Barriers to lifestyle risk factor assessment and management in hypertension: a qualitative study of Australian general practitioners.

Hypertension is a leading cause of mortality and disease burden worldwide, yet its management remains suboptimal. Identification and management of lifestyle risk factors should be a clinical priority in all patients because of the beneficial effects of lifestyle intervention on blood pressure. The objective of this qualitative focus group study was to identify barriers to lifestyle management in hypertension in Australian general practice. Purposeful sampling was used to select large group practices. Six focus groups (n=30) were audio recorded and transcribed. An iterative thematic analysis was conducted. Overall participants felt they had the required knowledge to provide broad lifestyle advice. However, cynicism dominated due to an overwhelming lack of success in practice. Patient reluctance and ambivalence were identified as major barriers but participants were willing to share the responsibility. Other barriers included time, reduced access to allied health and broader determinants of health. General practitioners need to be empowered to allow continuation of valuable lifestyle advice and counselling. The results emphasise the importance of ongoing lifestyle assessment and tailoring of management to the complex interplay of factors that impact on a patient's ability to adopt and maintain lifestyle change. System issues need to be addressed to provide better streamlined care.

Medical students' perceptions of using e-learning to enhance the acquisition of consulting skills.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to evaluate medical students' perception of the usefulness and effectiveness of an e-learning package developed to enhance the acquisition of consulting skills. METHOD: A survey with mixed method data analysis was conducted. Participants were 67 medical students completing their third year primary care rotation as part of a five-year degree at the University of Tasmania. Participants completed a 10 question anonymous online survey after using the elearning package RESULTS: Of the participants, 92% found it enjoyable and 95% found the e-learning package useful; 75% perceived it to be effective in increasing their performance and 91% believed it increased their knowledge in consulting skills. Benefits for participants' confidence, style and structure of consulting skills were found. CONCLUSION: Participants found the e-learning package to be enjoyable and effective. E-learning should be further utilised in a blended learning environment to support face-to-face teaching in consulting skills.

Lung collapse during low tidal volume ventilation in acute respiratory distress syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Current ventilator management for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) incorporates low tidal volume (V(T)) ventilation in order to limit ventilator-induced lung injury. Low V(T) ventilation in supine patients, without the use of intermittent hyperinflations, may cause small airway closure, progressive atelectasis, and secretion retention. Use of high positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) levels with low V(T) ventilation may not counter this effect, because regional differences in intra-abdominal hydrostatic pressure may diminish the volume-stabilizing effects of PEEP. CASE SUMMARY: A 35-year-old man with abdominal compartment syndrome (intra-abdominal pressure > 48 cm H2O developed ARDS and was treated with V(T) of 4.5 mL/kg and PEEP of 20 cm H2O. Despite aggressive fluid therapy, appropriate airway humidification and tracheal suctioning, the patient developed complete bronchial obstruction, involving the entire right lung and left upper lobe. After bronchoscopy the patient was placed on a higher V(T) (7.0 mL/kg). Intermittent PEEP was instituted at 30 cm H2O for 2 breaths every 3 minutes. This intermittently raised the end-inspiratory plateau pressure from 38 cm H2O to 50 cm H2O. With the same airway humidity and tracheal suctioning practices bronchial obstruction did not reoccur. CONCLUSION: Low V(T) ventilation in ARDS may increase the risk of small airway closure and retained secretions. This adverse effect highlights the importance of pulmonary hygiene measures in ARDS during lung-protective ventilation.

Characteristics of renal tubular atrophy in experimental renovascular hypertension: a model of kidney hibernation.

The inability to separate irreversible lesions of tubular epithelia from reversible tubular atrophy constitutes a major problem in histopathology and in decisions for revascularization of shrunken kidneys with renal artery stenosis. In order to characterize reversible tubular atrophy ('kidney hibernation') we studied the physiological and biochemical parameters and morphology including histochemistry in rat kidneys made atrophic by renal artery stenosis and treatment with the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, enalapril. Renal artery stenosis was induced by a 0.2-mm clip around the left renal artery. Following 7 weeks of clipping and 2 concomitant weeks of enalapril treatment, the kidney length decreased from 17.8 +/- 0.3 to 13.7 +/- 0.7 mm (mean +/- SEM). Renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate decreased to 39 +/- 3% and to approximately 3% of control values, respectively. The activities of the intracellular proteolytic enzymes cathepsin B and L and of Na-K-ATPase in microdissected proximal tubular segments decreased to values below 50 and 10%, respectively. All changes were significant (p < 0.05). Histochemical staining for ATPase activity in the distal tubule segments remained unchanged. Tubular cells were atrophic but not necrotic. Histochemical staining of alkaline phosphatase in the tubular brush border and of acid phosphatase and peroxidase in lysosomes was greatly reduced. All observed changes were reversible within 2-3 weeks following removal of the clip and withdrawal of enalapril either with or without contralateral nephrectomy. Thus, a form of kidney hibernation with readily reversible tubular atrophy has been described. Based on this description it may be possible in consecutive experiments to differentiate between reversible and irreversible tubular atrophy.