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Biomedical subjects

W Drygas

Publications and source records attributed to W Drygas.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

How education, income, control over life and life style contribute to risk factors for cardiovascular disease among adults in a post-communist country.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the effect of education, income, food habits and control over life on risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in Poland, a former communist country with ongoing transformations of the political and economic system, where cardiovascular disease is an important health problem. METHODS: The data were collected by questionnaire, as part of the CINDI Programme, from 2001 to 2002 in Lodz, an industrial city in Poland. The surveys were directed at random samples of 2000 men and 2000 women; 1847 participants aged 18-64 years responded. As detailed in the ATP III report, participants with three or more of abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridaemia, low high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, high blood pressure or high fasting glucose were defined as having the metabolic syndrome. RESULTS: We have found that education is more strongly associated with the metabolic syndrome. Our study suggests that higher education may be a strong and consistent predictor of good health. Also, low control over life (unfulfilled daily needs, unfulfilling work, little or no reward for effort at work) and lack of physical activity have been shown to be predictors for the metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that interventions to improve the health of the Polish population need to be specific for the social environment.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Sociodemographic and clinical determinants of quality of life in urban population of Poland.

The aim of the study was to assess quality of life (QL) of residents of Polish urban area and analyze the influence of selected sociodemographic and clinical variables on their QL. The study revealed a very high level of reported problems, especially regarding pain and anxiety. The mean subjective assessment of health state was poor in comparison with results obtained in other (usually western) countries. Presence of major risk factors of cardiovascular diseases had an important impact on QL. Elevated blood pressure and unsatisfactory level of physical activity were the strongest factors deteriorating QL in the studied population. There is a need for implementing effective interventions in the society, especially in the area of prevention and management of hypertension and sedentary lifestyle.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2001

Do health behaviour and psychosocial risk factors explain the European east-west gap in health status?

BACKGROUND: Mortality rates are much more favourable in Western European countries than in those of Eastern Europe. Health behaviour and psychosocial factors have been suggested to be important contributors to East-West differences in mortality and health status. METHODS: To compare reported health status as well as health behaviours and psychosocial factors which may be related to unequal health status in different parts of Europe, standardised postal surveys of representative populations samples were conducted in six Eastern and Western European areas. RESULTS: Higher mortality in the eastern populations was associated with more reported morbidity and generally more negative health ratings. Health behaviours and psychosocial factors were also more negative in the East. Multivariate analyses suggested that the East-West difference in health status may be partly explained by differences in health behaviours and psychosocial factors. CONCLUSION: Efforts to promote health in Eastern Europe should concentrate both on the promotion of healthier lifestyles and on improvement of social and economic conditions.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

East-west differences in reported preventive practices. A comparative study of six European areas of the WHO-CINDI programme.

BACKGROUND: Differences have been reported in life expectancy and mortality between Eastern and Western European countries. Also, disparities have been found among different European countries or populations concerning the implementation of preventive practices by health professionals. This study analysed the patterns of reported preventive practices in three Eastern European areas and three Western ones. METHODS: Health surveys were carried out in particular geographical area of six countries participating in the project (three Eastern European countries; Russia, Poland and Hungary and three Western European countries; Finland, Germany and Spain). All of them are partners in the WHO-CINDI (Countrywide Integration Non-communicable Diseases Intervention) Programme. Three preventive practices are analysed: reported blood pressure and blood cholesterol measurements and reported antismoking counseling during the last year. Data are presented separately for the general population and for people reporting specific chronic conditions (cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and/or diabetes mellitus). RESULTS: Blood pressure measurement and antismoking counseling are more frequently reported to be carried out by primary health care physicians in the Eastern European areas while blood cholesterol measurement is more frequently reported in Western European countries. All these preventive activities are more frequently reported to be done among people with chronic conditions than in the population as a whole. CONCLUSIONS: Major differences have been found in reported preventive practices between Eastern and Western European countries. Great potential exists for chronic disease prevention among them.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed2000

Long-term effects of different physical activity levels on coronary heart disease risk factors in middle-aged men.

In order to define the amount of physical activity appropriate in primary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD), we have compared the effects during 5 years of physical activity in four groups of middle-aged men with different but stable approximate metabolic costs of leisure time sports activities (AMCSA): sedentary (n = 40; 0 kcal per week), low activity (n = 31; 1-999 kcal per week), moderate activity (n = 56; 1,000-1,999 kcal per week), and high activity (n = 71; > or = 2,000 kcal per week). Time related increase of body mass and BMI was more pronounced in lower activity groups. Changes in HDL cholesterol were more favourable in the high activity group as compared to sedentary and low activity groups. The increase of diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in the sedentary group was statistically significantly different from the decrease of DBP observed in both moderate and high activity groups. We conclude that favourable long-term stabilization of most coronary risk factors is achievable with physical activity energy expenditure above 1,000 kcal per week. Physical activity-related energy expenditure > or = 2,000 kcal per week is associated with some additional benefits, especially with a favourable modification of HDL cholesterol level.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2000

[Red wine in medicine: panacea, fashion or ... risk factor?].

Red wine has been a subject of much interest of professionals representing different fields of medicine. However, most of scientific studies have been searching for the reason of so called French paradox, which means that in France and other mediterranean countries the morbidity and mortality due to ischaemic heart disease is significantly lower than in other developed countries, in spite of relatively high consumption of fat and saturated fatty acids. The cardio-protective mechanism of red wine, although incompletely understood, is connected on one hand with the presence of ethanol which increases high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and inhibits platelet aggregation, and on the other hand with the presence of polyphenols that have desirable biological properties. These include flavonoids, phenolic acids and stilbenes which are reputed to have antioxidant, vasorelaxing and antiplatelet properties. There is a considerable body of evidence indicating that regular consumption of red wine at moderate doses (200-400 ml a day) exerts a protective effect against ischaemic heart disease, other cardiovascular diseases, and perhaps diabetes, osteoporosis or some cancers. But, since alcohol intake involves a potential danger (risk of dependence, alcoholism, many organic diseases, migraine, allergies) medical recommendations of red wine consumption should be formulated very carefully.

Heart Diseases↗
PubMed1999

[Pharmacotherapy of arterial hypertension and pharmacoeconomic aspects of hypotensive therapy in elderly patients in Poland].

The aim of our study was to examine the use of pharmacological therapy and to evaluate the economical aspects of treating hypertension (HT) in elderly patients in Poland. Two hundred and sixty eight elderly persons (147 females, 121 males; mean age: 72.2 +/- 6.0 years) were selected from Polish population by stratified and cluster random sampling with quotas. BP measurement was performed 3 times every 2 minutes at respondents home. In the questionnaire, awareness of HT was assessed. Prevalence of hypertension among subjects aged 65 years and over by JNC VI criteria (SAP > or = 140 mm Hg, DAP > or = 90 mm Hg or hypotensive therapy) was 74%. Awareness of HT was equal to 61%. Eleven percent of all hypertensives were well controlled. Among hypertensives, 71% took prescribed antihypertensive drugs on a regular basis. Patients with HT were taking the following antihypertensive drugs: diuretics 16%, diuretics and reserpine 20%, beta-blockers 19%, ACE inhibitors 53%, calcium antagonists 30%, and other 3%. Newer drugs were prescribed in 7%, and multi-source (generic) products in 93%. The average cost of treatment with one drug was 147 PLN (37.5 USD) per year (newer drugs: 413 PLN; multi-source product 126 PLN). Assuming those data and number of elderly people in Poland (4.335 mln), we estimated that 3.208 mln of subjects have had hypertension according to JNC VI criteria. Only 1.957 mln of patients with HT have been detected and only 0.353 mln of hypertensives have been well controlled. The approximate global cost of antihypertensive drugs per year in elderly patients in Poland has been equal to 285 mln PLN (72.8 mln USD). In hypothetical situation with optimal (100%) detection and control of HT the global cost by the actual rate of regularity in taking drugs would increase to 569 mln PLN (145.3 mln USD). The prevalence of HT in elderly people in Poland is very high. In elderly hypertensives ACE inhibitors are used most often. More than 90% of prescribed drugs are multi-source products. An optimal improvement of HT detection and control would cause a two-fold augmentation of the costs of pharmacological therapy.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

[Methods of evaluating physical activity in the elderly].

Various methods measuring physical activity (PA) that have been used so far in older population are described. Different PA questionnaires and their potential application in routine PA assessment in that age group are discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

[Physiological characteristics and the level of risk factors for ischemic heart disease in marathon runners between 30 and 59 years of age].

The results of anthropometric, biochemical, cardiological and performance capacity studies in the 37 marathon runners, 113 men systematically practising recreational training programme with a domination of endurance exercises and 44 healthy men with little leisure time physical activity have been compared. In comparison with a group of physically non-active persons, the marathon runners are characterized by considerably higher physical working capacity, slimmer figure, lower resting heart rate, lower diastolic blood pressure, high concentration of HDL cholesterol and lower cholesterol: HDL cholesterol index. However, these differences are minimal in comparison with other systematically training persons, and with regard to the majority of factors statistically insignificant. It seems that for reaching the physiological effects desired from the point of view of ischemic heart disease prevention the endurance training of lower capacity and intensity would be sufficient.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Study on threshold dose of physical activity in coronary heart disease prevention. Part I. Relationship between leisure time physical activity and coronary risk factors.

This study performed on 146 healthy men aged 30-55 years involved in recreational training for several years has demonstrated a relationship between an approximate metabolic cost of leisure time sports activities with an energy expenditure greater than 5 kcal/min (greater than 21 kJ) and the total coronary risk score, % body fat, HDL cholesterol concentration, smoking frequency, and aerobic capacity indices. These data as well as the preliminary results of a long-term study demonstrate that regular endurance training with an exercise intensity greater than 5 kcal/min (greater than 21 kJ) and a total energy expenditure of 1000-1499 kcal/week (4187-6279 kJ) may be a threshold dose of exercise effective for prevention of coronary heart disease and promotion of health.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Reproducibility of post-exercise lactate and anaerobic threshold.

To test the effect of previous strenuous training on lactate (LA) formation and on changes of lactate threshold (AT) values, a group of seven male athletes aged 26.3 +/- 9.2 years, height 184 +/- 6.2 cm, body weight 79.3 +/- 8.1 kg, percentage of body fat 8.8 +/- 3.7 and VO2 max 56.2 +/- 5.4 ml/kg were examined on a treadmill to the maximum in the morning after 2 days of rest, and after 2 consecutive days of strenuous training. The subjectively perceived rate of fatigue (SPF) in the morning prior to the exercise test was assessed by means of a 5-grade score. The values of LA max, AT, and SPF on day 1 were 11.06 +/- 2.4 mmol/l, 3.5 +/- 0.4 m/s, and 0.6 +/- 0.4, respectively. The corresponding values on day 2 were 8.8 +/- 1.7 mmol/l, 4.0 +/- 0.3 m/s, and 2.0 +/- 0.5, respectively. The values on day 3 were 8.6 +/- 1.1 mmol/l, 4.1 +/- 0.4 m/s, and 2.1 +/- 0.7, respectively. Statistically significant differences on the 1st day were found in LA max, AT, and SPF compared with days 2 and 3. No significant differences were found between the values for the 2nd and 3rd days. AT values for day 1 were significantly lower than those for days 2 and 3. A significantly higher level of SPF in the morning prior to the test procedure was observed on days 2 and 3 compared with day 1. The AT and SPF values for days 2 and 3 showed no significant difference.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗