scholarly journals Knowledge regarding cardiovascular risk factors among Chinese medical students

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xintong Jiang ◽  
Xun Wang ◽  
Mengxi Yang ◽  
Li Sun ◽  
Jiangli Jin ◽  
...  

Abstract Background A comprehensive assessment of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors is the foundation of CVD prevention and treatment. This study assessed the awareness of CVD risk factors and treatment among Chinese medical students. Methods This cross-sectional study enrolled 48 3 rd year medical students who had finished preclinical course of medicine and 61 4 th year medical students who had finished their rotation in Internal Medicine’s Ambulatory Medicine clerkship from Peking University. The knowledge of CVD risk factors and therapeutic strategy was assessed by a self-administered questionnaire. Results Only about 50% of the 4 th year students knew the target value of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol for diabetic patients and blood pressure for high-risk patients, while the proportions in 3 rd year students were 20.8% and 29.2%, respectively. Although more than 90% students would prescribe cholesterol-lowering therapy to high-risk patients, few students knew the therapy of hypertriglyceridemia (2.1% and 27.9% of 3 rd and 4 th year students, respectively, p =0.001) or combined dyslipidemia. The awareness of their own lipid profile or blood glucose level was not as good as their blood pressure. Conclusions There is an urgent need to improve the knowledge of CVD risk factors and the details of therapeutic strategies among Chinese medical students.

Circulation ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 132 (suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Issada Trakarnwijitr ◽  
Bobby V Li ◽  
Heath Adams ◽  
Jamie Layland ◽  
John Garlick ◽  
...  

Introduction: Inflammation has an important role in initiation and progression of coronary artery disease (CAD). Different white cell count (WCC) subtypes may reflect different mechanisms of this complex disease, and may be valuable clinically in risk stratification and detection of patients with CAD. Studies on the correlation between WCC subtypes and CAD have yielded conflicting results. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that WCC subtypes are associated with the presence of CAD in high-risk patients over 55 years old. Methods: We analyzed 622 patients over the age of 55 from the BRAVEHEART and MINACS cohort who were referred for coronary angiogram at our institution. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to compare different WCC subtypes as predictors of presence of CAD, defined as ≥50% stenosis of 1 or more coronary arteries. We adjusted for age, sex and conventional cardiac risk factors. Results: On univariate analysis, patients with CAD had significantly more CVD risk factors compared to control patients. Markers associated with CAD were lower lymphocytes (tertile 2 OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.39-0.98, p=0.040, tertile 3 OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.44-1.12, p=0.139), and higher monocytes (tertile 3 OR 2.51, 95% CI 1.45-4.34, p=0.001), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.07-2.68, p=0.024), and monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) (tertile 3 OR 2.62, 95% CI 1.61-4.26, p<0.001). After adjustment for CVD risk factors, lower lymphocytes (tertile 2 OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.22-0.73, p=0.003, tertile 3 OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.27-0.93, p=0.028), and higher monocytes (tertile 3 OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.23-4.61, p=0.010), NLR (tertile 3 OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.08-3.38, p=0.025), and MLR (tertile 3 OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.23-4.14, p=0.009) were associated with CAD. Conclusions: In high-risk patients over 55 years old, lower lymphocytes, and higher monocytes, NLR and MLR were associated with angiographically determined CAD independent of other risk factors. Monocytes and MLR were the strongest correlates of CAD in high-risk patients over 55. Whether these can be used as biomarkers of CAD in high risk patients warrants further study.


PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e2983 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohd Noor Norhayati ◽  
Abd Aziz Masseni ◽  
Ishak Azlina

BackgroundThe outcomes of the physician-patient discussion intervene in the satisfaction of cardiovascular disease risk patients. Adherence to treatment, provision of continuous care, clinical management of the illness and patients’ adjustment are influenced by satisfaction with physician-patient interaction. This study aims to determine the patient satisfaction with doctor-patient interaction and over six months after following prevention counselling, its associations with modifiable cardiovascular risk factors amongst moderately-high risk patients in a primary healthcare clinic in Kelantan, Malaysia.MethodsA prospective survey was conducted amongst patients with moderately-high cardiovascular risk. A total of 104 moderately-high risk patients were recruited and underwent structured prevention counselling based on the World Health Organization guideline, and their satisfaction with the doctor-patient interaction was assessed using ‘Skala Kepuasan Interaksi Perubatan-11,’ the Malay version of the Medical Interview Satisfaction Scale-21. Systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were measured at baseline and at a follow-up visit at six months. Descriptive analysis, pairedttest and linear regression analyses were performed.ResultsA total of 102 patients responded, giving a response rate of 98.1%. At baseline, 76.5% of the respondents were satisfied with the relation with their doctor, with the favourable domain of distress relief (85.3%) and rapport/confidence (91.2%). The unfavourable domain was interaction outcome, with satisfaction in only 67.6% of the respondents. Between the two visits, changes had occurred in total cholesterol (P = 0.022) and in systolic blood pressure (P < 0.001). Six months after the initial visits, no relationship existed between patient satisfaction scores and changes in modifiable cardiovascular risks.DiscussionThe ‘Skala Kepuasan Interaksi Perubatan-11’ which represents a component of the interpersonal doctor-patient relationship can be used to assess improvements of the medical skills and in medical training to enhance the quality of therapeutic communication.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (E) ◽  
pp. 439-445
Author(s):  
Sultan ALNohair ◽  
Nahla Babiker ◽  
Dalal Al-Ahmari ◽  
Dalal Al-Mutairi ◽  
Khozama Al-Matroudi ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a major cause of mortality around the world. At present, almost half of the non-communicable diseases are CVDs. According to the literature review, CVD disease and the associated risk factors are high among Saudi adults. It has not been studied to determine at which age the majority of adults acquire the risk factors. We hypothesized and planned to assess CVD risk factors among medical students. AIM: The main objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of CVD risk factors among male and female medical students in Qassim University. METHODS: A cross-sectional study surveyed 188 males and female medical students in Qassim University. They were selected by random sampling technique. The data were collected by using a questionnaire included (age, gender, height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, random blood glucose, smoking habits, physical activity, and stress scale). After the data collection, it was entered and analyzed by SPSS. RESULTS: About 9.6% of male students were smokers, while there is no history of smoking among female students. About 18.2% of males were found obese, while obesity was lower among females (4.2%). The random blood glucose for males and females was within normal limits, but the measured blood pressure showed a higher percentage of elevated blood pressure among males (47.8%) in comparison to females (25.4%). Perceived stress scale exhibited that females were getting a greater percentage of high stress (34.3%), while in males, it was 14.4%. CONCLUSION: Many risk factors were greater among males, including elevated blood pressure 47.8%, obesity 18.2%, and smoking 9.6%. On the other hand, these risk factors were lower in females, but they have a higher stress scale 34.3% in comparison to males.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Candace C. Johnson ◽  
Karen M. Sheffield ◽  
Roy E. Brown

Background. A major determinant in cardiometabolic health is metabolic syndrome (MetS), a cluster of symptoms that portend the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). As mind-body therapies are thought to help in lowering physiological and environmental CVD risk factors including blood pressure and psychological stress, they may also be beneficial for the primary prevention of CVD. Objectives. To synthesize and summarize existing knowledge on the effectiveness of mind-body therapies on MetS outcomes in African-American (AA) women, a US subpopulation at high risk for CVD. Search Methods. A systematic search of eight databases was conducted in order to identify published papers addressing the topic. We included trials involving AA adult women, ages 18–64, and we included RCTs that involved multifactorial interventions. Outcomes of interest were MetS, chronic disease, and CVD risk factors (blood pressure, blood lipids, blood glucose, BMI, waist circumference, and mental health domains). Two authors independently selected trials for inclusion, extracted data, and assessed risks of bias. Main Results. We identified five trials for inclusion in this review. One study reported outcomes associated with the full MetS symptom cluster. The included trials were small, short term, and at high risk of bias. All interventions lasted at least 6 weeks.


Author(s):  
Phillip M. Kleespies ◽  
Justin M. Hill

This chapter illustrates the mental health clinician’s relationship with behavioral emergencies. The chapter begins by distinguishing the terms behavioral emergency and behavioral crisis, and underlying themes among all behavioral emergencies are identified. Given that most clinicians will face a behavioral emergency in their careers, the importance of enhancing the process of educating and training practitioners for such situations far beyond the minimal training that currently exists is highlighted. The chapter continues by exploring various aspects of evaluating and managing high-risk patients (i.e., those who exhibit violent tendencies toward themselves or others, and those at risk for victimization). It includes a discussion of the benefits and limitations to estimating life-threatening risk factors and specific protective factors. The chapter concludes by discussing the emotional impact that working with high-risk patients has on clinicians, and an emphasis is placed on the importance of creating a supportive work environment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
C.Q Wu ◽  
X Li ◽  
J.P Lu ◽  
B.W Chen ◽  
Y.C Li ◽  
...  

Abstract Background In China, an abundance of cardiovascular risk factors has contributed to the increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), which caused almost 4 million deaths per year. However, comprehensive evidence on the geographical profiles of cardiovascular disease risk in China is lacking, as findings in prior studies have been limited to relatively small sample sizes, had incomplete regional coverage, or focused on a narrow risk factor spectrum. Purpose To compare the population CVD risk among different regions across China, and to describe the geographical distributions of CVD risk factors and their clusters throughout the nation. Methods In a nationwide population-based screening project covering 252 counties of China, standardized measurements were conducted to collect information on 12 major CVD risk factors. Individuals of high CVD risk were identified as those with previous CVD, or with a predicted 10-year risk of CVD greater than 10% according to the WHO risk prediction charts. We applied factor analysis to generate “clusters” that characterized the clustering of these risk factors, then explored their relationship with the local ambient temperature and per capital GDP. Results Among 983476 participants included, 9.2% were of high CVD risk, with a range of 1.6% to 23.6% across counties. Among the seven regions in China, the rate was relatively high in the Northeast (11.8%) and North China (10.4%), while low in the South China (7.2%) and Northwest (7.8%). We identified 6 clusters underlying CVD risk factors, including Obesity factor, Blood pressure factor, Staple food factor, Non-staple food factor, Smoking and alcohol factor, and Metabolic and physical activity factor (Figure). We found high risk regions were facing different leading challenges, like obesity and blood pressure for the North China, while unhealthy non-staple food for the Northeast. The South China, as the region with the lowest CVD risk, still had the highest prevalence of unhealthy staple food. Lower annual average ambient temperature was associated with higher risk in Blood pressure factor, Obesity factor and Non-staple food factor, but lower risk in Staple food factor and Metabolic and physical activity factor (p&lt;0.001 for all), consistently between rural and urban. Higher per capital GDP was associated with lower risk in Non-staple food factor in urban and higher risk in Metabolic and physical activity factor in rural (p&lt;0.05 for both). The correlation between per capital GDP and Smoking and alcohol factor differed significantly between in rural and urban regions (p=0.042). Conclusions The geographical profile of CVD risk in China is complex - population risk levels varied substantially across regions, which were contributed by different risk factors. China needs geographically targeted intervention strategies considering environmental and socio-economic factors to control CVD risk and reduce the burden related to CVD. Geographical disparity of risk clusters Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): The National Key Research and Development Program from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China; the CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Science


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Svein Ivar Bekkelund

Abstract Background High and low levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) are both associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risks especially in elderly, but the mechanisms are less known. This study investigated associations between ALT and CVD risk factors including effects of sex and age in a Caucasian population. Methods Cross-sectional data were analysed sex-stratified in 2555 men (mean age 60.4 years) and 2858 women (mean age 60.0 years) from the population study Tromsø 6. Associations were assessed by variance analysis and multivariable logistic regression of odds to have abnormal ALT. Risk factors included body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip-ratio, blood pressure, lipids, glucose, glycated haemoglobin and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (CRP). Results Abnormal elevated ALT was detected in 113 men (4.4%) and 188 women (6.6%). Most CVD risk factors associated positively with ALT in both sexes except systolic blood pressure and CRP (women only), while ALT was positively associated with age in men when adjusted for CVD risk factors, P < 0.001. BMI predicted ALT in men (OR 0.94; 95% CI 0.88–1.00, P = 0.047) and women (OR 0.90; 95% CI 0.86–0.95, P < 0.001). A linear inversed association between age and ALT in men and a non-linear inversed U-trend in women with maximum level between 60 and 64 years were found. Conclusion This study confirms a positive relationship between ALT and CVD risk factors, particularly BMI. Age is not a major confounder in the ALT-CVD relationship, but separate sex-analyses is recommended in such studies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 634-646 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ehsan Ghaedi ◽  
Mohammad Mohammadi ◽  
Hamed Mohammadi ◽  
Nahid Ramezani-Jolfaie ◽  
Janmohamad Malekzadeh ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThere is some evidence supporting the beneficial effects of a Paleolithic diet (PD) on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. This diet advises consuming lean meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, and nuts and avoiding intake of grains, dairy products, processed foods, and added sugar and salt. This study was performed to assess the effects of a PD on CVD risk factors including anthropometric indexes, lipid profile, blood pressure, and inflammatory markers using data from randomized controlled trials. A comprehensive search was performed in the PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases up to August 2018. A meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model to estimate the pooled effect size. Meta-analysis of 8 eligible studies revealed that a PD significantly reduced body weight [weighted mean difference (WMD) = −1.68 kg; 95% CI: −2.86, −0.49 kg], waist circumference (WMD = −2.72 cm; 95% CI: −4.04, −1.40 cm), BMI (in kg/m2) (WMD = −1.54; 95% CI: −2.22, −0.87), body fat percentage (WMD = −1.31%; 95% CI: −2.06%, −0.57%), systolic (WMD = −4.75 mm Hg; 95% CI: −7.54, −1.96 mm Hg) and diastolic (WMD = −3.23 mm Hg; 95% CI: −4.77, −1.69 mm Hg) blood pressure, and circulating concentrations of total cholesterol (WMD = −0.23 mmol/L; 95% CI: −0.42, −0.04 mmol/L), triglycerides (WMD = −0.30 mmol/L; 95% CI: −0.55, −0.06 mmol/L), LDL cholesterol (WMD = −0.13 mmol/L; 95% CI: −0.26, −0.01 mmol/L), and C-reactive protein (CRP) (WMD = −0.48 mg/L; 95% CI: −0.79, −0.16 mg/L) and also significantly increased HDL cholesterol (WMD = 0.06 mmol/L; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.11 mmol/L). However, sensitivity analysis revealed that the overall effects of a PD on lipid profile, systolic blood pressure, and circulating CRP concentrations were sensitive to removing some studies and to the correlation coefficients, hence the results must be interpreted with caution. Although the present meta-analysis revealed that a PD has favorable effects on CVD risk factors, the evidence is not conclusive and more well-designed trials are still needed.


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