Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0018801 (heart failure)
 72,216 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The inflammatory stage of osteoarthritis when secondary synovitis contributes to the characteristic clinical presentation is first explained. During episodes of acute synovitis nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs may be particularly beneficial. Guidelines for a prescribing policy are given in which a safety first approach is adopted. Propionic acid derivatives or newer drugs with similar properties are proposed as initial therapy to control symptoms of osteoarthritis. Special problems of patients at risk (ulcer patients, renal insufficiency, heart failure) are considered.
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PMID:[Application and value of nonsteroidal inflammation inhibitors in arthritis]. 201 37

Contacts made by the elderly in a group general practice were monitored over seven months to describe how the elderly use services and to consider how a program of anticipatory care might be instituted. Eighty-four percent (1,562) of the patients aged over 65 years were seen during this period, and there were 4,315 contacts logged. Contact rates and the proportion of home visits were higher for patients aged over 75 years. More than three quarters of contacts were with a physician, one fifth with a nurse, and only 11 (0.3 percent) were with a health visitor. Referral and investigation rates were very low. Almost three quarters of elderly patients contacted were functionally independent. The most common diagnoses were osteoarthritis, hypertension, heart failure, and depression. Prescribing levels were relatively high, but people aged over 75 years were given fewer medicines than those aged 65 to 74 years. There is great scope for case finding by general practitioners provided good use is made of each contact. Health visitor case finding or screening would require either a major change in existing work patterns or recruitment of extra staff.
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PMID:Opportunities for anticipatory care with the elderly. 394 47

The aim of this research was to investigate the prevalence of disability in a total population-based sample aged 70 years and over, the social handicap resulting from the disability and the diseases and impairments contributing to disability in the most disabled subjects. From the initial sample of 856 subjects, 782 (91.4%) participated. Disability in the tasks examined varied from 1.3% of subjects unable to feed themselves to 24.4% unable to carry out housework. In the 74 most disabled subjects comorbidity was common. The major clinical disorders that contributed to impairment and disability were heart failure, osteoarthritis, stroke and dementia. Those who were disabled were considerably more likely to be handicapped than those not disabled (odds ratio 6.65, 95% confidence interval 4.73-9.36). When social support was considered, the estimated risk of handicap associated with disability ranged from 3.19 (95% CI 1.92-5.30) for the subset of subjects who had a spouse, to 52.00 (95% CI 4.03-670.6) for subjects without emotional support.
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PMID:Disease, impairment, disability and social handicap: a community based study of people aged 70 years and over. 804 87

The aim was to examine the feasibility of a study of centenarians and to describe morbidity and functional capacity of centenarians in the County of Funen. A total of 51 out of 58 centenarians on Funen born on May 1, 1894 or before participated. An interview could be carried out almost completely in 80.4% of the 51 participants, cognitive testing (MMSE) in 78.4% and physical performance test (PPT) in 49%. Additional information on morbidity and activities of daily living (ADL) was collected on all 51 centenarians from family members, nursing staff, GP's, hospital registries and the National Cancer Registry. Almost 3/4 were women and 58.8% were in an old people's home. Osteoarthrosis, urinary incontinence, heart failure, dizziness and eye diseases were found to be frequently prevalent, while hypertension, diabetes, cancer and stroke were found to be rare. Based on Katz' ADL index approx. 1/3 could be considered to be independent of help, while almost everybody was dependent on help for the instrumental activities (IADL). A low average score was found at the PPT, especially the walking speed was found to be very slow. Only 32.5% scored over 23 points at the MMSE, but allowing for severe impairment of vision and hearing more than 1/3 were found to be cognitively well-functioning. Severe dementia was found among 15.7%. Dependency on help for the ADL-functions was not found to be associated with health measurement, but strongly associated with visual function, PPT and MMSE (p < 0.001). The characterization of centenarians as described in a number of foreign studies as being an homogeneous, relatively healthy and independent group could therefore not be confirmed. On the contrary, they were found to be very heterogeneous and characterized by multi-morbidity. By far the great part of them were in addition dependent on help in their activities of daily life. Approx. 1/3, however, were found to be relatively independent of help for basic functions, more than 1/3 were cognitively well-functioning, and a very small number could even manage a few outdoor functions by themselves.
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PMID:[Centenarians in the county of Funen. Morbidity and functional capacity]. 901 57

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely prescribed for the treatment of many conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gouty arthritis, the joint and muscle discomfort associated with systemic lupus erythematosus, and other musculoskeletal disorders. Yet, their benefits, which are believed to be a result of their ability to inhibit cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), are accompanied by considerable toxicity. NSAIDs' untoward effects are attributed to their inhibition of the constitutively expressed enzyme cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), with attendant suppression of the synthesis of prostanoids, substances that mediate key homeostatic functions. Side effects include suppression of hemostasis through inhibition of platelet aggregation, adverse effects in patients with heart failure and cirrhosis, and those with certain renal diseases, as well as complicating antihypertensive therapies involving diuretics or beta-adrenoceptor blockade. Perhaps most importantly, NSAIDs disrupt the gastrointestinal mucosal-protective and acid-limiting properties of prostaglandins, frequently leading to upper gastrointestinal erosions and ulceration, with possible subsequent hemorrhage and perforation. These complications can be reduced through identification of patients at risk, with circumspect use of NSAIDs, careful functional monitoring, and, in the case of gastrointestinal toxicity, co-administration of such agents as misoprostol or omeprazole. However, these strategies introduce complexity into the treatment paradigm. Moreover, side effects and adverse events may be significantly reduced through the use of COX-2-specific inhibitors, new agents that alleviate pain and inflammation without the liability for adverse events caused by COX-1 inhibition.
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PMID:Gastrointestinal effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory therapy. 1039 Jan 23

It has been suggested that rheumatological disorders are underdiagnosed in patients with medical problems and that this might be rectified by incorporating a standard brief screening examination as part of the routine assessment of all patients admitted to hospital with medical conditions. Therefore the GALS screening examination was used to assess the prevalence of rheumatic disease in 100 patients admitted with acute medical problems and in a further 100 in the rehabilitative phase of their disease. The nature of locomotor dysfunction in all patients with a positive result was defined by an independent review and then sensitivity and specificity of the screening test was calculated for rheumatic disease in both populations. The median age of the two populations were 63 and 78 years respectively, with more females in the rehabilitation group. The overall prevalence of a positive screening test was 53% in the acute and 94% in the chronic disease groups, although the false positive rate in the rehabilitation patients was 30% due to factors other than rheumatic disorders limiting locomotor function (mainly orthopaedic and neurological conditions). The diagnosis of a rheumatological disorder was made de novo in a significant minority (10%) of patients and was usually amenable to treatment. The commonest rheumatic disorder was osteoarthritis which accounted for 55% of all rheumatic disease, followed by inflammatory joint disease (16%), and osteoporosis (12%). In addition to osteoporosis, Paget's disease of bone and polymyalgia rheumatica were found more frequently in those patients undergoing rehabilitation than in those admitted with an acute medical problem. A number of clinically important associations between medical and rheumatic disorders were found, such as stroke disease with shoulder capsulitis and heart failure with gout. The sensitivity of the GALS screening test was extremely high (92% and 100%), while its specificity fell in the rehabilitation group from 83% to 17%. None the less, it is felt that this study indicates that the routine use of this test should be considered as part of the assessment of all hospitalised patients with medical problems, whether acute or chronic.
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PMID:What is the prevalence of rheumatic disorders in general medical inpatients? 1172 16

We documented the pattern of medical illnesses in 613 elderly Nigerians (398 females and 215 males) resident in Idikan community in Ibadan city. Their ages ranged from 65 to 110 years with a mean of 76.2 years. Medical disorders diagnosed either singly or in combinations were diagnosed in 364 (59.4%) subjects and there was no gender association. Cardiovascular problems were the commonest and high blood pressure (27.8%) was the most frequent diagnosis. Only 5 of the hypertensive subjects were aware of that diagnosis and were on regular medications. The complications presented with included heart failure and stroke. Visual impairment (12.1%) mainly due to cataracts and osteoarthritis (6.7%) in that order were next in frequency. The most frequent neurological disorders were hearing impairment and movement disorders. The other conditions encountered were similar to the findings in previous studies in this environment, and the usual findings in studies focusing on this age-group in other countries. The presence of morbidity was significantly associated with increasing age and poor performance on screening. The latter increased the probability of being selected for clinical examination with detection of medical problems or could suggest associated cognitive impairment. The prevalence of systemic hypertension was not different from findings in other communities in people of similar age groups. This study emphasises the role of hypertension as a major cause of morbidity in this community and stresses the need for increased health awareness especially with regards to regular checking of blood pressure so as to avoid complications.
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PMID:Morbidity pattern in a sample of elderly Nigerians resident in Idikan community, Ibadan. 1188 77

Locomotor disability, as defined by difficulties in activities of daily living related to lower limb function, can be the consequence of diseases and impairments of the cardiovascular, pulmonary, nervous, sensory and musculoskeletal system. We estimated the associations between specific diseases and impairments and locomotor disability, and the proportion of disability attributable to each condition, controlling for age and comorbidity. The Rotterdam Study is a prospective follow-up study among people aged 55 years and over in the general population. Locomotor disability in 1219 men and 1856 women was assessed with the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire. Diseases and impairments were radiological osteoarthritis, pain of the hips and knees, morning stiffness, fractures, hypertension, vascular disease, ischemic heart disease, stroke, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), depression, Parkinson's disease, osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus, overweight, and low vision. Adjusted odds ratios, etiologic and attributable fractions were calculated for locomotor disability. The occurrence of locomotor disability can partly be ascribed to joint pain, COPD, morning stiffness, diabetes and heart failure in both men and women. In addition in women osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, low vision, fractures, stroke and Parkinson's disease are significant etiologic fractions. In men with morning stiffness, joint pain, heart failure, diabetes mellitus, and COPD a significant proportion of their disability is attributable to this impairment. In women this was the case for Parkinson's disease, morning stiffness, low vision, heart failure, joint pain, diabetes, radiological osteoarthritis, stroke, COPD, osteoporosis, and fractures of the lower limbs, in that order. We conclude that locomotor complaints, heart failure, COPD and diabetes mellitus contribute considerably to locomotor disability in non-institutionalized elderly people.
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PMID:Determinants of locomotor disability in people aged 55 years and over: the Rotterdam Study. 1238 Jul 18

Every month new clinical trials are published that provide relevant insight into medical care. Health care professionals are expected to review the results of these trials to update their knowledge and clinical practice. Although it is impossible to review every clinical trial, it is important to evaluate study findings in one's area of interest or practice. For nurses and other practitioners in the field of geriatrics, clinical trials involving drug therapy can be particularly valuable. This article is a review of clinical trials published in the past year that provide new information about drug therapy used by elderly patients. It reviews recent clinical trials in the areas of cardiology (hypertension, dyslipidemia, antioxidants for cardiovascular disease, hormone replacement therapy, atrial fibrillation, systolic heart failure), hematology (venous thromboembolic disease), neurology (Parkinson's disease, post-herpetic neuralgia), and rheumatology (osteoarthritis). Major findings and implications for geriatric clinical practice are included.
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PMID:What's new about old drugs. 1475 53

The effect of cardiac failure (CF) and comorbidity on disability in older persons was studied in a cross-sectional survey. The whole population aged 65 + years (n=652; 628 eligible) living in a small town near Florence (Italy) was enrolled. Finally, 459 individuals (73.0% of eligible) underwent a multidimensional evaluation. CF was defined as a NYHA II-IV class in the presence of an obviously abnormal ECG. Disability was assessed by the 14-item WHO scale. Comorbid conditions that had a prevalence >5% and might be considered pathophysiologically unrelated to CF were also identified. The univariate association of CF with disability was analyzed. Multivariate associations were estimated as well, by taking simultaneously into account the effect of comorbid conditions that had an independent effect on disability and were considered as either confounders or effect modifiers of that association. Prevalence of CF [6.1% in the whole study population) was higher with advancing age ( >or=75 years: 8.3 versus 65-74 years: 4.5%, odds ratio, OR: 1.93, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.02-4.18), in the presence of hypertension (OR: 2.87, 95% CI: 1.32-6.23), and among individuals who were living alone (OR: 2.44, 95% CI: 1.10-5.56). CF was associated with a higher prevalence of disability (38.5 versus 19.5% OR 2.67, 95% CI: 1.21-5.92). Comorbidity modified the association of CF with disability following two patterns: while the independent effect of CF on the prevalence of disability was similar in the absence or in the presence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hearing impairment, gastrointestinal tract disease, or osteoarthritis, such effect was much larger in the presence than in the absence of visual impairment, previous stroke, or urinary incontinence. The composite pathophysiological pathways of such different interactions are still to be elucidated.
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PMID:Variable effect of comorbidity on the association of chronic cardiac failure with disability in community-dwelling older persons. 1537 48


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