Cardiovascular diseases are a major component of non-communicable diseases and include coronary heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease. Public health strategies to address cardiovascular disease require three elements: surveillance, health promotion, and individual health care. Surveillance includes monitoring of mortality and morbidity as well as surveys to monitor risk factors levels in the community. Data on mortality from cardiovascular diseases are readily available and analysed by age and sex specific rates looking are secular trends, geographical and ethnical group variations and international comparisons. However many deaths from cardiovascular disease occur suddenly and the cause of death may be registered without autopsy or any other validation. Cardiovascular morbidity information is more difficult to collate and interpret as it is closely related to availability and access to health care. Periodic surveys of cardiovascular risk factors are essential in monitoring the underlying trends in blood pressure, smoking, cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes as they predict future trends, and support planning for prevention and healthcare. Prevention and health promotion activities are informed by the levels and trends in cardiovascular disease and its risk factors. There has been debate about population health promotion and individual health care strategies, but both are necessary. Cigarette smoking, nutrition and physical exercise are the main behaviours to be addressed but these are complex and require multifaceted approaches. Education alone is insufficient to change health behaviours and health promotion needs to look to changing attitudes. Legislation, taxation and other fiscal interventions have been shown to be effective however these can be difficult for legislators as there are other competing interests, particularly in the area of nutrition and tobacco. Creating health promoting environments that make healthy behaviour choices easier can be beneficial. Health care interventions are also effective in reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease. A balanced approach of health promotion and individual health care is recommended in the development of a strategy for cardiovascular disease.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; epidemiology ; Public Health ; Delivery of Health Care

Objective To introduce extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF) as a new minimally inva-sire spinal surgery with established correction and fusion methods to assess its clinic use for degenerative scoliosis. It is emphasized the value and highlight of this technique in spinal surgery. Methods Surgical treatment of 8 patients with degenerative scoliosis were performed with XLIF between March 2006 and April 2008. In this group of patients, 5 cases provided an anterior cage in every disc space, and another 3 supplemented with vertebrae screw fixation. Blood loss was 50 ml every procedure. To observe the low back pain, corrective rate, achieving a balanced and complications. Results The low back pain have been relieved in all patienta after operations, the disc height can be restored, allowing more room at the foraminal level for nerve roots, and lumber lordosis can be maintained. Corrective rate was 64%, there wasn't neurologic and vascular injury, 2 case had correction loss a little postoperation 6-30 month. Conclusion The potential benefits of XLIF include safe, effective, less approach-related blood loss, improved cosmetic result with smaller incisions, and reduced hospital stay for degenerative scoliosis.

Marking nut Semecarpus anacardium, so-called because it contains a pigment that has been used in the past to mark fabrics, is a known cause of contact hypersensitivity. It may be ingested as an ingredient of some traditional Hindi foods. We describe the first reported case of anaphylaxis to marking nut.
Anaphylaxis ; Dermatitis, Contact ; Hypersensitivity ; Nuts ; Semecarpus

BACKGROUND: Patients having unilateral breast reconstruction often require a second stage procedure on the contralateral breast to improve symmetry. In order to provide immediate symmetry and minimize the frequency and extent of secondary procedures, we began performing simultaneous contralateral balancing operations at the time of initial reconstruction. This study examines the indications, safety, and efficacy of this approach. METHODS: One-hundred and two consecutive breast reconstructions with simultaneous contralateral balancing procedures were identified. Data included patient age, body mass index (BMI), type of reconstruction and balancing procedure, specimen weight, transfusion requirement, complications and additional surgery under anesthesia. Unpaired t-tests were used to compare BMI, specimen weight and need for non-autologous transfusion. RESULTS: Average patient age was 48 years. The majority had autologous tissue-only reconstructions (94%) and the rest prosthesis-based reconstructions (6%). Balancing procedures included reduction mammoplasty (50%), mastopexy (49%), and augmentation mammoplasty (1%). Average BMI was 27 and average reduction specimen was 340 grams. Non-autologous blood transfusion rate was 9%. There was no relationship between BMI or reduction specimen weight and need for transfusion. We performed secondary surgery in 24% of the autologous group and 100% of the prosthesis group. Revision rate for symmetry was 13% in the autologous group and 17% in the prosthesis group. CONCLUSIONS: Performing balancing at the time of breast reconstruction is safe and most effective in autologous reconstructions, where 87% did not require a second operation for symmetry.
Anesthesia ; Blood Transfusion ; Body Mass Index ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Female ; Free Tissue Flaps ; Humans ; Mammaplasty* ; Prostheses and Implants

Antineoplastic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Protocols ; standards ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung ; drug therapy ; Guidelines as Topic ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Neoplasm Staging ; Societies, Medical ; United States