Biomedical subjects

Duska Glavas

Publications and source records attributed to Duska Glavas.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

Smoking cessation with nicotine replacement therapy among health care workers: randomized double-blind study.

AIM: To assess the smoking prevalence and efficacy of nicotine replacement therapy on the quitting rate after 3 weeks of therapy and after 1- and 5-year follow-up among health care workers with a smoking habit in Split, Croatia. METHODS: Among 311 hospital health professionals included in the study, there were 112 (36%) smokers; 44 (39%) of them were physicians and 68 (61%) nurses. In a randomized double-blind study, 112 smokers were divided in 2 groups, applying daily either a transdermal nicotine system (TNS) or placebo patch over 3 weeks. Abstinence was evaluated via questionnaire and on the basis of carbon monoxide concentration measured in the exhaled breath. RESULTS: The abstinence rates after the 3-week intervention period were 39% in the TNS group and almost 20% in the control group (chi-square test, p=0.038). After one year, these rates declined to 23% and 16%, respectively (p=0.476), and converged to 18% and 14% (p=0.797), respectively, at 5-year follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term TNS treatment is effective in smoking cessation, although the effects steadily wane over time and the relapse rate is high. Continuous, structured, and composite efforts are needed for the maintenance of the non-smoking behavior.

Administration, Cutaneous↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Epidemiologic characteristics of patients with myocardial infarct in the region of Split during the period of war in the homeland].

The aim of this study was to determine the pattern of myocardial infarction (MI) incidence regarding the age, gender, infarction site and the most important risk factors. Between 1989 and 1997 there were 3454 patients hospitalized in coronary care units of Clinical Hospital Split. In the three-year period preceding the war, from 1989-1991, 1024 patients were hospitalized because of MI. During the three years of full was activities, from 1992-1994, there were 1257 patients (significantly more, p < 0.05), and in the three-year period after the was, from 1995-1997, there were 1173 patients. In the war period there were 12% (151) patients under the 45 years of age (p < 0.05); of that number, 95% (143) were men (significantly more than in other two periods, p < 0.05), and 5% (8) were women. In the period preceding the was there were 6.5% (66) patients under the 45 years; 91% (60) men and 9% (6) women, whereas in the period after the war there were 7.5% (88), 92% (81) and 8% (7), respectively. The patients under 45 (305) more often had MI of inferior than anterior site (49 vs. 28%, p < 0.001), whereas there was no difference in patients over 45 (36 vs. 37%, p > 0.05). The patients over 45 had significantly higher hospital mortality (21 vs. 4%, p < 0.001), and were more likely to have hypertension (51 vs. 15%, p < 0.001) as well as hypercholesterolemia (54 vs. 14%, p < 0.001). Smokers were more prevalent among those under the 45 (75 vs. 51%, p < 0.001). The number of hospitalized patients with MI was the greatest during the war period. It included significant increase in incidence in men under 45 (12 vs. 7%, p < 0.05), with smoking as the most important risk factor, especially for infarctions of inferior site.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Smoking cessation using the transdermal nicotine system].

There are a lot of methods for smoking cessation but transdermal nicotine system (TNS) is one of the most popular. On a sample of more than 300 smokers we have formerly shown that TNS achieves higher abstinence rate than placebo (38%:21%). In the present study we have tested the optimal administration of TNS. 160 smokers were subdivided in 4 groups of 40, receiving either TNS or placebo, for 3 or 6 weeks. The abstinence rate was evaluated by appropriate questionnaires and measuring CO in the exhaled air. After 3 weeks of TNS 60% of the examinees were abstaining compared to 50% after 6 weeks; the abstinence rates in the placebo groups were 17.5% and 20%, respectively (p < 0.05). Short TNS treatment (3 weeks) is at least as effective as a longer one (6 weeks), which is relevant both medically and economically.

Administration, Cutaneous↗