Cardiovascular risk rate in hypertensive patients attended in primary health care units: the influence of pharmaceutical care

Cardiovascular complications are relevant due to their frequency and severity on the hypertension scenario. Studies refer Pharmaceutical Care (PC) as capable of decreasing cardiovascular risk rate (%CVR) on hypertensive patients. This study aimed to investigate, through a randomized clinical assay, the influence of PC service on the %CVR of hypertensive patients assisted in a health primary care unit from Fortaleza-Ceará. Two study groups were formed: i. Intervention Group (IG), which received orientation about taking medicines, actions aiming to prevent/solve medicine interactions and adverse effects and non-pharmacological interventions for 9 months and, ii. Control Group (CG), which received traditional assistance of the unit and was monitored during the same period. It was observed a statistically significant reduction on %CVR (10.76 to 7.86; p=0.04) and systolic blood pressure levels (SBP) (137.69 to 131.54; p<0.01) in the IG, while, in the CG, there was no significant alteration. 151 Drug Related Problem (DRP) were identified and it was realized 124 pharmaceutical interventions, with 89.2% of them resulting on solution/prevention of the problem. Our findings indicated that the inclusion of the PC service in the hypertensive health assistance was more effective at the %CVR and the SBP reduction in comparison to the traditional assistance offered

Fatores associados a abandono precoce do tratamento em psicoterapia de orientação analítica Factors related to early dropout in psychoanalytic psychotherapy

INTRODUÇÃO: A eficácia da psicoterapia psicanalítica foi bem estabelecida através de ensaios clínicos controlados; no entanto, algumas das características individuais que predizem melhores resultados são ainda pouco estudadas. O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a associação entre os dados demográficos, o diagnóstico psiquiátrico, a sintomatologia clínica, a qualidade de vida, os critérios de indicação da psicoterapia, o estilo defensivo e o abandono da psicoterapia psicanalítica antes de 3 meses de tratamento. MÉTODO: Uma amostra consecutiva de 56 pacientes foi avaliada após a indicação da psicoterapia, através de um protocolo padronizado, do World Health Organization Quality of Life Bref (WHOQOL-Bref), do Self Report Questionnaire, do Defensive Style Questionnaire, da Escala de Funcionamento Defensivo do Manual de Diagnóstico e Estatística das Perturbações Mentais, 4ª edição, texto revisado (DSM-IV-TR) e da Avaliação do Funcionamento Global (Global Assessment of Functioning), e acompanhada por 3 meses. RESULTADOS: A taxa de abandono foi de 12,5%. Não houve diferença quanto à Avaliação do Funcionamento Global, Self Report Questionnaire e Defensive Style Questionnaire. Os pacientes que abandonaram estavam satisfeitos com sua saúde, apesar da gravidade da sua psicopatologia, mesmo controlando para outras variáveis (p < 0,0001). O grupo que permaneceu em tratamento apresentava melhor adaptação prévia e maior proporção de indivíduos com inteligência estimada como média ou superior (p < 0,05). Maior proporção de pacientes no grupo do abandono foi classificada em níveis imaturos, segundo a Escala de Funcionamento Defensivo do DSM-IV-TR. CONCLUSÕES: A gravidade da psicopatologia, isoladamente, não teve associação com o abandono; entretanto, menor nível de insight e defesas mais imaturas (especialmente narcisistas) foram associados a maiores taxas de abandono. Esses aspectos devem ser seriamente considerados, juntamente com as expectativas do paciente quanto ao método analítico, e avaliados criteriosamente antes da indicação.<br>INTRODUCTION: The efficacy of psychoanalytic psychotherapy is well established in controlled clinical trials; however, some individual characteristics that predict better outcomes are yet poorly studied. This study aimed at evaluating the association of demographics data, psychiatric diagnosis, clinical impairment, quality of life, aspects of psychotherapy suitability, defensive style and dropout before 3 months. METHOD: A consecutive sample of 56 subjects was evaluated after psychotherapy indication through a standardized protocol, World Health Organization Quality of Life Bref (WHOQOL-Bref), Self Report Questionnaire, Defensive Style Questionnaire, Scale of Defensive Functioning of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV-TR) and Global Assessment of Functioning, and followed for 3 months. RESULTS: Dropout rate was 12.5%. There was no difference between groups in respect to Global Assessment of Functioning, Self Report Questionnaire and Defensive Style Questionnaire scores. Dropout patients reported to be satisfied with their health, despite psychopathological severity, even when other variables were controlled (p < 0.0001). The group that remained in psychotherapy was better adjusted before treatment and had average or superior estimated intelligence (p < 0.05). More dropout patients presented lower levels of defensive style, by means of the Scale of Defensive Functioning of DSM-IV-TR. CONCLUSIONS: Psychopathology severity alone did not predict dropout. However, patients with lower levels of insight and immature defenses (especially narcissistic) had higher dropout rates. Therefore, such aspects must be seriously considered, along with patients' expectations about the psychoanalytic method, and should be judiciously assessed before indication