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Biomedical subjects

J S Trilling

Publications and source records attributed to J S Trilling.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Hypertension in nursing home patients.

There have been few studies of hypertension in nursing home patients. To assess the prevalence, demographic characteristics, comorbidity and drug therapy in hypertensive nursing home patients compared with those who are normotensive, we reviewed all medical charts of patients in three nursing home facilities. Of the 804 patients, 355 (44.2%) have hypertension. Calcium channel blockers were the most frequently prescribed anti-hypertensive (30.3%) and together with diuretics (28.4%) and ACE inhibitors (27.7%) account for more than 85%. Hypertensive patients take more cardiac, hypoglycaemic, and analgesic drugs (P = <0.001, <0.001, and 0.004, respectively) than those who are normotensive. Overall patients take an average of 8.68 medications daily. In hypertensive patients, the average number of comorbid conditions (excluding hypertension) is 5.02 compared with 3.23 in normotensive patients. Hypertension is significantly associated with diabetes, heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, neoplasms, endocrine disorders, gastrointestinal diseases, psychiatric disorders, dementia, other central nervous system diseases, skin problems, blood diseases and inversely with hip fracture. Blood pressure control (<140/90 mm Hg) is achieved in 88.8%, is not related to age and is significantly more frequent in males than females (91.8% vs 82.6% P = 0.025). The problem of hypertension in nursing home patients is complex and has received insufficient study. Since studies demonstrating benefit from anti-hypertensive therapy in the elderly excluded the very elderly and those with significant comorbid conditions, additional research is needed.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

A problem-solving approach to the treatment of insomnia: selected case histories.

The author presents case histories that demonstrate an approach to a spectrum of clinical scenarios that have common to them the complaint of insomnia. In the first, the physician is faced with an acute problem with an easily apparent, but superficial, etiology. The use of a benzodiazepine in this instance would be relatively noncontroversial. Its usage, without an exploration of the patient's perceptual frame, including psychosocial factors, would miss potentially important underlying problems. In the second case, the physician's concern about the habituating effects of benzodiazepines could have resulted in the underutilization of their benefits. The third case represents a scenario in which overutilization with resultant habituation was potentially a problem. It becomes apparent that an "either/or" generalization might hinder good patient outcome. Questioning around the symptom for purposes of gathering information regarding the patient's perceptual frame and the consequences of change may be useful in developing treatment strategies.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Screening for non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in the elderly.

There are three major obstacles to a recommendation for screening the elderly for NIDDM. The first is the conflicting evidence as to whether early detection and treatment reduce complications. The second is that treatment of hyperglycemia with attainment of euglycemia is difficult to achieve in the elderly. Nondrug therapy often fails because of lifelong eating habits, denture problems, fixed income, and physical handicaps. Drug therapy is fraught with the dangers of hypoglycemia and drug interactions. Compliance with therapy often is poor and leads to conflicts between physician and patient that may be detrimental in the treatment of other diseases in which intervention has proven worthwhile. The third obstacle is the lack of data regarding the adverse effects of labeling and noncompliance issues in the face of a positive screening test. Because obesity is a risk factor for NIDDM and hypertension in conjunction with NIDDM leads to atherosclerosis, screening and treatment for these two conditions are warranted whether or not NIDDM is present concurrently. Medicine is in a dynamic state of flux and, undoubtedly, conflicts over the benefits of early treatment and patient compliance will be resolved. Until then, there is no justification for screening for NIDDM in the elderly.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1988

Screening for non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

The major obstacle to a recommendation for screening adults for NIDDM is the conflicting evidence that early detection and treatment reduce future complications. Because obesity is a risk factor for NIDDM, and hypertension in conjunction with NIDDM leads to early atherosclerosis, treatment is indicated for both hypertension and obesity whether or not NIDDM is present concurrently. It is clear that there are those who accept and those that reject the use of oral hypoglycemic agents. Accordingly, there are those who believe that the goal of NIDDM treatment is zealous glycemic control and those who are not so inclined. Whether or not to screen for NIDDM ultimately depends upon which view is adopted. While it may seem prudent to screen for and insist upon "tight" control of NIDDM, we should consider the effect of labeling asymptomatic persons from a positive test result. What are the repercussions regarding status of employment and insurance eligibility as compared to benefits of treatment? What is the psychosocial impact? Although no studies on the effect of labeling patients non-insulin-dependent diabetics could be located, a study of hypertension in an industrial setting demonstrated that patients labeled hypertensive had an increased absenteeism from work. Interestingly, the main factors associated with increased absenteeism were awareness of the condition and low compliance with treatment. Although the parallel to NIDDM is evident, additional studies are needed.

Blood Glucose↗
PubMed1987

Minor burns: a review.

Two million burns occur annually in the USA, of which 95% are treated in an out-patient setting. The treatment of burns is controversial. There are few data from controlled studies to provide rational guidelines for the frequency of both dressing changes and patient visits for the physician. Conclusions concerning infection drawn from studies on major burns are misleading when applied to the management of minor burns. Trauma to regenerating epithelium caused by frequent dressing change is of relatively less importance in treating major burns, because the control of infection is of overriding importance. In the treatment of minor burns, the traumatic consequences of too frequent changes of dressing may assume greater importance. There is a clear need to study the variables in the treatment of minor burns and to generate criteria for their clinical management that are distinct from those of major burn management. Collaborative studies of out-patient populations by providers of primary health care are suggested as a useful approach to such investigation. The effects of several additional therapies are reviewed, including initial cold therapy, debridement of blisters and antibiotics.

Ambulatory Care Facilities↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The urgent need to improve hypertension care.

Hypertension is the most prevalent health problem among adult primary care patients, but its recognition and treatment are suboptimal. Although there is ample evidence from several large-scale randomized, controlled studies that treatment of hypertension reduces morbidity and mortality, current management of hypertension is characterized by underdiagnosis, misdiagnosis, undertreatment, overtreatment, and misuse of medications. As a result, roughly 75% of the estimated 50 million adults with hypertension in the United States are at increased risk for vascular complications. Optimal therapy requires careful attention to patients' age, sex, race, diet, exercise, tobacco use, comorbid conditions, choice of antihypertensive drug treatment, compliance with treatment, and achievement of blood pressure control. Other issues that deserve scrutiny are accuracy of the initial diagnosis, self-monitoring of blood pressure, and the advisability of attempting reduction of dosage or possible withdrawal from administration of antihypertensive drug treatment in patients whose blood pressures have been controlled for 1 year or more. Physicians' knowledge and use of the Sixth Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure report are deficient. Several responses to this current crisis in care of hypertensive patients are reviewed, including computer-aided management, medical chart audit, academic detailing, and a nurse case manager using prepared algorithms in consultation with the physician.

Antihypertensive Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hemorrhoids: associated pathologic conditions in a family practice population.

BACKGROUND: Hemorrhoidal disease is an affliction that in referral populations coexists with other significant anorectal diseases. Published texts recommend aggressive procedures to diagnose associated pathologic conditions and as an aid for planning the extirpation of these diseases. Procrastination in management is said to be characteristic of both patient and primary care physician. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether patients with hemorrhoids in the general population are truly at high risk for significant anorectal disease. METHODS: Charts of 173 patients with hemorrhoids from a nonselected population were reviewed for treatment management, associated anorectal disease, and sequelae. RESULTS: A small subpopulation of persons aged more than 55 years was identified who may be at higher risk for colon polyps. Anoscopy, barium enema, fecal occult blood testing, and complete blood counts had very low yields. These findings differ significantly from data collected on highly selected populations that suggest hemorrhoids rarely exist alone. CONCLUSIONS: It appears that family physicians have not been cavalier in their attitudes toward and management of this common ailment. Clinical investigation of hemorrhoids should be initiated based on clinical impression from evaluating symptoms and signs combined with age-specific screening recommendations.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Withdrawal of antihypertensive medications.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacologic treatment of hypertension reduces risks of stroke, congestive heart failure, renal failure, and mortality, but whether medications, once begun, need to be continued for life is uncertain. METHODS: Several search strategies on MEDLINE using key words "medication," "withdrawal," "discontinuance," and "therapy" in several combinations, nested within "hypertension," were not productive. Accordingly, articles known to the authors and citations within them were reviewed. A survey of a random sample of members of the New York Academy of Family Practice was conducted to ascertain current practice of practicing physicians. RESULTS: Eighteen studies of antihypertensive medication withdrawal were located and all were reviewed. In 12 trials average success rates of 40.3 percent after 1 year of follow-up and 27.7 percent after 2 years were achieved. In six studies limited to elderly patients, an average success rate of 26.2 percent was obtained for periods of 2 or more years. The trials, however, were heterogeneous in design, patient selection criteria, and follow-up. The survey of family physicians indicated that 79.1 percent attempt withdrawal of antihypertensive medications in hypertensive patients whose blood pressure is controlled and who are without symptoms from medication. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that successful withdrawal of antihypertensive medications can have substantial benefits with few or no adverse consequences and might be successful in about one third of patients. Additional research is required to substantiate rates of successful medication withdrawal, to define the best method of withdrawing medications, and to delineate characteristics of patients in whom withdrawal is most likely to succeed.

Adult↗