Hypertension Guideline 2003 Update

Outcomes. Extensive data from many randomised controlled trials have shown the benefit of treating hypertension. The target blood pressure (BP) for antihypertensive management should be systolic BP < 140 mmHg, diastolic < 90 mmHg, with minimal or no drug side-effects. However, a lesser reduction will elicit benefit although this is not optimal. The reduction of BP in the elderly and in those with severe hypertension should be achieved gradually over 6 months. Stricter BP control is required for patients with end organ damage, co-existing risk factors and co-morbidity, e.g. diabetes mellitus. Co-existent risk factors should also be controlled.Benefits. Reduction in risk of stroke, cardiac failure, renal insufficiency and probably coronary artery disease. The major precautions and contraindications to each antihypertensive drug recommended are listed.Recommendations. Correct BP measurement procedure is described. Evaluation of cardiovascular risk factors and recommendations for antihypertensive therapy are stipulated. The total cardiovascular disease risk profile should be determined for all patients and this should inform management strategies. 'Lifestyle modification and patient education plays an essential role in the management strategy. Drug therapy: First line -low dose thiazide-like diuretics; second line -add one of the following: reserpine or β-blockers or ACE inhibitors or calcium channel blockers; third line - add another second line drug or hydralazine or α-blocker. The guideline includes management of specific situations, i.e. hypertensive emergency and urgency, severe hypertension with target organ damage and refractory hypertension (BP >160/95 mmHg on triple therapy), hypertension in diabetes mellitus, etc.Validity. Developed by the Working Groups established by the Executive Committee of the Southern African Hypertension Society with broader consensus meeting endorsement. The 2001 version was endorsed by the South African Medical Association Guideline Committee. The 2003 revisions were endorsed by the Executive Committee and a wider Working Group

Electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) funding protocol

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Chronic fatigue syndrome

Objective. To acknowledge the dinical syndrome chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and outline the diagnostic criteria and reasonable management.Outcomes. Attempt at containment of treatment cost and improvement of the quality of care of patients with CFS.Evidence. Delphi-type commentary from 20 expert clinicians and appropriate organisations. Limited literature survey.Values. To clarify the reasonable management of CFS amid conflicting clinical opinion on a condition qf concern to patients, funders and doctors, An adaptation:of an existing guideline was sent to organisations and individuals for comment. Comments received were included in this guideline where possible.Benefits, harms and costs. To acknowledge a clinical syndrome with a reasonable approach to management considering the cost implications. No cost analysis was done.Recommendations. To recommend the following: (I) diagnostic criteria for CFS; (il) potential differential diagnoses and possible investigations; and (iil) management protocol.Validation. The draft guidelines were subjected to external review by individual doctors who are acknowledged CFS treaters, doctor groups and the patient support group. There were major disputes about the content, with the responses falling into two groups: thosewho do not believe CFS is a distinguishable illness, and those who do.Developer and funding. The Committee for Science and Education, Medical Association of South Africa, Endorsements. Medical Association of South Africa and national health care organisations (see list at the end of the document)

The Impact of Social Transfers in Central and Eastern Europe

This paper analyses the impact of social transfers in seven Central and Eastern European countries using 16 datasets provided by the Luxembourg Income Study (Czech Republic 1992, 1996; Estonia 2000; Hungary 1991, 1994, 1999; Poland 1986, 1992, 1995, 1999; Romania 1995, 1997, Slovakia 1992, 1996; Slovenia 1997, 1999). The principal objective is (a) to provide an overview of the development of social inequality in Central and Eastern Europe; and (b) to quantify the change of poverty rates among the total population and among targeted groups (unemployment compensation, means-tested and family benefits beneficiaries) before and after transfers. The results of this paper show that although the access to these benefits is no guarantee for leaving poverty, social transfers significantly improve the economic conditions of families in need. Without the existence of these types of provisions, Central and Eastern European societies would not only be more unequal societies, but would be also more atomised and disaggregated societies. In the long run, this might seriously damage further reforms or the democratisation process itself

Diabetes-Specific Nutrition Algorithm: A Transcultural Program to Optimize Diabetes and Prediabetes Care

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and prediabetes have a major global impact through high disease prevalence, significant downstream pathophysiologic effects, and enormous financial liabilities. To mitigate this disease burden, interventions of proven effectiveness must be used. Evidence shows that nutrition therapy improves glycemic control and reduces the risks of diabetes and its complications. Accordingly, diabetes-specific nutrition therapy should be incorporated into comprehensive patient management programs. Evidence-based recommendations for healthy lifestyles that include healthy eating can be found in clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) from professional medical organizations. To enable broad implementation of these guidelines, recommendations must be reconstructed to account for cultural differences in lifestyle, food availability, and genetic factors. To begin, published CPGs and relevant medical literature were reviewed and evidence ratings applied according to established protocols for guidelines. From this information, an algorithm for the nutritional management of people with T2D and prediabetes was created. Subsequently, algorithm nodes were populated with transcultural attributes to guide decisions. The resultant transcultural diabetes-specific nutrition algorithm (tDNA) was simplified and optimized for global implementation and validation according to current standards for CPG development and cultural adaptation. Thus, the tDNA is a tool to facilitate the delivery of nutrition therapy to patients with T2D and prediabetes in a variety of cultures and geographic locations. It is anticipated that this novel approach can reduce the burden of diabetes, improve quality of life, and save lives. The specific Southeast Asian and Asian Indian tDNA versions can be found in companion articles in this issue of Current Diabetes Reports

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background: There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low-and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods: Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results: Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion: For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially

Pooled analysis of WHO Surgical Safety Checklist use and mortality after emergency laparotomy

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist has fostered safe practice for 10 years, yet its place in emergency surgery has not been assessed on a global scale. The aim of this study was to evaluate reported checklist use in emergency settings and examine the relationship with perioperative mortality in patients who had emergency laparotomy. Methods In two multinational cohort studies, adults undergoing emergency laparotomy were compared with those having elective gastrointestinal surgery. Relationships between reported checklist use and mortality were determined using multivariable logistic regression and bootstrapped simulation. Results Of 12 296 patients included from 76 countries, 4843 underwent emergency laparotomy. After adjusting for patient and disease factors, checklist use before emergency laparotomy was more common in countries with a high Human Development Index (HDI) (2455 of 2741, 89.6 per cent) compared with that in countries with a middle (753 of 1242, 60.6 per cent; odds ratio (OR) 0.17, 95 per cent c.i. 0.14 to 0.21, P <0001) or low (363 of 860, 422 per cent; OR 008, 007 to 010, P <0.001) HDI. Checklist use was less common in elective surgery than for emergency laparotomy in high-HDI countries (risk difference -94 (95 per cent c.i. -11.9 to -6.9) per cent; P <0001), but the relationship was reversed in low-HDI countries (+121 (+7.0 to +173) per cent; P <0001). In multivariable models, checklist use was associated with a lower 30-day perioperative mortality (OR 0.60, 0.50 to 073; P <0.001). The greatest absolute benefit was seen for emergency surgery in low- and middle-HDI countries. Conclusion Checklist use in emergency laparotomy was associated with a significantly lower perioperative mortality rate. Checklist use in low-HDI countries was half that in high-HDI countries.Peer reviewe

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries