No abstract available.
Biofeedback, Psychology* ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone* ; Hypertension* ; Muscle Relaxation*

Humans ; Hypertension ; psychology ; Occupations ; Social Support

OBJECTIVETo investigate the sociopsychological basis of hypertensive disorder in pregnancy (HDP) and explore a new pathway for etiological study of HDP.

METHODSA prospective investigation was conducted in 1154 women in second trimester pregnancy and 9 factors were surveyed using Olson marital quality questionnaire (ENRIC). The discrepancy between the norms and factor scores of ENRIC was analyzed, and the scores of ENRIC were compared between normal gravidas and patients with HDP. The correlation between ENRIC scores and the severity of the condition was also evaluated.

RESULTSThe score of the 1124 gravidas for marital satisfaction was significantly higher than the norm (P<0.05), but the scores for relationship with relatives and sexual life were significantly lower (P<0.05). The other 6 factors had similar scores with the norms (P>0.05). Patients with HDP had significantly lower scores for 7 factors than the normal gravidas (P<0.05), but had comparable scores for financial arrangement and sexual life (P>0.05). The severity of HDP was not found to associate with variation of the scores for the 9 factors (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSMarital quality is an important social and psychological basis of HDP, and this study provides some evidence for the social and psychological investigation of the etiology of HDP.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; psychology ; Marriage ; psychology ; Pregnancy ; psychology ; Quality of Life ; psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Young Adult

Hypertension is closely related to salt and water retention. The kidney plays an important role in the blood pressure regulation primarily to modulating tubular sodium and water reabsorption. The regulation of the salt and water balance depends upon an array of solute and water channels in the renal tubules. An altered regulation of sodium and water channels in the kidney may be related to various pathological conditions associated with altered salt and water retention. This review will discuss renal handling of sodium and water, with particular emphasis on aquaporins and renal sodium transporters and channels.
Aquaporins ; Blood Pressure ; Handling (Psychology) ; Hypertension ; Kidney ; Membrane Transport Proteins ; Retention (Psychology) ; Sodium ; Water

Steroid is a critical component of immunosuppressive regimen. Unfortunately, steroid is associated with numerous adverse effects including diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, osteoporosis, sodium retention, and avascular necrosis. These adverse effects have prompted trials of steroid withdrawal with introduction of potent immunosuppressive agents in renal transplantation. Although late steroid withdrawal raised acute rejection rate compared with early steroid withdrawal, results of recent trials that used diverse steroid withdrawal protocols suggest good short and long term graft outcomes. But, in patients survival, patients with steroid withdrawal is similar to patients administered steroid. This review summarizes usefulness according to timing of steroid withdrawal and re-exams benefits of steroid withdrawal in renal transplantation.
Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Hypertension ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Kidney Transplantation ; Necrosis ; Osteoporosis ; Rejection (Psychology) ; Retention (Psychology) ; Sodium ; Transplants

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have evaluated atrial electromechanical delays (AEMDs) with a number of different definitions to discriminate patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) from controls without PAF. However, their discriminative values for PAF have not previously been directly compared. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 65 PAF patients and 130 control subjects matched for age, sex, history of hypertension, and diabetes mellitus were selected. The AEMDi and AEMDp were defined as the time intervals from the initiation of the P wave on the surface electrocardiogram to the initiation and peak of the late diastolic transmitral inflow on pulsed wave Doppler images, respectively. The AEMDim and AEMDpm were defined as the time intervals from the initiation of the P wave on the surface electrocardiogram to the initiation and peak of the late diastolic lateral mitral annular motion on tissue Doppler images, respectively. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the clinical characteristics between the two groups. All 4 AEMDs were consistently longer in the PAF group, and proven effective to differentiate the PAF patients from the controls. The AEMDi measurement had a larger area under the curve (AUC) than the other AEMDs, left atrial volume index, and P wave amplitude. However, the AEMDp, AEMDim, and AEMDpm measurements had AUCs similar to those of the left atrial volume index and P wave amplitude. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that the AEMDi is better than the other AEMDs for the discrimination of PAF patients from the controls.
Area Under Curve ; Atrial Fibrillation* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Discrimination (Psychology)* ; Echocardiography ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Hypertension

Despite recent advances in the prolongation of patient and graft survival, transplant patients continue to die prematurely of cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease after solid organ transplantation is a serious complication caused by numerous factors, most shared with the general population and others specific to transplant recipients including immunosuppressive drugs and renal dysfunction. Among traditional risk factors in general population, hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes are more common in solid organ transplant recipients. The control of risk factors is more difficult in transplant recipients than in general population. Immunosuppressive drugs are related to hypertension, dyslipidemia and posttransplant DM. Reduction of immunosuppression is helpful to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease but may increase the risk of rejection and graft loss. mTOR inhibitor has less potential risk to develop cardiovascular disease. Future development of new immunosuppressive drug with less potential risk of CV disease but same efficacy to prevent rejection and graft loss will be a promising goal to prevent CV disease. In conclusion, multidisciplinary approach that emphasizes evidence-based management of traditional risk factors and development of new immunosuppressive drugs are the best approach to reducing the risk of CV disease after solid organ transplantation.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; Dyslipidemias ; Graft Survival ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Immunosuppression ; Organ Transplantation ; Rejection (Psychology) ; Risk Factors ; Transplants

Despite recent advances in the prolongation of patient and graft survival, transplant patients continue to die prematurely of cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease after solid organ transplantation is a serious complication caused by numerous factors, most shared with the general population and others specific to transplant recipients including immunosuppressive drugs and renal dysfunction. Among traditional risk factors in general population, hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes are more common in solid organ transplant recipients. The control of risk factors is more difficult in transplant recipients than in general population. Immunosuppressive drugs are related to hypertension, dyslipidemia and posttransplant DM. Reduction of immunosuppression is helpful to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease but may increase the risk of rejection and graft loss. mTOR inhibitor has less potential risk to develop cardiovascular disease. Future development of new immunosuppressive drug with less potential risk of CV disease but same efficacy to prevent rejection and graft loss will be a promising goal to prevent CV disease. In conclusion, multidisciplinary approach that emphasizes evidence-based management of traditional risk factors and development of new immunosuppressive drugs are the best approach to reducing the risk of CV disease after solid organ transplantation.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; Dyslipidemias ; Graft Survival ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Immunosuppression ; Organ Transplantation ; Rejection (Psychology) ; Risk Factors ; Transplants

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: South Korean's sodium consumption level is more than twice the upper limit level suggested by the WHO. Steep increases in the prevalence of hypertension and cardiovascular disease in Korea necessitate more effective sodium reduction programs. This study was conducted in order to compare sodium intake-related eating behaviors and key psychosocial factors according to age group and gender. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Using an online survey, a total of 1,564 adults (20-59 years old) considered to be geographically representative of South Korea were recruited and surveyed. The major outcomes were perceived behaviors, knowledge, intentions, and self-efficacy related to sodium intake. RESULTS: The results show that perceived behavior and level of self-efficacy related to low sodium consumption differed by age and gender. Female participants showed better behavior and intention towards low sodium intake than male counterparts. Young participants in their 20s showed the lowest intention to change their current sodium intake as well as lowest self-efficacy measures. CONCLUSIONS: Future sodium reduction interventions should be developed with tailored messages targeting different age and gender groups. Specifically, interventions can be planned and implemented at the college level or for workers in their early career to increase their intention and self-efficacy as a means of preventing future health complications associated with high sodium intake.
Adult ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Feeding Behavior ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Intention ; Korea ; Male ; Prevalence ; Psychology ; Social Marketing ; Sodium*

PURPOSE: This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of an internet community on knowledge, self-efficacy, and self-care behavior in workers with hypertension. METHOD: The research design used was a nonequivalent control group pre-test and post-test design. Sixty hypertensive workers participated in this study(Exp.=29, Cont.=31). The data was collected from the 3rd of November 2003 to the 27th of February 2004 using an interview with questionnaires. Information related to hypertension was provided on the internet community weekly and an e-mail newsletter was sent in order to increase participation in the internet community. We used a tool developed by Park Young-Im(1994) that measured knowledge related to hypertension and self-efficacy. A tool developed by Jung Mi-Young(2001) was used for self-care behavior. The collected data was analyzed with an chi2-test and t-test using the SPSS WIN 10.0 program. RESULT: The internet community helped workers with hypertension to increase their knowledge related to hypertension, as well as increasing their self-efficacy and self-care behavior. CONCLUSION: An internet community could be applied as hypertensive nursing intervention.
*Self Efficacy ; *Self Care ; Patient Education ; Male ; *Internet ; Hypertension/*psychology ; Humans ; *Health Behavior ; Electronic Mail ; Adult