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H Ueshima

Publications and source records attributed to H Ueshima.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

An INTERSALT study investigation: relationship between body mass index and blood pressure in the combined populations of three local centres in Japan.

Body mass index was positively and strongly correlated with BP in the INTERSALT study. Because the average body mass index in Japan, although low relative to other developed countries, has been increasing recently it would be useful, particularly from the public health viewpoint, to investigate the impact of body mass index on BP in Japanese populations. In this study, the relationship between body mass index and BP was investigated taking into account age, alcohol intake and sodium and potassium excretion in 24h urine. Data were obtained from 274 men and 284 women, aged 20-59 years, who were not taking antihypertensive medication. Random selection of participants took place at three local centres as outlined in the 1985 INTERSALT study in Japan. It was found that body mass index was positively and significantly correlated with BP in men and women, respectively, but was independent of age, alcohol intake and urinary sodium/potassium ratio. Both SBP and DBP were significantly higher by > or = 5 mmHg in participants whose body mass index (kg/m2) was in the highest quartile compared with participants in the lowest or the next lowest quartile category in men and women. In this study, it was suggested that the body mass index in Japanese men and women was directly correlated with BP independent of other confounding factors. Accordingly, the maintenance of a moderate body mass index may be important in achieving and maintaining a desirable BP level.

Adult↗

Changes in total serum cholesterol and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease in Japan 1980-1989.

To monitor recent changes in Japan in diet and risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), in the light of the decline on coronary heart disease, total serum cholesterol levels and other risk factors were compared between two nationwide health surveys in 1980 and 1989 conducted in the same population as the annual National Nutrition Surveys. Between 1980 and 1989, age-adjusted total serum cholesterol levels increased from 4.84 to 5.22 for men and from 4.91 to 5.24 mmol/l for women. Prevalence of age-adjusted hypercholesterolaemia of > or = 5.68 mmol/l (220 mg/dl) increased from 15.8% to 29.4% for men and from 18.4% to 30.6% for women. Decline in blood pressure was observed for both sexes. Prevalence of smoking decreased from 64.7% to 58.7% in men while prevalence in women remained low (from 10.1 to 9.9%). Considerable increases in total serum cholesterol levels do not offer an explanation of the recent decline in mortality from coronary heart disease in Japan. This may, in part, be related to a decline in blood pressure levels.

Adult↗

Effect of reduced alcohol consumption on blood pressure in untreated hypertensive men.

Fifty-four untreated, mildly hypertensive men whose daily alcohol consumption was > or = 28 ml ethanol and who drank at least 4 times per week took part in a randomized, controlled crossover trial. The purpose of the trial was to test the effects of alcohol reduction on blood pressure. After a 2-week familiarization period, the participants were assigned to either a reduced alcohol drinking group or a usual drinking group for 3 weeks (experimental period 1). The situation was then reversed for the next 3 weeks (experimental period 2). The participants were requested to limit their daily alcohol consumption to zero or reduce it as much as possible for the reduced alcohol consumption period. The self-reported alcohol consumption was 56.1 +/- 3.6 (SEM) ml/day during the usual alcohol drinking period and 26.1 +/- 3.0 ml/day during the period of reduced alcohol consumption. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures in the intervention group were found by analysis of variance to be significantly lower (2.6-4.8 and 2.2-3.0 mm Hg, respectively) than those in the control group during experimental period 2 for systolic blood pressure and experimental period 1 for diastolic blood pressure. Significant (3.6 mm Hg) and nonsignificant (1.9 mm Hg) decreases in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively, were observed. The method of Hills and Armitage was used, reducing ethanol in daily alcohol consumption by 28 ml. The lowering effect of reduced alcohol consumption on blood pressure was independent of changes in salt consumption, which were estimated by 24-hour urine collection and body weight.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

[A comparative study of the health conditions of elderly people living alone, elderly couples and the bedridden elderly at home in a rural area of Shiga Prefecture: special reference to morbidity rate and blood pressure, electrocardiograph and blood examination data].

For the purpose of obtaining basic data and for establishing a support system for elderly people with various health and social problems, a population survey was performed in 1990 to investigate the health and living conditions of elderly people living alone, elderly couples and the bedridden elderly in the town of Shigaraki, Shiga Prefecture. A total of 275 subjects (103 male, 172 female) 65 years of age and over were surveyed. The participation rate in this survey was 88.1%. Analysis of health conditions (morbidity rate, blood pressure, electrocardiograph and blood examination data) of elderly people living alone, elderly couples and the bedridden elderly produced the following: 1) Stroke was the main cause of being bedridden in men, while in women, bone and joint disease, especially fracture, was the main cause. 2) The combined prevalence of hypertension and borderline hypertension in elderly people living alone, elderly couples and the bedridden elderly was over 50%. The bedridden elderly had a lower prevalence than elderly people living alone and elderly couples. 3) Men in all of the above mentioned life styles, had a higher tendency of showing ECG abnormalities than women. The tendency for major ECG abnormalities was high for bedridden elderly, both male and female, with the tendency for men being higher. 4) In bedridden elderly, a tendency of higher prevalence of anemia, in both male and females, lower total serum cholesterol and triglyceride in males compared to elderly people living alone and in elderly couples, was observed.

Activities of Daily Living↗

[Factors influencing self-registration in a bone-marrow bank: analysis of data from a population survey in Shiga Prefecture].

A population survey of awareness and attitudes regarding a bone-marrow bank was carried out in 19 cities and towns of Shiga prefecture in July 1991, to identify factors that would promote donor self-registration among the general population. The survey involved 832 residents (416 men and 416 women) selected as follows: Each social welfare commissioner of the cities and towns selected a total of eight residents, one male and one female from each of 4 age groups (20-29, 30-39, 40-49 and 50-59 years old). The questionnaires were distributed and collected by the social welfare commissioners with an overall response rate of 97.4%. Subjects answered questions regarding their experience and desire to participate in social volunteer activities, knowledge about bone-marrow banks, their perception of it's necessity, and whether they would participate in a bone-marrow bank, etc. A total of 25.9% of male and 20.6% of female subjects stated they had a desire to register in a bone-marrow bank. From the result of multiple regression analysis, the characteristics of those who showed interest in registration in a bone-marrow bank included having heard of the bone-marrow bank, experience in social volunteer activity, experience in blood donation, knowledge of bone-marrow transplantation and living in a town where need for establishment of a bone-marrow bank was widely discussed among residents. In the promotion of the idea of a bone-marrow bank, the role of motivating people to participate in voluntary blood donation and other social volunteer activities appears to be important.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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Alcohol drinking and high blood pressure: data from a 1980 national cardiovascular survey of Japan.

Many epidemiological cross-sectional studies have confirmed that alcohol drinking is related to high blood pressure. However, the impact of alcohol drinking on high blood pressure in the general population including older people has only been reported on in a few studies. The association between alcohol drinking and blood pressure or the prevalence of hypertension was examined using cross-sectional data of 4795 men and 6102 women aged 30-94, randomly selected from the Japanese population in 1980. The response rates were 74 and 84% for men and women, respectively. The prevalence of hypertension adjusted for body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) was significantly higher in everyday male drinkers than in male non-drinkers from the youngest age group (30-39 years) to oldest age group (70 years and over). A relationship between alcohol and blood pressure was found only in the youngest age group (30-39 years) of female drinkers. In each 10-year age-group of men, the BMI-adjusted systolic and diastolic blood pressures in everyday drinkers were 7-10 and 4-6 mmHg higher than those in non-drinkers. The relationship between alcohol and blood pressure in men was confirmed by multiple regression analysis adjusting for age and BMI in both younger (30-59 years) and older (60-94 years) people. The impact of alcohol drinking on blood pressure in men should be taken into account in the primary prevention of blood pressure related diseases and in the treatment of hypertension in both younger and older people.

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Blood pressure levels, related factors, and hypertension control status of Japanese and Americans.

Blood pressure levels and related factors in Japanese, US whites and US blacks aged 30 to 74 years were compared, using data from the similarly designed national survey of each country in a similar period, i.e., the National Survey on Circulatory Disorders of Japan, 1980 (10,897 persons from all over Japan) and the second National Health and Nutrition Survey of the US, 1976 to 1980 (NHANES-II) (16,204 persons from all over the USA). Data collection methods were judged to be comparable. Data were stratified by age (30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-74 yrs) and sex. Age-specific and age-adjusted mean systolic BPs of Japanese were generally higher than those of US whites; mean diastolic pressures were similar in the two populations in both men and women. Mean weight and body mass index (BMI) and their standard deviations were lower for Japanese than Americans. In US blacks, BP was higher than in Japanese or in US whites for diastolic in men, and for both systolic and diastolic in women. Systolic BP levels of black men were between those of Japanese and US whites. At specific levels of BMI, Japanese systolic BPs were markedly higher than those of US whites in all age-sex groups, and diastolic pressures were higher in Japanese than in US whites, slightly so at younger ages and more so at ages 60 and over in both sexes. The proportions of all persons with high BP who were receiving antihypertensive treatment and who were controlled were similar in most age-sex groups of the Japanese and US white populations; they were lower in US black men and higher in US black women. In linear regression analyses of BP on BMI controlled for age, slopes were similar for Japanese and Americans. However, given the lower mean BMI and smaller BMI standard deviation (less overweight), partial correlation coefficients between BMI and BP were smaller for Japanese than Americans. These results indicate that overweight plays a lesser role in Japanese than Americans in producing high prevalence rates of hypertension and that other factors are critically involved (e.g., intake of sodium, potassium, calcium, alcohol).

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Enhanced blood pressure response to regular daily stress in urban hypertensive men.

Twenty-eight urban untreated hypertensive men (mean age: 54 years; systolic (SBP)/diastolic (DBP) blood pressure at clinic: 148/96 mmHg] and 26 age- and sex-matched normal controls (54 years, 118/78 mmHg) were examined during normal daily activities by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. When compared with home blood pressures, clinic blood pressures were 8/10% (SBP/DBP) higher in the hypertensives, but 1/3% lower in the normotensives. The values were significantly different for both groups (P less than 0.01 for SBP; P less than 0.001 for DBP). In contrast, the blood pressures fell in a similar manner in both groups during sleep. On working days, the blood pressures during work were 10/9% higher than the corresponding home blood pressures in the hypertensives and only 3/3% higher in the normotensives. These differences were significant (P less than 0.01 for both SBP and DBP). The results show that the blood pressures of hypertensives were hyperreactive to casual daily stress. In the normotensives, left ventricular wall thickness determined by echocardiography was correlated significantly with the blood pressures during work (r = 0.5, P less than 0.05 for SBP and DBP) and at home (r = 0.4, P less than 0.05 for SBP).

Adult↗

Urinary sodium and potassium excretion, body mass index, alcohol intake and blood pressure in three Japanese populations.

Standardised data on blood pressure, 24 hour urinary electrolyte excretion and other lifestyle factors were obtained in three Japanese populations as part of the INTERSALT study. Urinary sodium excretion and sodium/potassium ratio were significantly (P less than 0.01) higher in Toyama (a semi-rural area in central Japan) than in Tochigi (a rural area 100 km north of Tokyo) and Osaka. There were also significant (P less than 0.01) differences between the centres in diastolic blood pressure (highest in Toyama), although systolic pressure was similar in all three centres. Average potassium excretion was low (46 mmol/day), and the prevalence of both heavy alcohol drinking (greater than or equal to 300 ml/week) and smoking was high in men (33% and 61% respectively); compared with other countries, there were favourable levels of body mass index (mean 22.4 kg/m2). Despite a recent decline in sodium consumption in Japan, which has been accompanied by a fall in blood pressure levels, in the prevalence of hypertension and also in stroke mortality, average sodium excretion in the three centres was high compared to other countries (187 mmol/day). Applying overall INTERSALT regression coefficients to the Japanese data, suggested that further falls in sodium intake together with a modest increase in potassium intake and a reduction (in men) in the prevalence of heavy alcohol drinking could have an important impact on average blood pressures and the prevalence of hypertension. It can be expected that these nonpharmacological approaches to improved blood pressure levels will be accompanied by continued reductions in mortality from stroke.

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Declining trends in blood pressure level and the prevalence of hypertension, and changes in related factors in Japan, 1956-1980.

Trends in age-specific and age-adjusted blood pressure and the prevalence of hypertension were obtained from the National Nutrition Survey of Japan, 1956-1980. The national trends in the age-adjusted blood pressure of people (30-69 years old) in Japan during the 1956-1980 period show an increasing pattern reaching a peak around 1964 followed by a decreasing pattern. To explore the possible factors which have contributed to the change in blood pressure levels, we analyzed the relationship between the blood pressure and several possible factors, including the rate of treatment for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) for men and women, annual salt and alcohol consumption per captia and body mass index (MBI) for men and women. Only alcohol consumption was considered in the analysis of men because women in Japan still tend to drink relatively little alcohol. In simple descriptive analyses, the increasing trend in the treatment rates of CVD seemed to be related to the decrease in the blood pressure level and in the prevalence rate of hypertension for both men and women. The impact of treatment rate seemed to overcome the adverse influence of the increasing trends in BMI. Recent decrease in salt consumption may account in part for the later period of the decreasing trends in blood pressure level and the prevalence of hypertension. In multiple regression analysis using these time series data, CVD, BMI and alcohol consumption were significantly related to blood pressure level and the prevalence of hypertension, although salt was not significant in these analyses.

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Declining mortality from ischemic heart disease and changes in coronary risk factors in Japan, 1956-1980.

Mortality from ischemic heart disease has declined in Japan since 1970. This paper addresses the declining mortality from ischemic heart disease and the possible contributing factors for 1956-1980. Mortality figures were obtained from Vital Statistics reports by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Japan. National trends in blood pressure levels, prevalence of hypertension, Keys' lipid factor phi instead of the serum cholesterol level, and body mass index were obtained from the National Nutrition Survey which is carried out annually from random samples in Japan. The smoking rate which was obtained from other national surveys was also reviewed for this purpose. The age-adjusted (30-69 years) mortality from ischemic heart disease declined by 24% and 37% for men and women, respectively, between 1968 and 1978. It seemed that the decline in blood pressure levels and in the prevalence of hypertension and the increasing treatment rate for cardiovascular disease might contribute to the declining mortality from ischemic heart disease. The decline in cigarette smoking may, in part, also play a role. On the other hand, the increase in intake of lipids which resulted in Keys' lipid factor phi was compatible with the increase in mortality from ischemic heart disease during 1956-1970. The experience in Japan shows that the treatment of hypertension or the lowering of blood pressure and the recommendation to stop smoking help to prevent ischemic heart disease.

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The effect of reduced alcohol consumption on blood pressure: a randomised, controlled, single blind study.

A randomised, controlled, single blind trial was conducted in office workers with mild hypertension (systolic blood pressure (SBP) 140 to 180 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) 90 to 110 mmHg) to determine the effect of decreasing alcohol consumption. After a baseline examination, 50 male volunteers aged 30 to 59 were randomised to two groups. Group A were told to abstain from or reduce alcohol consumption for two weeks, while group B were instructed to maintain their usual alcohol consumption. Complete records were obtained on 49 subjects. The daily alcohol consumption of groups A and B at baseline was similar, i.e. 71.9 ml and 72.5 ml of ethanol, respectively, and changed to 16.1 ml and 62.9 ml, respectively, during the experiment. After two weeks, group A were asked to resume their normal consumption whilst group B were asked to reduce or abstain (phase II). However in view of a treatment period interaction, statistical analysis was confined to phase I. During phase I, group A, whose alcohol consumption had reduced, showed decreases of 5.8 and 7.1 mmHg in SBP during the the first and second weeks, respectively. In group B, these decreases were only 0.6 and 1.9 mmHg, respectively. The difference between the falls in SBP in groups A and B was significant (P = 0.005) as judged by analysis of variance. The DBP also decreased, but there was no significant difference between the decreases in the two groups. Changes in gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase, a biochemical marker of alcohol consumption, from the initial values to the end of phase I were significantly different in groups A and B.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Alcohol intake and hypertension among urban and rural Japanese populations.

A significant positive relationship was found between alcohol intake and blood pressure for men 40-69 years old living in urban Osaka (492 men) and in rural Akita (395 men), Japan, surveyed from 1975 to 1977. Both mean blood pressure and the prevalence of hypertension were related to alcohol intake in a graded fashion. Stepwise multiple regression also showed that both systolic and diastolic pressure were associated with alcohol intake independent of ponderosity index, serum cholesterol, triglycerides, hemoglobin, uric acid, smoking, and age. This cross-sectional study indicates a continuous--and not a threshold--relationship between alcohol and blood pressure, with the effect of even moderate consumption, e.g. 28-55 g per day (equivalent to about 2-4 U.S. drinks per day).

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