The appropriate treatment target for systolic blood pressure (SBP) in older patients with hypertension remains uncertain.
To evaluate the effects of intensive (<120 mm Hg) compared with standard ...(<140 mm Hg) SBP targets in persons aged 75 years or older with hypertension but without diabetes.
A multicenter, randomized clinical trial of patients aged 75 years or older who participated in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT). Recruitment began on October 20, 2010, and follow-up ended on August 20, 2015.
Participants were randomized to an SBP target of less than 120 mm Hg (intensive treatment group, n = 1317) or an SBP target of less than 140 mm Hg (standard treatment group, n = 1319).
The primary cardiovascular disease outcome was a composite of nonfatal myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome not resulting in a myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, nonfatal acute decompensated heart failure, and death from cardiovascular causes. All-cause mortality was a secondary outcome.
Among 2636 participants (mean age, 79.9 years; 37.9% women), 2510 (95.2%) provided complete follow-up data. At a median follow-up of 3.14 years, there was a significantly lower rate of the primary composite outcome (102 events in the intensive treatment group vs 148 events in the standard treatment group; hazard ratio HR, 0.66 95% CI, 0.51-0.85) and all-cause mortality (73 deaths vs 107 deaths, respectively; HR, 0.67 95% CI, 0.49-0.91). The overall rate of serious adverse events was not different between treatment groups (48.4% in the intensive treatment group vs 48.3% in the standard treatment group; HR, 0.99 95% CI, 0.89-1.11). Absolute rates of hypotension were 2.4% in the intensive treatment group vs 1.4% in the standard treatment group (HR, 1.71 95% CI, 0.97-3.09), 3.0% vs 2.4%, respectively, for syncope (HR, 1.23 95% CI, 0.76-2.00), 4.0% vs 2.7% for electrolyte abnormalities (HR, 1.51 95% CI, 0.99-2.33), 5.5% vs 4.0% for acute kidney injury (HR, 1.41 95% CI, 0.98-2.04), and 4.9% vs 5.5% for injurious falls (HR, 0.91 95% CI, 0.65-1.29).
Among ambulatory adults aged 75 years or older, treating to an SBP target of less than 120 mm Hg compared with an SBP target of less than 140 mm Hg resulted in significantly lower rates of fatal and nonfatal major cardiovascular events and death from any cause.
clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01206062.
Improvements in early detection, supportive care, and treatment have resulted in an increasing number of cancer survivors, with a current 5-year relative survival rate for all cancers combined of ...approximately 66.1%. For some patients, these survival advances have been offset by the long-term late effects of cancer and its treatment, with second malignant neoplasms (SMNs) comprising one of the most potentially life-threatening sequelae. The number of patients with SMNs is growing, with new SMNs now representing about one in six of all cancers reported to the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. SMNs reflect not only the late effects of therapy but also the influence of shared etiologic factors (in particular, tobacco and excessive alcohol intake), genetic susceptibility, environmental exposures, host effects, and combinations of factors, including gene-environment interactions. For selected SMNs, risk is also modified by age at exposure and attained age. SMNs can be categorized into three major groups according to the predominant etiologic factor(s): (1) treatment-related, (2) syndromic, and (3) those due to shared etiologic exposures, although the nonexclusivity of these groups should be underscored. Here we provide an overview of SMNs in survivors of adult-onset cancer, summarizing the current, albeit limited, clinical evidence with regard to screening and prevention, with a focus on the provision of guidance for health care providers. The growing number of patients with second (and higher-order) cancers mandates that we also further probe etiologic influences and genetic variants that heighten risk, and that we better define high-risk groups for targeted preventive and interventional clinical strategies.
Adherence to Antihypertensive Therapy Peacock, Erin; Krousel-Wood, Marie
Medical clinics of North America/The Medical clinics of North America,
01/2017, Letnik:
101, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Adherence to antihypertensive medication remains a key modifiable factor in the management of hypertension. The multidimensional nature of adherence and blood pressure (BP) control call for ...multicomponent, patient-centered interventions to improve adherence. Promising strategies to improve antihypertensive medication adherence and BP control include regimen simplification, reduction of out-of-pocket costs, use of allied health professionals for intervention delivery, and self-monitoring of BP. Research to understand the effects of technology-mediated interventions, mechanisms underlying adherence behavior, and sex-race differences in determinants of low adherence and intervention effectiveness may enhance patient-specific approaches to improve adherence and disease control.
About 5%‐10% of breast cancer is hereditary with BRCA1 and BRCA2 being the most common genes associated with hereditary breast cancer (HBC). Several additional genes have recently been associated ...with HBC. These genes can be classified as highly or moderately penetrant genes with lifetime risk >30% or 17%‐30%, respectively. Highly penetrant genes associated with HBC include TP53, PTEN, CDH1, STK11, and PALB2. While, moderately penetrant genes include CHEK2, ATM, BARD1, BRIP1, NBN, NF1, RAD51D, and MSH6. Breast cancer risk and recommendations for screening and risk‐reduction vary by gene. In general, screening breast MRI is recommended for women at >20% lifetime risk, which includes women with mutations in highly penetrant genes and the majority (but not all) moderately penetrant genes. Consideration of chemoprevention is recommended for women with mutations in high and moderately penetrant genes. Risk‐reducing mastectomy does reduce the risk of breast cancer to the greatest extent and can be considered for women with highly penetrant genes. However, this procedure is associated with significant morbidities that should be considered, especially given the benefit of using screening breast MRI for high‐risk women. BSO is only recommended for women with mutations in genes associate with increased risk for ovarian cancer and not as a breast cancer risk‐reducing strategy. As more women undergo testing, additional genes may be identified and risk estimates for current genes and management recommendations may be modified.
This study examines the psychometric properties and tests the concurrent and predictive validity of a structured, self‐reported medication adherence measure in patients with hypertension. The authors ...also assessed various psychosocial determinants of adherence, such as knowledge, social support, satisfaction with care, and complexity of the medical regimen. A total of 1367 patients participated in the study; mean age was 52.5 years, 40.8% were male, 76.5% were black, 50.8% graduated from high school, 26% were married, and 54.1% had income <$5,000. The 8‐item medication adherence scale was reliable (α=.83) and significantly associated with blood pressure control (P<.05). Using a cutpoint of <6, the sensitivity of the measure to identify patients with poor blood pressure control was estimated to be 93%, and the specificity was 53%. The medication adherence measure proved to be reliable, with good concurrent and predictive validity in primarily low‐income, minority patients with hypertension and might function as a screening tool in outpatient settings with other patient groups.
Family history matters Wood, Marie E.
Cancer,
September 1, 2016, Letnik:
122, Številka:
17
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Targeting individuals at increased risk for colon cancer will ensure that those most at risk for the disease will benefit; a family history is an easily identifiable risk factor for colon cancer. The ...review by Lowery et al. in this issue of Cancer highlights both the importance of taking a family history for identifying those at risk for colorectal cancer and the barriers to effectively using family history information to manage individuals at risk.
See also pages 2633‐45.
Second and higher-order malignancies now comprise about 18% of all incident cancers in the USA, superseding first primary cancers of the breast, lung, and prostate. The occurrence of second malignant ...neoplasms (SMN) is influenced by a myriad of factors, including the late effects of cancer therapy, shared aetiological factors with the primary cancer (such as tobacco use, excessive alcohol intake, and obesity), genetic predisposition, environmental determinants, host effects, and combinations of factors, including gene-environment interactions. The influence of these factors on SMN in survivors of adult-onset cancer is reviewed here. We also discuss how modifiable behavioural and lifestyle factors may contribute to SMN, and how these factors can be managed. Cancer survivorship provides an opportune time for oncologists and other health-care providers to counsel patients with regard to health promotion, not only to reduce SMN risk, but to minimize co-morbidities. In particular, the importance of smoking cessation, weight control, physical activity, and other factors consonant with adoption of a healthy lifestyle should be consistently emphasized to cancer survivors. Clinicians can also play a critical role by endorsing genetic counselling for selected patients and making referrals to dieticians, exercise trainers, and others to assist with lifestyle change interventions.
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