bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES AMONG THE GENERAL PUBLIC TOWARDS SALT CONSUMPTION IN OMAN
Authors: Al-Riyami Hassan , Alabdasalam Qusay , Al-Khayari Ali , Musharafi Hilal Al , Al-Alawi Ziyad , Nadar Sunil K. 
Published: April 2021

Objective:
Increased dietary salt intake is a major health concern. Many steps have been taken worldwide to increase awareness. The aim of our study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes of the general public in Oman regarding the dangers of high salt intake.

Design and method:
This was a cross sectional questionnaire based survey that was conducted among the general public in Oman. The questionnaire was based on the WHO questionnaire which has been previously validated. It was translated into Arabic by local professionals and translated back to English to check the accuracy of the translation. The questionnaire was distributed at public events and also electronically via google docs. All individuals aged 18 and above were invited to fill in the questionnaire.

Results:
A total of 1214 respondents (age 34 + 10 years, 65.8% male, 69.4% employed,14.2% hypertensive) answered the questionnaire. More than two thirds of the participants felt that they were consuming the right amount of salt (69.4%) while only 6.7% thought that they were consuming more than they should. Most of the respondents always add salt while cooking (80%), and sometimes or always add salt at the table (61.4%). Most (90.7%) were aware that excess salt can cause diseases such as hypertension and that it is either somewhat important (51.2%) or very important (43.2%) to reduce salt in the diet. However only 42% said that they actively try to reduce salt in their diet. Only around a quarter check the label of the food for salt content before they buy. Only 54 (4.4%) said they knew what the recommended limit of salt intake is, but only 5 got it correct. By binary regression, the factors that determine whether or not a person tries to reduce salt in diet were age, sex, educational level and occupation (all p < 0.001). However, being hypertensive was not a predictor.

Conclusions:
Although most people in Oman in our sample appear to be aware of the dangers of high salt intake, only a few are actively trying to reduce it. More educational activities are required to improve awareness especially among the hypertensive patients.
LENGTH OF RESIDENCE IN ITALY AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK PROFILE OF FIRST-GENERATION CHINESE MIGRANTS
Authors: Modesti Pietro Amedeo , Marzotti Ilaria , Calabresi Maria , Bartoletti Alessio , Pellegrino Alessio , Mascherini Gabriele , Galanti Giorgio 
Published: April 2021

Objective:
The length of residence in the host country was found to be associated with progressive modifications in cardiovascular risk profile of immigrant population. This association has been attributed to lifestyle and dietary changes that usually accompany migration. Little information is available regarding changes in CV risk of first-generation Chinese migrants in Europe.
The objective was to explore the association between the length of residence in Italy with modifications in cardiovascular risk profile of first-generation Chinese migrants living in Prato, Italy.

Design and method:
Chinese first-generation migrants (2133 women and 1426 men) aged 14 to 80 were enrolled in a cross-sectional survey starting from 2014. Participants underwent questionnaire administration, antropometric and blood pressure measurements, and laboratory investigations (fasting glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides). The relationship between length of residence in Italy (12 ± 6 years, range 1–32) and hypertension, type 2 diabetes, body mass index, high cholesterol (more than 240 mg/dl), and triglycerides (more than 200 mg/dl) was investigated with linear univariate and multivariate (also adjusted for age, sex, and education) regression analysis.

Results:
At multivariate linear regression analysis an increase in years of residence in Italy was associated with a progressive increase in the prevalence of arterial hypertension and a reduction in hypercholesterolemia.

Conclusions:
An increase in years of residence in Italy is associated with a progressive increase in the prevalence of arterial hypertension and a reduction in hypercholesterolemia while no changes in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus are detected. The identification of factors responsible for such variation is now a priority to guide the implementation of specific prevention policies.
FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH A SUCCESSFUL BLOOD PRESSURE CONTROL IN HYPERTENSIVE URGENCY PATIENTS
Authors: Kotruchin Praew , Khamphukaew Thanawat , Mitsungnern Thapanawong , Im-Oun Supap 
Published: April 2021

Objective:
Hypertensive urgency (blood pressure (BP) > 180/110 mmHg without target organ damages) is a common presentation in the emergency room (ER). Standard treatments in the ER are resting and oral anti-hypertensive drugs. Guidelines state that a short-term outcome is not necessary to meet a strict BP target. But, patients should be in the targeted BP within weeks or a few months. However, there is limited data on the follow-up BP outcome and its determinants. We aimed to evaluate the factors that associated with a successful BP control after a few months of treatment.

Design and method:
This was a retrospective cohort study conducted at a university hospital in the Northeast of Thailand from 1st January 2012 to 31st December 2016. We enrolled hypertensive urgency patients who visited the ER and were received standard treatment and followed up in the hypertensive crisis clinic for at least 8–12 weeks. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments were given in all enrolled patients. Office BP at the second follow up were measured and analysed.

Results:
A successful BP control (<140/90 mmHg) was observed in 129 patients (56.1%). The factor that was associated with a successful BP control was the achievement of three-lifestyle modification including medication adherence, aerobic exercise, and salt restriction (OR 1.79; 95%CI, 1.01–3.19; P = 0.048), while the baseline BP, type of medications, and underlying diseases were not.

Conclusions:
Lifestyle modification was an effective strategy to achieve a targeted BP in the hypertensive urgency patient. Therefore, patients should be educated and encouraged to have a healthy lifestyle in conjunction with the pharmacological treatment.
IONIZED MAGNESIUM IN ELDERLY HYPERTENSIVES
Authors: Kisters Klaus , Gremmler B. , Wroblewski F. , Deutsch A. , Kisters L. , Westhoff T. 
Published: April 2021

Objective:
Due to recent publications a magnesium deficiency in elderly is up to 50%, depending on co - morbidity, drugs and nutritional status. On the other hand it is well known that a magnesium insufficiency is a pathogenetic factor in the development of hypertension. In this context calcium magnesium antagonism, sodium magnesium antiport, disturbed vitamin D metabolism or disturbed magnesium channels are of special interest.
In this context magnesium metabolism was of interest in elderly hypertensives. Ionized magnesium is the active form and was measured additionally.

Design and method:
We studied 45 essential hypertensive patients with normal renal function. None of the patients received diuretics or magnesium. No diabetics were included. The age of patients was beyond 65 years, 23 persons were male, 22 female.
Measurements of magnesium were performed either in serum (Cobass, Roche, Germany) or ionized in blood (NOVA, Rödermark, Germany).

Results:
In serum magnesium concentrations only 1 person had values below 1.5 mg/dl, all other elderly hypertensives had a normal serum magnesium concentration.
In contrast ionized magnesium concentrations was significantly decreased in 12 of 45 patients, showing values below 0.5 mmo/l (p < 0.0)1, that is about 27%.
In addition, no correlation between total serum and ionized blood magnesium exists (ns, Pearson or Spearmann rank test, p value 0.91 and 0.41).
Blood pressure was controlled and below 150/90 mmHg.

Conclusions:
There is no correlation between serum and ionized blood magnesium content. This is of special importance as a normal serum magnesium content doesn‘t exclude a deficiency of ionized magnesium. As ionized magnesium is the vasoactive form of magnesium in the body and acts on vessels, it is mor useful to determine ionized magnesium concentrations in assessing body magnesium stores.
In elderly hypertensives under blood pressure control nearly 27% showed an ionized magnesium deficieny despite normal serum magnesium values.
RENAL SODIUM HANDLING IN RELATION TO ENVIRONMENTAL AND GENETIC FACTORS IN UNTREATED CHINESE
Authors: Kang Yuanyuan , Li Yan , Wang Ji-Guwang 
Published: April 2021

Objective:
Renal tubular sodium handling plays a key role in blood pressure regulation. Several studies reported association between higher proximal tubule fractional reabsorption of sodium and genetic variations response to blood pressure, but no previous study evaluated the contributions of environmental and genetic cues to renal sodium handling in a population-based study.

Design and method:
Our study subjects were suspected hypertensive patients being off antihypertensive medication for at least 2 weeks and referred to our hypertension clinic for 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. We collected serum and 24-hour urine for measurement of sodium, creatinine and lithium concentration. Sodium and creatinine concentrations were measured by coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Fractional excretion of lithium (FELi) and fractional distal reabsorption rate of sodium (FDRNa) were calculated as markers of proximal and distal sodium handling, respectively. We used the ABI SNapShot method and genotyped 12 SNPs from candidate genes (ADD1, ADD2, ADD3, LSS, ABCB1, HSD3B1, NEDD4L, AGTR1 and WNK1) and 6 SNPs (rs10502933, rs2345088, rs12513375, rs16817782, rs2461911, rs16893522) generated from a genome wide association study.

Results:
The 1409 study participants included 664 men and had a mean age of 51.0 years. In adjusted analysis, FELi was positively associated with age but negatively with the total-to-high density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio. FDRNa was negatively associated with current smoking and waist circumference (P < = 0.003). Both indexes were also significantly associated with season and humidity explaining with ∼1.3% and ∼3.5% of the variance, respectively. After adjustment for host and environmental factors and Bonferroni multiple testing, among the 19 studied genetic variants, only rs12513375 potentially play a role in sodium reabsorption and was significantly associated with either FELi or FDRNa of the variance and explained about 1.7% of the variance.

Conclusions:
In conclusion, renal sodium handling as measured by endogenous lithium clearance was sensitive to major host, environmental and genetic factors.
HYPERTENSION: A GLOBAL EPIDEMIC AND ROLE OF LIFE STYLE MODIFICATION IN ITS MANAGEMENT
Authors: Arain Mudassar Iqbal 
Published: April 2021

Objective:
Hypertension is one of the epidemic disease that contributes globally as a crisis that relates to co-morbidity. The co-relation of body mass index and obesity are autonomous risk factors along with some physiological and environmental factors, leading to the development of hypertension and high blood pressure which is directly associated with other diseases such as chronic kidney disease, ischemic heart disease, stroke, dementia, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and obstructive sleep apnoea leading to disability & mortality among the patients. The current study analyze the impact of life style management as a primary therapy of hypertensive patients.

Design and method:
An interventional study was designed among 500 patients selected via purposive sampling for a period of one year from Aug 2018 to Aug 2019. The study was based to analyse the life style of hypertensive patients using an approved questionnaire with the recommended guidelines of WHO. Follow-up questionnaires were administered at 5th, 9th, and 12th week. Our operational definition of successful blood pressure control is 120 mm Hg systolic and 90 mm Hg diastolic.

Results:
Out of 500 patients, 76.4% of the patients reported to have had sedentary life style. About 23.4% hypertensive patients, with 30–35 kg/m2 were observed. The interventional technique i.e. Patient's attitude (treatment, diet intake, sleeping and exercise habits) mean scores, pre-counselling and post-counselling for patients was applied and results were assessed after six months’ time. Post interventions results showed that patients who intermittently checked their blood pressure levels, controlled smoking habit and maintained their life styles had significantly improved levels.

Conclusions:
The current study demonstrates that the positive results were noted by life style modification. This shows that our interventions had positive impact on the awareness, knowledge, life style, disease management and practices of patients.
HIGH-SALT DIET CAUSES DROP IN BLOOD PRESSURE DURING DEVELOPMENT OF ONE-KIDNEY ONE-CLIP RENOVASCULAR HYPERTENSION IN FEMALE RATS
Authors: Volynnikova Evgeniya , Medvedeva Nataliya 
Published: April 2021

Objective:
The aim of this research was to study high-salt diet (HSD) impact on development of renovascular hypertension (RH) in male and female Wistar rats.

Design and method:
Male and female Wistar rats were divided into three groups. The RH/CTRL group had a standard diet (0.25% NaCl). The RH/HSD group gets HSD (4% of NaCl). The RH/DC group had HSD during the first 4 weeks of experiment only. After two-week diet adaptation period Goldblatt's one-kidney one-clip surgery was conducted for all groups of the animals. The RH dynamics was monitored for the next 5 weeks. Blood and urine samples were taken on the 1st, 4th and 7th weeks.

Results:
There was no diet impact on systolic blood pressure (SBP) before the surgery. In male rats after the surgery an accelerated blood pressure elevation in RH/HSD and RH/DC groups was observed on the 3rd week (mean ± SEM: RH/CTRL 151 ± 4 mm Hg; RH/DC 169 ± 10, p = 0.08; RH/HSD 176 ± 8, p < 0.05). Diet change in RH/DC group resulted in prevention of further elevation of SBP. The SBP in RH/DC group was lower than in RH/HSD group by the 7th week of the experiment (RH/HSD 188 ± 9 mm Hg; RH/CTRL 179 ± 6, p = 0.50; RH/DC 167 ± 5, p < 0.05).
In female rats an acceleration of SBP elevation in RH/HSD and RH/DC groups was lower than that in male groups (RH/CTRL 159 ± 7 mm Hg; RH/DC 173 ± 7; RH/HSD 174 ± 6). The significant decrease of SBP was in RH/HSD and RH/DC groups on the 5th week (RH/HSD -29 ± 3; RH/DC -29 ± 10 mm Hg, p < 0.05). It was followed by the further elevation of blood pressure in RH/HSD group, but not in RH/DC group. SBP was lower in RH/DC group than in RH/HSD and RH/CTRL groups on the 7th week of the experiment (RH/HSD 175 ± 7 mm Hg; RH/CTRL 170 ± 9; RH/DC 141 ± 4).
Creatinine clearance in male rats rises on the 4th week and decreases on the 7th week. In female there was a contrary dynamics.

Conclusions:
The influence of HSD on development of RH differs between male and female rats. In female rats HSD leads to a significant decrease of blood pressure during the third week of RH development.
THE EFFECTS OF CARDIAC REHABILITATION ON HYPERTENSIVE BURDEN AND ARTERIAL STIFFNESS IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS. A RANDOMIZED CROSSOVER STUDY
Authors: Kallistratos Manolis , Tsinivizov Pavlos , Poulimenos Leonidas , Latsou Dimitra , Andriopoulou Maria , Dimaki Niki , Kouremenos Nikos , Koukouzeli Aggeliki , Pittaras Andreas , Kyfnidis Kostas , Triantafyllis Andreas , Varvarousis Dimitris , Manolis Athanasios 
Published: April 2021

Objective:
To investigate the effect of continuous versus intermittent exercise on hypertensive burden as well as the correlation of pulse wave velocity (PWV) with various parameters of CPX testing.

Design and method:
A randomized crossover study that will enroll 150 hypertensive patients. Patients will be randomized on continuous or intermittent exercise program for three months, then will follow a month of wash out period and the patients will be cross over from continuous to intermittent and vice versa for another three months of exercise. In all subjects, routine blood chemistry, including SUA determination, echocardiographic examination, office and 24 h ambulatory blood pressure (BP) as well as 24 h ambulatory PWV and central (BP) measurement as well as CPX testing will be performed in all study stages.

Results:
We present the preliminary results of 32 hypertensive patients (mean age 65.1 ± 11.3 years). A negative correlation was found between PWV and Peak VO2 (r = -0.540, p = 0.002), (r = -0.508, p = 0.045) at baseline and after 3 months of exercise. Peak VO2 was inversely correlated with PWV (r = -0.512, p = 0.003) and positive with diastolic BP (r = 0.469, p = 0.008), but not with systolic BP levels (p = ns). Eighteen patients until now have completed the 3 months of exercise. PWV, systolic and diastolic BP levels were decreased while Peak VO2 levels were increased between baseline and after 3 months of exercise but with no statistically significant differences. Specifically, the mean baseline PWV was 9.26 (±1.60) m/sec and the final PWV was 9.23 (±1.60) m/sec (p = 0.769). The mean of systolic and diastolic BP 127.59 (±7.94)/ 78.12 (±8.57) and 124.59 (±7.57)/ 77.24 (±8.57) mmHg for baseline and after three months of exercise (p = ns). The mean of Peak VO2 levels were 21.63 (±4.61) and 22.24 (±3.97) ml/kg/min for baseline and after three months of exercise (p = 0.394). It has to be mentioned however that in 6 patients (33%) the antihypertensive drug regiment was reduced.

Conclusions:
PWV was significantly correlated with functional capacity levels irrespectively of the levels of systolic BP. Cardiac rehabilitation may decrease BP levels or the number of antihypertensive drugs.
PROLONGED OBSERVATION OF SEXUAL DISORDERS BY HYPERTONIC PATIENTS AFTER NURSING INTERVENTION
Authors: Labudova Monika , Benacka Jozef 
Published: April 2021

Objective:
Objective of this prolonged work was to observe progress in severity of erectile dysfunction as an expression of endothelial damage) by hypertensive patients with or without cardiovascular organic changes after one year nursing intervention on modifiable lifestyle risk factors in half of recruited probands.

Design and method:
Method: The presence and severity of ED in the group of 200 hypertensive patients, aged 40–70 years, were studied in the beginning and after one year. With half of the enrolled patients was performed periodic targeted nursing intervention (one year duration), focused on respect of the life style principles. Questionnaire method was used for data collection at the beginning and at the end of the annual reporting period, as well as after next 4 years. Questionnaires were focused on antropometric dates, lifestyle, QoL and ED.

Results:
Results: The research results showed that by hypertensive patients with organic CV changes is a higher incidence of moderate and severe ED than in hypertensive patients without organ changes. Those result were similar at start, as well as on the end of monitoring after 4 years. At the same time, a higher incidence of ED in the group of patients with organic complications than without them. In groups without nursing intervention was an increase in the number of patients with severe ED by 18% (group without organic complications), respectively 37% (with organic complications). The severity of ED by groups without intervention increased also, bud less intensive. The differences have been statistically significant. After 4 years monitoring – worsening of ED was observed, more intensive (statistically significant) by group of patients with cardiovascular organic changes.

Conclusions:
Conclusions: The results confirmed the assumption of a positive effect of targeted and repeated nursing interventions aimed at compliance with healthy lifestyle and quality of life on ED by hypertensive patients. In the end, paper makes recommendations regarding the highlighting of motivational factors affecting the adoption of healthy lifestyle and explains the role of nurses in applying the principles of secondary prevention of CV disease.
EFFECT AND ACCEPTABILITY OF MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION PROGRAM ON PATIENTS WITH ELEVATED BLOOD PRESSURE OR HYPERTENSION: A META-ANALYSIS OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS
Authors: Lee Kam Pui , Yeung Nelson Cy , Xu Zijun , Zhang Dexing , Yu Chun Pong , Wong Samuel Ys 
Published: April 2021

Objective:
Mindfulness-based stress reduction program (MBSR) may reduce blood pressure (BP) in patients with hypertension (HT) or elevated BP. However, some important parameters including asleep BP were not investigated in previous reviews and a well-conducted meta-analysis is lacking. This meta-analysis investigated the effect and acceptability of MBSR, when compared to active and inactive controls, on patients with elevated BP and HT.

Design and method:
Multiple databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, APA PsycInfo etc were searched. Included studies were randomized-controlled trials that included patients with elevated BP, have a control group and investigated effect of MBSR. The mean office and out-of-office (including 24-hour, daytime, and asleep) systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP), psychological outcomes (depression/anxiety/stress) and dropout rate were compared between the MBSR arm and the control arm by random effect model. Quality assessment was conducted based on the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool.

Results:
12 studies were included and only one was considered at low risk of bias. MBSR decreased office SBP and DBP by 6.64mmHg (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.53–11.74mmHg; I2:86.7%) and by 2.47mmHg (95%CI: 0.89–4.06mmHg, I2:14.8%) at post-intervention; the reduction in DBP was sustained at 3–6 months after recruitment. Although one study suggested reduced 24-h SBP and DBP by MBSR at 1 year, our meta-analyses did not find significant reduction of out-of-office BP by MBSR at post-intervention. MBSR reduced depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms. The drop-out rate from MBSR arm was 15% (95%:9–22%), which was not different from that of control arm.

Conclusions:
MBSR is acceptable to patients and can reduce office BP and mood symptoms. The current evidence is limited by lack of high-quality and adequately powered trials with long-term follow-up. Furthermore, out-of-office BP was only reported by few trials.