Yanomamos: ingestión de sal e hipertensión arterial / Yanomamos: salt intake and arterial hypertension

La nación yanomama es un grupo indigena aislado y autosuficiente que reside en la selva lluviosa al sur de Venezuela y norte de Brasil que ha logrado vivir en armonia con su ambiente y que ha mostrado ancestral respecto a la naturaleza sin producir basura ni contaminación. Deparam la sal que necesitan de un àrbol de la misma región llamado Tavarí. El Estudio Intersalt es una investigación observacional que ha demostrado una asociación entre la presión arterial y el consumo de sal de la dieta a través de la medición de su excreción urinaria. Los hallazgos encontrados en este grupo poblacional fueron extraordinarios: Niveles de presión arterial muy bajos que no se incrementaron con la edad, niveles de colesterol muy reducidos, ausencia de alcoholismo u obesidad. Constituyen un experimento de la naturaleza digno de seguir; desafortunadamente el mundo occidental ha tenido un impacto negativo en sus vidas y cultura

The nation yanomami is an isolated and self-sufficient indigenous group who reside in the rainy forest to the south of Venezuela and north of Brazil that has managed to live in harmony with its atmosphere and that has shown ancestral respect to the nature without producing any sweepings or contamination. They obtain the salt that needs from a local tree of called Tavarí. The Intersalt Study is an observational investigation that has demostrated an association between the arterial pressure and the consumption of salt of the diet through the measurement of its urinary excretion. The findings found in this population group were extraordinary: very low levels of pressure arterial that are not increased with the age, cholesterol levels very reduced, absence of alcoholism or obesity, very low sodium excretion. They constitute an experiment of the nature worthy to follow; unfortunately western world had much of a negative impact on their lives or culture

Incapacidade temporária para atividades habituais: relação com a pressão arterial e o uso de terapia farmacológica anti-hipertensiva no Estudo Pró-Saúde / Temporary disability for daily activities: relationship with the blood pressure and use of anti-hypertensive drug therapy in the Pró-Saúde study

A hipertensão arterial (HA) desempenha papel determinante na ocorrência de eventos clínicos graves, havendo entretanto controvérsias quanto ao seu impacto no cotidiano do portador. A incapacidade temporária para a realização de atividades habituais definida como uma restrição temporária na capacidade funcional habitual do indivíduo, é um indicador de saúde recomendado pela Organização Mundial da Saúde para uso em estudos populacionais. A partir do objetivo geral de investigar a associação entre hipertensão arterial e incapacidade temporária para atividades habituais, delineamos os seguintes objetivos específicos: A) Investigar se a elevação dos níveis pressóricos determina a freqüência e o período acumulado de incapacidade temporária para atividades habituais; B) Investigar se o uso de medicações anti-hipertensivas associa-se a alterações na freqüência e no período acumulado de incapacidade temporária para atividades habituais. Estudo seccional com dados de 2953 participantes obtidos de questionário auto-administrado no Estudo Pró-Saúde, uma coorte de funcionários técnicos administrativos de universidade localizada no estado do Rio de Janeiro. A exposição foi avaliada a partir do valor aferido da PA e do uso de drogas anti-hipertensivas. Conduzimos a análise separando os participantes em 4 grupos, combinando as informações quanto à PA aferida...

Arterial hypertension (AH) plays a determinant role in the occurrence of severe clinical events; however, there are controversies about its impact on daily life. The temporary disability for daily activities, which is defined as a temporary restriction in an individual’s usual level of functioning, is a health indicator proposed by the World HealthOrganization for utilization in population studies. Objectives: To investigate the association between arterial hypertension and temporary disability for daily activities, we proposed thefollowing specific objectives: A) To investigate whether elevated blood pressure (BP) determine the frequency or accumulated period of temporary disability for daily activities; 2) To investigate whether the use of anti-hypertensive drugs are associated with changes in the frequency or accumulated period of temporary disability for daily activities. Methods: Across-sectional study with data obtained from 2953 participants who answered a selfadministered questionnaire in the Pro-Saude Study, a cohort of university emplyees in Rio de Janeiro state. The exposure was evaluated using the measured value of BP and the report ofthe use of anti-hypertensive drugs. We conducted the analysis classifying the participants in 4 groups, combining the information about measured BP (< or ³ 140/90 mmHg) and the report of the use of anti-hypertensive drugs or not. The outcome was evaluated with a composite variable with information about the report and period of disability. Multivariate analyses were conducted using multinomial logistic regression. Results: 690 (23.4 %) were classified as hypertensives, and 704 (23.8 %) reported temporary disability. The use of anti-hypertensive drugs, among the participants with BP < 140/90 mmHg, was directly associated with theprevalence of temporary disability for daily activities for a longer period (OR=2.25, CI 95 %: 1.31 - 3.87)...