Hypertension from the patient's perspective: contributions to the care offered by health professionals and self-care - a qualitative study

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Hypertension is the most common disease in primary care settings. Only 30% of cases were adequately controlled. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the knowledge and understanding of patients with hypertension regarding the factors that facilitate and limit adherence to treatment and, based on the results, build specific guidelines on hypertension self-care and control. DESIGN AND SETTING: This qualitative study was conducted in a primary healthcare setting. METHODS: Patients with hypertension who were followed at a primary healthcare unit were interviewed through focus groups, and a qualitative interpretation of their statements according to Bardin's content analysis was performed. RESULTS: Three focus groups were formed (21 participants), from whose analysis emerged 74 core ideas related to the concept of hypertension, causes of increase in blood pressure, clinical consequences of hypertension, and possible patients' contributions to help control blood pressure, arising from eating habits, psychosocial conditions, and lifestyle. Patients tend to accept the concept of "high blood pressure" as an inherent condition of the disease in their lives. Eating habits are strongly related to life history and self-perception of health. The association between high blood pressure and nervousness or stress appears to be strong. CONCLUSION: The experience of having "pressure problem" is unique for each person. It is necessary to optimize listening, recognizing that, for the patient to understand what hypertension is and its management, there must be understanding and convergence of proposals, adjustments, and changes in a positive and personalized way. As a result of this study, we implemented educational actions in primary healthcare units.

Algorithms for clinical assessment of the cervical spine in patients with severe trauma: a mixed-method analyzis / Algoritmos de avaliação clínica da coluna cervical em pacientes com traumatismo grave: uma análise mista / Algoritmos de evaluación clínica de la columna cervical en pacientes con traumatismo grave: un análisis mixto

ABSTRACT Objective: Cervical trauma is an important cause of morbidity and mortality, affecting 2% of patients admitted to emergency units. Therefore, this study aims to compare the use of two clinical cervical spine evaluation algorithms, the Canadian C-Spine Rule (CCR) and the National Emergency X-radiography Utilization Study (NEXUS). Methods: A descriptive study of the use of the two algorithms by medical residents in the initial assessment of severely traumatized patients admitted to the regional emergency unit was conducted. The evaluation of the indication for imaging tests and the positive predictive value of the algorithms were the parameters analyzed. Finally, the residents answered a questionnaire evaluating the applicability, degree of confidence and advantages of both flowcharts. Results: There was no significant difference between the number of indications for imaging or their predictive values. In the analysis of the questionnaires, the CCR proved to be more reliable and the NEXUS more applicable, and the positive and negative points of applying each of them were highlighted. Conclusion: It is concluded that the two methods are similar in detecting injuries and optimizing the use of imaging exams, being equally indicated to evaluate cervical trauma. However, the technical specifics of each must be taken into account when deciding which to use. Level of evidence IV; Descriptive Study.

RESUMO Objetivo: O trauma cervical é uma importante causa de morbidade e mortalidade, com acometimento de 2% dos pacientes admitidos nas unidades de emergência. Assim sendo, a pesquisa visa comparar a utilização de dois algoritmos clínicos de avaliação da coluna cervical: Canadian C-Spine Rule (CCR) e National Emergency X-radiography Utilization Study (NEXUS). Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo descritivo da utilização dos dois algoritmos por médicos residentes na avaliação inicial de pacientes traumatizados graves admitidos na unidade de emergência regional. A avaliação da indicação de exames de imagem e do valor preditivo positivo dos algoritmos foram os parâmetros analisados. Por fim, os residentes responderam a um questionário de avaliação da aplicabilidade, grau de confiança e vantagens de ambos os fluxogramas. Resultados: Não houve diferença significativa entre os números de indicação para imagem nem dos valores preditivos. Na análise do questionário, o CCR mostrou-se mais confiável e o NEXUS foi mais aplicável, sendo destacados os pontos positivos e negativos da aplicação de cada um deles. Conclusões: Conclui-se que houve semelhança na detecção de lesões e otimização da utilização de exames de imagem entre os dois métodos, sendo igualmente indicados para avaliação de traumatismo cervical, contudo cada um tem especificidades técnicas que devem ser levadas em conta no momento da escolha. Nível de evidência IV; Estudo descritivo.

RESUMEN Objetivo: El trauma cervical es una importante causa de morbilidad y mortalidad, con acometimiento de 2% de los pacientes admitidos en las unidades de emergencia. Siendo así, la investigación tiene como objetivo comparar el uso de dos algoritmos clínicos de evaluación de la columna cervical: Canadian C-Spine Rule (CCR) y National Emergency X-radiography Utilization Study (NEXUS). Métodos: Fue realizado un estudio descriptivo del uso de los dos algoritmos por médicos residentes en la evaluación inicial de los pacientes traumatizados graves admitidos en la unidad de emergencia regional. La evaluación de la indicación de exámenes de imagen y del valor predictivo positivo de los algoritmos fueron los parámetros analizados. Finalmente, los residentes respondieron un cuestionario de evaluación de la aplicabilidad, grado de confianza y ventajas de ambos diagramas de flujo. Resultados: No hubo diferencia significativa entre los números de indicación para imagen ni de los valores predictivos. En el análisis del cuestionario, el CCR se mostró más confiable y el NEXUS fue más aplicable, siendo destacados los puntos positivos y negativos de la aplicación de cada uno de ellos. Conclusiones: Se concluye que hubo semejanza en la detección de lesiones y optimización del uso de exámenes de imagen entre los dos métodos, siendo igualmente indicados para la evaluación de traumatismo cervical, aunque cada uno tiene especificidades técnicas que deben ser llevadas en cuenta en el momento de elegir. Nivel de evidencia IV; Estudio descriptivo.

Efeitos de altas concentrações de glicose na função endotelial da microcirculação renal de coelhos / Effects of high glucose concentrations on the endothelial function of the renal microcirculation of rabbits

OBJECTIVE: To assess the acute effects of high glucose concentrations on vascular reactivity in the isolated non diabetic rabbit kidney. METHODS: Rabbits were anaesthetized for isolation of the kidneys. Renal arteries and veins were cannulated for perfusion with Krebs-Henselleit solution and measurement of perfusion pressure. After 3 hours of perfusion with glucose 5,5 mM (control ) and 15 mM, the circulation was submitted to sub maximal precontraction (80 percent of maximal response) trough continuous infusion of noradrenaline 10 mM. Vascular reactivity was then assessed trough dose-responses curves with endothelium-dependent (acetylcholine) and independent (sodium nitroprusside) vasodilators. The influence of hyperosmolarity was analyzed with perfusion with mannitol 15mM. RESULTS: A significant reduction in the endothelium-dependent vasodilation in glucose 15mM group was observed compared to that in control, but there was no difference in endothelium-independent vasodilation. After perfusion with mannitol 15 mM, a less expressive reduction in endothelium-dependent vasodilation was observed, only reaching significance in regard to the greatest dose of acetylcholine. CONCLUSION: High levels of glucose similar to those found in diabetic patients in the postprandial period can cause significant acute changes in renal vascular reactivity rabbits. In diabetic patients these effects may also occur and contribute to diabetes vascular disease