[Prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of benzodiazepine utilization in an urban population]. / Prävalenz und soziodemographische Korrelate des Benzodiazepingebrauchs in einer Grossstadtbevölkerung.

In conjunction with a population survey of the prevalence of hypertension, conducted in Vienna, the consumption of benzodiazepines was investigated. In cooperation with a public opinion survey institute a quota sample of 1470 Viennese aged over 15 years was visited in their homes by 50 physicians trained in interview techniques. The quota sample comprised 0.959% of the population of 1,531,346 inhabitants and was representative in terms of age, sex, social status and area of residence. 5.3% of the probands took Benzodiazepines often, frequently or at least sometimes. Female sex and higher age correlated significantly with Benzodiazepine use, which was furthermore significantly influenced by the presence of psychopathological symptoms and the responder's subjective feeling of being under stress. Co-medication and physical illness were correlated with a higher benzodiazepine use.

[Prevalence of a type A behavior pattern (coronary prone behavior pattern) in the Vienna population]. / Prävalenz des Typ-A-Verhaltensmusters (Coronary-prone behavior pattern) in der Wiener Bevölkerung.

The prevalence of the coronary-prone behavior pattern and its interaction with psychosocial and primary coronary risk factors was studied in a Viennese population sample consisting of 1459 people (634 men, 825 women). The sample was representative with respect to sex, age greater than 16 years, socio-economic status and local distribution. A questionnaire-based short rating scale developed by Bortner was used. The distribution of the study population on the A-B axis was unimodal (means = 174.95 +/- 40.76). The upper and the lower third of the A-B dimension was designated to represent type A1 and type B4, respectively. The mean Bortner score and rate of type A1 persons clearly decreased at lower (16 to 20 years) and higher ages (greater than 60 years). Within the group of employed subjects aged 21 to 60 years the mean type A score and the rate of A1 subjects for men (177 +/- 39; 6%) differed significantly from that of their female counterparts (188 +/- 39; 13%). Housewives had a mean score of 178 +/- 41 and 10% of them were scored A1, thus indicating significantly lower mean scores than employed females but the same rate of A1. Subjects with higher educational level showed only a tendency to increased type A. The socio-economic status was positively correlated to the global Bortner score, especially in men, but no relation was found to the rate of Type A1 persons. There was no significant correlation between type A score and systolic or diastolic blood pressure, body mass index or smoking behavior, but a significant correlation between type A score and the subjective feeling of overload. Type A subjects scored themselves significantly more often as continuously overload.

The prevalence of psychoactive drug intake in a metropolitan population.

Together with a survey conducted among the population of Vienna on the prevalence of hypertension, the consumption of psychotropic substances was investigated. In cooperation with a polling institute a quota-sample of 1,470 Viennese over 15 were visited in their homes by 50 physicians trained in interview techniques. The quota-sample comprised 1,470 people (0.959(0/00) of the population of 1,531,346 inhabitants) and was representative in terms of age, sex, social status, and area of residence. The overall prevalence of psychoactive drug consumption among the inhibitants of Vienna investigated was found to be 6.8%. The female to male ratio was 3.5 to 1. Furthermore, psychoactive drug use increased with age and was influenced by social status, with the highest consumption rate found among divorced women and widows. Using the Goldberg "General Health Questionnaire", data were collected on the presence of psychopathologic symptoms and the responders' subjective feeling of being under stress was elicited. A significant correlation could be shown between these two factors and the use of psychoactive drugs. The type of drugs most frequently used were tranquilizers (4.96%), followed by antidepressants (0.95%) and hypnotics (0.88%).

[Treatment of medium-severe essential hypertension with beta-Aldopur under practice conditions]. / Zur Behandlung der mittelschweren essentiellen Hypertonie mit Beta-Aldopur unter Praxisbedingungen.

23 hypertensive patients were treated with the new fixed-dose combination drug Beta-Aldopur, containing 100 mg bupranolol and 50 mg spironolactone per tablet. In part they had been pretreated with other fixed combinations without sufficient success. 19 patients completed the eight-week study. Initial dosage of two tablets could be reduced to one tablet daily following normalization (less than 90 mm Hg) of diastolic blood pressure in one third of patients. Mean pressure in a sitting posture was lowered from 176 +/- 21/111 +/- 9 mm Hg to 156 +/- 21/93 +/- 8 mm Hg (p less than 0,0001) gradually until the 4th week. Body weight decreased by 2.5 kg (3.1%) until the 6th week and remained constant thereafter. Mean concentration of serum potassium rose significantly by 0.42 mmol/l within normal limits. Specific and non-specific side effects were very rare and no serious reactions occurred. Compared to pretreatment with other fixed combinations, most of them containing thiazides, the combination of bupranolol with spironolactone was more efficacious in lowering the blood pressure. According to the results of our study Beta-Aldopur is suitable for treatment of essential hypertension of all degrees, especially for patients prone to hypokalemia, if secondary aldosteronism caused by hypertension or by medication may be expected and/or if other medications are not adequately effective.

[Effect of a fixed betablocker diuretic combination in hypertension compared with the effect of the single components (author's transl)]. / Wirkung einer fixen Beta-Blocker-Thiazid-Kombination bei der Behandlung der Hypertonie, verglichen mit der Wirkung der Einzelkomponenten.

In a double blind designed treatment trial with three randomized groups of patients the effect of a fixed betablocker diuretic combination (Torrat, Boehringer Mannheim GmbH) was compared with the effect of the single components. 66 patients with essential and renal hypertension stage I and II according to the WHO definition were evaluated. 27 patients were treated with 1 tablet, 32 with 2 X 1 tablet, and 7 patients with 3 X 1 tablet daily. Besides of the blood pressure lowering effect over an observation period of 10 weeks the influence on pulse rate, potassium, blood sugar and uric acid were investigated. It could be shown that the blood pressure lowering effect was highest under the combination-drug. The treatment with the single components showed a less pronounced influence on the blood pressure, thus hinting at an additive effect of the 2 components metipranolol and butizide when given together. The combination exerts few side effects and does not influence the investigated parameters of metabolism over a longer period of time.