[Behavior of ionized calcium in hypertensive and normotensive patients]. / Comportamento del calcio ionizzato in soggetti ipertesi e normotesi.

Serum concentrations of ionized calcium have been measured in a group of 38 patients with essential hypertension (26 women and 12 men with mean age 61 +/- 12 years) and in a group of 19 normotensives (14 women and 5 men with mean age 70 +/- 12 years). Serum Ca++ levels were significantly lower in hypertensives than in normotensives (4.16 +/- 0.43 mg/dl and 4.46 +/- 0.38 mg/dl respectively, with p less than 0.05). The lower serum concentrations found in hypertensives may be due ions in arterial smooth muscle cells may cause an increase of vascular tone and peripheral resistances. Our results support, in agreement with other Authors, the possible role of ionized calcium in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension.

[Medico-social considerations on a hospital case-load of accidental injuries in the elderly]. / Considerazioni medico-sociali su una casistica ospedaliera di lesività accidentale nell'anziano.

The files of the Casualty Ward in a Florentine hospital for 1934-36, 1955-57 and 1976-78 were examined and 5030 cases of accidental injuries in the elderly were extracted for analysis. The subjects were grouped according to age, type and locality of the accident and morphology of the clinical picture. The results obtained from statistical analysis of the data demonstrate an increased percentage of accidents in the home, at work and in the street. Road accidents, the incidence of which varied in the different periods considered, were excluded. The outstanding feature is the notable increase in accidents of every type in the home, an environment traditionally considered safe or at least protected. Some medicolegal remarks on these results are presented with the aim of promoting a greater knowledge of the epidemiology of this phenomen as is essential if preventive measures are to be taken.