Biomedical subjects

N Sharpe

Publications and source records attributed to N Sharpe.

97 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

PubMed1985

Trends in coronary heart disease mortality in New Zealand and Sweden. Why the difference?

Coronary heart disease mortality has shown a downward trend in New Zealand during the 1970s as in most western countries. In contrast, Sweden, which has a similar health care system to New Zealand, has shown a continuing increase in coronary mortality for males during the same period. Medical and surgical management of ischaemic heart disease in Sweden is very similar to that found in New Zealand and possibly more intensive in some respects. Hypertension detection and control measures have been successfully applied in Sweden as in New Zealand and a similar reduction in cigarette smoking has occurred in both countries. However, whereas significant beneficial changes have occurred in the New Zealand diet during the past two decades, dietary change, although actively promoted, has not occurred in Sweden for various reasons. The lack of dietary change in Sweden has been coupled with a probable reduction in habitual physical activity in the adult population. Diet appears to be a principal determinant of coronary disease incidence, and population dietary change an important prerequisite for effective primary prevention. In the absence of dietary change, the effect of primary and secondary preventive measures may be limited. The reasons that appropriate dietary recommendations have not been successful in Sweden can be examined and are instructive for effective prevention in all countries.

Adult↗

PubMed1984

Trends in coronary heart disease event rates in New Zealand.

To examine the reasons for the recent decline in coronary heart disease death rates in New Zealand, a register of definite myocardial infarction and sudden death was established in the Auckland region (1981 population 829,464). Both routine and nonroutine case finding sources were used and event rates for the 12 months from March 1, 1981, were compared with estimates from an earlier study conducted in 1974. In 1981, 1,093 myocardial infarction and/or sudden death events in people 25-69 years of age were registered. The age standardized event rates for the total of myocardial infarction and sudden death were 506/100,000 and 139/100,000 for men and women, respectively. Over the seven-year period from 1974 there was no change in the event rate or 28-day case fatality of definite myocardial infarction, but a significant decline in the rate of sudden death occurred from 139/100,000 to 117/100,000. The decline in the sudden death rate was particularly marked in people under the age of 50 years and in subjects with a prior history of myocardial infarction.

Adult↗

PubMed1983

Sudden death in runners.

Coronary heart disease risk factors and circumstances of death were examined in 258 people who were a representative sample of all persons, less than 70 years of age, dying suddenly and unexpectedly in Auckland during the twelve month period from 1 March 1981. From this sample we identified nine individuals who had been running regularly for more than three months prior to death. All those identified were men aged between 35 and 56 years, all had historical evidence of abnormal coronary heart disease risk factors and six were known to have had symptomatic cardiovascular disease. Seven of the nine died during or within 30 minutes of exercise and eight of the nine had postmortems showing severe coronary artery disease.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Heart failure in the community.

Heart failure is a common and increasing problem, particularly in the elderly. Although a number of clinical trials have studied the disease, the data cannot readily be translated into practice guidelines for the benefit of all patients. This is partly because patients in clinical trials are highly selected and differ from those in the community, who are generally older and have a greater rate of comorbidity. In addition, heart failure in the elderly may differ in various respects from that in younger patients. Effective implementation of best practice guidelines will require an integrated approach between primary- and secondary-care physicians, with greater patient participation to optimize long-term outcomes.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Validity and reproducibility of color enhancement of B-mode ultrasound images of far wall thickness of the common carotid artery.

Ultrasound measurement of wall thickness of the carotid artery is used in large cardiovascular clinical trials and epidemiologic studies. Improvements in measurement reproducibility could have important implications for study design and sample size calculations. This study examined the effects of B-mode color on the validity and reproducibility of measurements of far wall thickness of the common carotid artery. Six color maps were compared with normal and inverted gray scales. The validity of B-mode color was assessed by comparing histologic measurements from 20 excised human common carotid arteries with measurements made using each map. No differences were noted in the average far wall thickness measured by any method (all p > 0.99). The reproducibility of duplicate measurements was assessed using each of the B-mode color maps. The coefficient of variation between the two measurements ranged from 6.7% to 9.7%. These variations were not significantly different between each map or gray scale (p > 0.24). In conclusion, B-mode color maps do not distort ultrasound measurements of far wall thickness of the common carotid artery. The reproducibility of these measurements is neither significantly nor usefully improved by using different color maps. Because no additional information is obtained, the use of color may not be warranted.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Current management of congestive heart failure.

Congestive heart failure is a major public health problem in developed countries. There have been significant advances in the management of this condition over the last few decades. However, many patients are still not receiving adequate therapy. Optimal management requires appropriate investigation, education, counselling, medical treatment and planned follow-up. This review outlines the recommended approach for optimal management of patients with heart failure.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of simvastatin and enalapril on serum lipoprotein concentrations and left ventricular mass in patients on dialysis. The Perfect Study Collaborative Group.

A randomised trial of simvastatin and enalapril in patients with chronic renal failure on dialysis: effects on serum lipoprotein concentrations and left ventricular mass. Left ventricular hypertrophy and abnormalities of lipoprotein metabolism are both possible contributors to the high risk of cardiovascular death in patients with chronic renal failure on dialysis. We investigated the effects of simvastatin on lipid and lipoprotein concentrations and the effects of enalapril on left ventricular mass in 107 patients receiving haemodialysis or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Patients were randomised in a factorial design to receive simvastatin (10 mg daily) or placebo and enalapril (2.5-5 mg daily) or placebo. During follow-up, there was a significant excess of patients withdrawn from enalapril because of hypotension (2p = 0.002), and after 6 months only 55% of those assigned enalapril were still on treatment. From baseline to 6 months, there were no statistically significant differences in left ventricular mass or left ventricular dimensions between patients assigned enalapril and those assigned placebo. Among the patients assigned simvastatin, total cholesterol was reduced by 13% (2p = 0.001), LDL cholesterol was reduced by 17% (2p = 0.003) and apolipoprotein B was reduced by 12% (2p = 0.005) compared to patients assigned placebo. There were borderline significant (2p = 0.05 to 0.08) reductions in VLDL cholesterol, total triglyceride and VLDL triglycerides of 26%, 12% and 17% respectively. Large-scale trials are now required to determine whether reductions in lipid and lipoprotein concentrations confer a reduction in coronary heart disease morbidity and mortality in patients on dialysis.

Adolescent↗