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Biomedical subjects

B O Williams

Publications and source records attributed to B O Williams.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Accuracy of the impedance cardiogram in the measurement of cardiac output in the elderly.

The cardiac output has been determined by radionuclide angiocardiography and by impedance cardiography in 93 elderly patients. The agreement between the two methods was excellent in patients in sinus rhythm, without regurgitant valvular lesions, and without severe airways obstruction or right bundle branch block. In atrial fibrillation the lack of correlation may be due to differences in heart rate during the two measurements, in regurgitant valvular lesions to the fact that impedance cardiography measures stroke output, whether forward or backward, in airways obstruction to high values for the basal thoracic impedance, and in right bundle branch block perhaps to the abnormal impedance wave-form often present.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1984

Evidence for an apparent sensory speech disorder in Parkinson's disease.

Twenty eight patients with Parkinson's disease (average age 63 years, average duration of disease 8 years) and 28 normal elderly controls (average age 70 years) were tested for their ability to appreciate the prosodic aspects of their own and others' speech and facial expression. Compared with the controls the Parkinsonian subjects performed worse at these tests, though both groups could easily identify neutral statements. The Parkinsonian subjects were unable to produce statements in an angry or questioning form. These seemed to be features of early Parkinson's disease.

Affect↗
PubMed1983

Coronary care in the elderly.

Over a five-year period (1974-78), 2947 patients were admitted to the Coronary Care Unit, Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow, and it was confirmed that 1474 of these patients had had a myocardial infarction. Over 70% were of state pensionable age, that is women over the age of 60 years and men over 65 years. No difference was found in the incidence of successful resuscitation from primary ventricular fibrillation following acute myocardial infarction between the under-60-year-old and over-70-year-old age groups. Further, this study did not show any rise in mortality, with age, following acute myocardial infarction.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

A survey of undergraduate teaching of geriatric medicine in the British medical schools.

A questionnaire survey of the 30 British clinical medical schools in October 1981 has shown that geriatric medicine is formally taught in all except Sheffield and St George's, London. Teaching takes place mainly in the first and second clinical years. Clinical instruction accounts for 75% and lectures and tutorials 25% of teaching time. Medical schools with academic departments have more teaching time. The subject is examined in the final professional examinations in 71% of the schools which teach geriatric medicine.

Education, Medical, Undergraduate↗
PubMed1981

Left ventricular performance in atrial fibrillation in the elderly.

Ejection fraction was measured directly by a radionuclide method, and indirectly from systolic time intervals, in elderly patients in atrial fibrillation. Both methods show that the ejection fraction averages approximately 55% at mean ventricular rates of 50-70 beats/min and falls to 20% or below as mean rate increases to over 120 beats/min. Atrial fibrillation is thus associated with a decrease in left ventricular performance, which is accentuated by increasing ventricular rates.

Aged↗
PubMed1980

Impedance cardiography and cardiac output in the elderly.

The cardiac output has been measured in 40 elderly patients by impedance cardiography and an isotopic indicator-dilution method. There was no significant systemic difference between the results obtained by the two methods. The mean difference between paired values was 0.76 1/min (approximately 16%). The value and limitations of impedance cardiography in the study of the circulation in the elderly are discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1980

Hypertension control in a rural biracial community: successes and failures of primary care.

Through a total community survey and a medical record review, we examined hypertension awareness, treatment, and control in a biracial rural community rich in primary care resources. The overall prevalence of hypertension among the 2,939 respondents was 20.5 per cent; 82 per cent of hypertensives were aware of their condition; 68 per cent were on treatment; and 55 per cent were under control. Comparison of data sources revealed discrepancies and misconceptions about diagnosis and treatment. Nearly one-third of the population reported a history of hypertension despite the fact that most of them were untreated and were normotensive. Conversely, one-third of "undetected" hypertensives had notation of the diagnosis in their medical records. Discontinuation of treatment accounted for over one-half of aware but untreated hypertension. Misconceptions about therapy contributed to failures of control in the treated group. These findings suggest that difficulties in the transmission of information about hypertension contribute importantly to failures of control.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Levodopa/benserazide ('Madopar') combination therapy in elderly patients with parkinsonism.

A clinical evaluation was carried out in 20 elderly patients with parkinsonism to assess the effectiveness and acceptability of treatment with a combination preparation of levodopa and benserazide over a period of 9 months. Mean daily maintenance dosage was 612.5 mg levodopa and 140 mg benserazide. The effects of treatment on clinical features and activities of daily living were monitored at monthly intervals. Significant improvement occurred in the first month and optimal improvement was usually reached by the end of 3-months' treatment. Akinesia and rigidity were abolished or improved in the majority of patients but the effect on tremor was less satisfactory. The preparation was well tolerated and side-effects were not troublesome.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1978

Potential anticoagulant drug interactions in ambulatory patients.

Computer-generated prescription drug purchase records for ambulatory patients receiving oral anticoagulants (OAC) were studied for concomitant use of other drugs which have been reported to induce clinically significant interactions. One third of 479 patients taking OAC were exposed to a potentially interacting drug at some time during this 6-month period. The percentage of patients with drug interaction exposure correlated directly with total drug use (p less than 0.0005). There were no significant differences when interaction exposure rates were compared in the cases of single : multiple pharmacy and single : multiple physician-patient groups. Warfarin was the most common anticoagulant (greater than 95%) and barbiturates the most common interacting drug.

Anticoagulants↗
PubMed1977

Who needs speech therapy?

Assessment of communication by a patient with a speech disorder by clinicians is often dependent on whether the patient makes an appropriate response to an instruction. The speech therapist concerned with language usage and the over-all ability to communicate has developed skills and investigational techniques to identify subgroups within the broad categories of speech pathology appreciated by the clinicians. This prospective study of 100 patients with neurological disease referred for speech therapy, examined in detail in good working conditions and with ample therapy time, is intended to clarify for the clinician a method of assessment, and to illustrate the value of therapy, and establish a prognosis for the variety of speech and language disorders encountered.

Aged↗