Isolated systolic hypertension in the elderly

Article Abstract:

Isolated systolic hypertension (ISH), a systolic blood pressure reading of 160 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or more, but with a diastolic level in a normal range, is common among individuals between the ages of 66 and 89 years of age. ISH is a risk factor for illness and mortality from diseases of the heart and circulatory system. Because ISH was thought to be part of the aging process, has been assumed that it would be difficult to treat. The Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program (SHEP) Pilot Study report in the June 26, 1991 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association has presented evidence that treatment of ISH can lower the risk of stroke, heart disease, and cardiovascular disease. However, the total number of heart-related and other deaths was not significantly reduced. These results conflict with those of the European Working Party on Hypertension in the Elderly (EWPHE), which found no benefit of drug treatments for patients 80 years old or older, but did find a significant reduction in cardiovascular mortality overall. The ability to apply these results to a general patient population is limited because 99 percent of the subjects screened for the project were rejected. The exclusion of individuals with medical illnesses makes them different from most other patients in their age group. The use of chlorthalidone is questionable until it is compared with other antihypertensive drugs. Treatment of ISH is beneficial, but how best to treat this disorder has not yet been determined. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Prevention, Demographic aspects, Stroke (Disease), Stroke, editorial, Chlorthalidone

---

The FDA's decisions regarding new indications for approved drugs: where's the evidence?

Article Abstract:

A 1996 report criticizing the use of nifedipine to rapidly lower high blood pressure illustrates the difficulty physicians have in obtaining information about FDA decisions. Nifedipine has not been approved by the FDA for this use, but doctors can still use the drug for so-called 'off-label' uses. The FDA reviewed this use of nifedipine in 1985 when the drug's manufacturer proposed using it in this way. But the FDA denied this use based on insufficient data supporting it. The editors of JAMA will attempt to improve the reporting of these decisions, which are not usually made public.

Editorial, Laws, regulations and rules, Reports, Drug therapy, Dosage and administration, United States. Food and Drug Administration, Drug approval, Nifedipine

---

Measuring race and ethnicity: Why and how?

Article Abstract:

The objective of the study is to measure and medically define race and ethnicity and also pinpoint its definitive individual characteristics. It was found that the connotations and definitions of race and ethnicity are constantly evolving and the use of the terms and concepts of race and ethnicity in the biomedical literature needs further examination.

Evaluation, Racism, Medical ethics

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Concordance for dyslipidemic hypertension in male twins. Association of small low-density lipoprotein particles with the incidence of coronary artery disease in men and women
• Abstracts: Renin and myocardial infarction in hypertension. Prognostic value of ambulatory blood-pressure recordings in patients with treated hypertension
• Abstracts: Regulation of the immune response to Candida albicans by monocytes and progesterone. part 2 Endotoxin-induced cytokine production of monocytes of third-trimester pregnant women compared with women in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle
• Abstracts: Is amniotic fluid quantitation of value in the diagnosis and conservative management of prelabour membrane rupture at term?
• Abstracts: Glucose challenge testing in pregnancy. Which cutoff level should be used in screening for glucose intolerance in pregnancy?

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.