behaviour of the kidney and other electrolyte-transporting tissues. Despite many remaining gaps in our knowledge of the biochemical processes involved in diuretic drug action, available compounds can be divided into 5 groups on the basis of their preferential effects on different segments of the nephron involved in tubular reabsorption of sodium chloride and water. Firstly, there is a heterogeneous group of chemicals that share the common property of powerful, short-lived diuretic effects that are complete within 4 to 6 hours. These agents act on the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop and are known as 'high ceiling' or 'loop' diuretics. The second group are the benzothiadiazines and their many related heterocyclic variants, all of which localise their effects to the early portion of the distal tubule. The third group comprises the potassium-sparing diuretics which act exclusively on the Na+-K+/H+ exchange mechanisms in the late distal tubule and cortical collecting duct. The action of drugs in groups 2 and 3 is prolonged to between 12 and 24 hours. The fourth group consists of diuretics that are chemically related to ethacrynic acid but have the unusual property of combining within the same molecule the property of saluresis and uricosuria. These compounds have actions, to different individual extents, in the proximal tubule, thick ascending limb, and early distal tubule and are known as 'polyvalent' diuretics. Finally, there is a mixed group of weak or adjunctive diuretics which includes the vasodilator xanthines such as aminophylline, and the osmotically active compounds such as mannitol. The metabolic consequences of continued diuretic usage are considered along with non-metabolic sequelae such as ototoxicity or interactions with other concurrent treatments. The relationships between the clinical benefits conferred and the potential harms generated by long term diuretic therapy are also discussed.

Amiloride↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Deliberate self harm: the hidden population.

Population-based epidemiological surveys of deliberate self harm (DSH) exclude homeless people and do not represent them in their conclusions. However, DSH in the homeless is commonly seen in inner city hospitals and the homeless are probably at higher risk of eventual suicide. We examined the demographic characteristics of all patients who presented to an inner London hospital after an episode of DSH over a period of three years and found that 15% of patients were of no fixed abode. Alternative methods of studying DSH need to be explored if suicide is to be prevented in this group of people.

Adolescent↗