Knowledge, Attitude and At-Risk Behaviour for Heart Diseases among Secondary School Teachers in Ibadan Metropolis

Background: Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death in developed countries, becoming prevalent in the developing world. Risk behaviour may result in unfavourable outcomes in cardiovascular diseases. Secondary school teachers constitute a large cohort of educated middle-level income earners who can influence young and upcoming individuals due to their profession. Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude and at-risk behaviour for heart diseases among secondary school teachers in Ibadan Metropolis. Methods: A cross-sectional research design was used. Self- developed, field pre-tested questionnaire was employed to collect the relevant data from 200 randomly teachers. Cronbach alpha method was used to test the internal consistency of the test instruments and a measure of its scale in reliability.   Results: The study population comprised 39.0% males and 61.0% females. Most of the respondents (58.5%) were over 40 years, with an overall mean age of 40.2±3.1 years. The knowledge of secondary school teachers about heart diseases was poor (47.8%), while attitude and at-risk behaviours were unsatisfactory (weighted means 2.34 and 2.23 respectively against a criterion of 2.5). Conclusion: The secondary school teachers in Ibadan Metropolis had poor knowledge of heart diseases and demonstrated poor attitude and unsatisfactory at-risk behaviour about the diseases

QT Intervals and Outcome of Pregnancy in Patients with Eclampsia

Background: Eclampsia is associated with considerable mortality and morbidity for the mother and the foetus. QT intervals and dispersions elongations are associated with dangerous arrhythmias and sudden death. Hypocalcaemia is related to both conditions.Aim: To investigate the pattern of QT intervals and dispersions among eclamptic patients and determine outcomes in mother and foetus and also to find out if there is a relationship between the two conditions.Method: Electrocardiograms of 32 patients with intra-partum eclampsia were compared with 30 normal matched for gestational age. Biochemical indices were also compared. Outcome in mother and foetus in the 2 groups were studied.Results: The mean QT intervals and dispersions were comparable in subjects and controls. It was only in QTcmax that there was a significant prolongation in eclamptics (437.87+35.24 vs 420.36+ 32.07 msecs p< 0.05), though the mean QTcmax of the subjects was not absolutelyprolonged. 59.4% of the patients had QTcmax prolonged compared to 13.3% of controls. The QTd and QTcd were prolonged in 18.8% and 15.6% of the patients respectively. No control had a prolongation of these intervals. There were 9(28.1%) foetal deaths in patients compared tonone in controls. None of the QT intervals were related to either maternal or foetal outcome. There was significant difference in serum calcium between patient and control (9.03 +0.41 vs 10.4 + 0.47mg/dl, p < 0.05). The higher the serum calcium, the tendency to better foetal outcome (r=0.83).Conclusion: Many eclamptics had prolonged QT intervals and dispersions but were not associated with dangerous arrhythmias and sudden death

An overview of stress in medical practice

Stress can be generally defined as undue, inappropriate or exaggerated response to a situation. Whereas anxiety about a situation could be positive, stress is always negative with attending adverse psychological and physiological changes leading to decreased productivity, disease and sometimes death African Health Science Vol. 8 (1) 2008: pp. 6-

An overview of stress in medical practice in Nigeria

No Abstract. Nigerian Hospital Practice Vol. 2 (4) 2008: pp. 102-10

An overview of stress in medical practice

Stress can be generally defined as undue, inappropriate or exaggerated response to a situation. Whereas anxiety about a situation could be positive, stress is always negative with attending adverse psychological and physiological changes leading to decreased productivity, disease and sometimes death African Health Science Vol. 8 (1) 2008: pp. 6-

Comparison in the Knowledge and Awareness of Hypertension Among Hospital and Factory Workers in Sagamu, Nigeria

Fifty nine non-clinical hospital workers of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching hospital, Sagamu were compared with 52 factory workers in the same locality in order to determine their knowledge and awareness of the subject of Hypertension. In general the level of knowledge and awareness was poor in both study cohorts but marginally better in the factory workers. The knowledge of the respondents was particularly poor in the area of the commonest symptom of hypertension. Less than one third of the factory workers and only 1 in 10 of the hospital workers knew that hypertension is basically a symptom less disease. Many gave answers such as headache, insomnia and palpitation which are either symptoms of late presentation or those of end organ damage. Only about half of the respondents in each case knew that hypertension is a disease whose treatment is essentially for life. Many said that it should be treated only when symptoms appear. The marginally better knowledge of the factory workers is attributed to occasional health educational talks in that factory. Similar talks are recommended for hospital workers in non-clinical areas since these people are often asked for opinions on such chronic conditions in the larger community. Key words: Hypertension, knowledge, awareness, workers. Nigerian Medical Practitioner Vol.47(3) 2005: 43-4

Diagnosis, staging and control of hypertension – the paradigm shift to systolic blood pressure

Hypertension is an important medical and public health issue affecting one billion people worldwide and accounting for approximately 7.1 million deaths per year. The relative importance of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) has been a subject of much debate since the introduction of sphygmomanometry into clinical practice. Earlier reports and guidelines had chosen DBP as the primary parameter for diagnosing, staging and control of hypertension. However, studies have shown that SBP is an important cardiovascular and renal risk factor than DBP particularly in the middle aged and elderly individuals. Also, grading and eligibility for drug therapy were better assessed using SBP than DBP. In addition, poor SBP control is largely responsible for the unacceptably low rates of overall blood pressure control. Thus, evidence abounds to show that SBP is more important than DBP in the diagnosis, staging (classification), risk stratification and management of hypertension. This informed the paradigm shift to SBP as the primary parameter for diagnosing, staging and control of hypertension. Nigerian Medical Practitioner Vol. 50(1) 2006: 3-

The Relationship Between QT Intervals and Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy in Nigerian Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

To study the pattern of QT intervals in Type 2 diabetic patients (T2DM) and investigate whether they have correlation with or predict development of Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy (CAN). One hundred and eight (108) T2DM patients were compared with 88 normal controls. They all had resting ECG performed and QT intervals manually measured. The T2DM patients had non-invasve assessment of cardiac autonomic function. When more than two of the 6 tests was accepted as presence of CAN.Those with and without CAN were compared statistically and correlation determined. The QT intervals (QTc, QTd, QTcd) were significantly longer in patients than controls. Thirty seven(34.2%) of the patients had CAN. Their age and the QT intervals were not statistically different from those without CAN. The QTc was longer than 440msecs in 30 (27.8%) and QTcd longer than 80msecs in 13 (12.0%) of the study patients. About 46.7% of those whose QTc was longer than 440msecs and 54% whose QTcd were longer than 80msecs had CAN. These did not differ significantly from those without CAN. On regression analysis, none of the QT intervals correlated with or predicted CAN. There was also no correlation between QT intervals and control of blood sugar or duration of disease. The QT intervals were longer in patients than controls. There was no difference in QT intervals of patients with CAN and those without. The QT intervals did not correlate with or predict CAN Keywords: keQt Intervals, Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy, Type 2 Diabetic, NigerianNigerian Medical Practitioner Vol. 53 (4) 2008: pp. 48-5

Frequency And Outcome In AIDS Patients In A University Teaching Hospital – A Five Year Review

This study was carried out as part of a restrospective study on the pattern of in-patient admissions to a tertiary health institution situated in a semi-rural/urban community in Nigeria. It aimed at evaluating the changing frequency of AIDS amongst medical admissions as well as the morbidity and mortality among these patients. A total of 54 AIDS patients were admitted on the medical wards during the period 1993 to 1997, thus constituting 2.3% of all medical admissions. The frequency increased from 1.0% in 1993 to 7.2% in 1997. Out of the 54 AIDS patients seen, 38 were HIV I and II positive, 11 were HIV I positive and 5 were HIV II positive. There were 37 males and 17 females, giving a male:female ratio of 2:1. The commonest age of presentation was in the 4th decade but a rising trend was observed among females in the second and third decades towards the end of the study. Fifty-one of the study group (94%) were in the lower socio-economic class; 20 were long distance truck drivers/conductors (37%), 16 were inter-state traders (30%), 6 were house-wives (11%) and 4 were retired members of the armed forces (7%). Twenty-nine (54%) of the patients were married, 12 (22%) were single, 9 (17%) were divorcees while the marital status of the remaining 4 patients was not stated. Twenty-one patients (39%) were heterosexuals with multiple sexual partners while 25 (46%) were heterosexuals with single sexual partners. Blood transfusion was the predisposing factor in 6 (11%) of the patients while no obvious predisposing factor was identified in 2 (4%) of the patients. Homosexualism and intravenous drug usage were not reported in any of the subjects. The presenting features were diarrhoea, chronic weakness, weight loss chronic cough, generalised dermatitis and oesophageal candidoses. Abnormal haematological indices included anaemia, leucocytosis and leucopenia. Twenty-three patient (42%) died within 6 months of diagnosis in the hospital, 16 (30%) were discharged to Medical/Community medicine out-patient clinic for follow-up, 7 (13%) discharged themselves against medical advice and 8 (15%) were lost to follow-up. In conclusion, this study demonstrated an increasing frequency and mortality of AIDS among medical in-patients in a tertiary health institution located in a semi - rural area. A community based study would be needed to assess the seriousness of this infection and reflect the efficacy or other wise of current control measures. The association of tuberculosis and HIV infection was observed, thereby justifying the screening of such patients for tuberculosis. Nigerian Quarterly Journal of Hospital Medicine Vol.9, No.3 (1999) pp. 177-17