Hypertension in Russia: Changes Observed After 4 Years of a Comprehensive Health System Improvement Program in the Yaroslavl Region.

Rates of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in Russia have been among the highest in Europe. A comprehensive health system improvement program targeting better diagnosis and control of hypertension was undertaken in the Yaroslavl Region of Russia. This initiative was a joint program between clinicians, the Department of Health and Pharmacy of the Yaroslavl Region, and Novartis Pharma LLC.

Simulating the impact of improved cardiovascular risk interventions on clinical and economic outcomes in Russia.

Objectives: Russia faces a high burden of cardiovascular disease. Prevalence of all cardiovascular risk factors, especially hypertension, is high. Elevated blood pressure is generally poorly controlled and medication usage is suboptimal.

Changes in hypertension treatment in the yaroslavl region of Russia: improvements observed between 2 cross-sectional surveys.

This prospective before-and-after survey of hypertensive patients visiting government-run outpatient health facilities in the Yaroslavl Region of Russia assessed blood pressure (BP)-related endpoints following initiation of a comprehensive health system improvement program for hypertension. Two cross-sectional surveys, one at baseline and the other approximately 1 year after program initiation, evaluated the primary measure of BP control rate. Secondary measures included mean BP levels and distribution, cardiovascular risk factors, and associated conditions, heart rate levels, and antihypertensive therapy.

A cross-sectional survey of hypertension diagnosis and treatment practices among physicians in Yaroslavl Region, Russia.

Introduction: In Russia, cardiovascular (CV) mortality is the leading cause of death. With the prevalence of hypertension in adults reaching 40%, hypertension is a key priority for health authorities to improve its prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. This requires an evaluation of current clinical practices in order to develop specific improvement initiatives.

Amlodipine/valsartan single-pill combination: a prospective, observational evaluation of the real-life safety and effectiveness in the routine treatment of hypertension.

Introduction: As several international guidelines on hypertension have now recommended, single-pill/fixed-dose combination antihypertensive therapies may be particularly beneficial as first-line therapy in high-risk patients, in whom more rapid and pronounced blood pressure (BP) control is desired. Upon the single-pill combination of amlodipine and valsartan becoming available, the authors conducted this international, observational study to evaluate its efficacy and safety in a real-life practice setting.

Methods: This prospective, open-label, postmarketing surveillance study enrolled adults with arterial hypertension (systolic BP >140 mmHg and/or diastolic BP >90 mmHg) who were prescribed antihypertensive therapy with single-pill combination amlodipine/valsartan 5/80, 5/160, or 10/160 mg once daily.

Real-life safety and effectiveness of amlodipine/valsartan combination in the treatment of hypertension.

Introduction: The aim of our study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the free combination of amlodipine/valsartan in patients with arterial hypertension in a real-life setting.

Methods: This was a multicenter, open-label, observational, noninterventional, postmarketing surveillance study conducted in 298 centers in China, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, and Russia. We evaluated changes in heart rate, systolic and diastolic office blood pressure (BP), as well as BP control rate (<140/90 mmHg) overall, and in clinically relevant subgroups of hypertensive patients (BP >140/90 mmHg) after 12 weeks of treatment with 5/10 mg amlodipine and 80/160 mg valsartan combination.

Experimental intracerebral hematoma in the rat: characterization by sequential magnetic resonance imaging, behavior, and histopathology. Effect of albumin therapy.

We characterized acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in the rat by sequential magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and correlated MRI findings with neurobehavior and histopathology. In addition, we investigated whether albumin treatment would reduce ICH-induced brain injury. ICH was produced in rats by a double-injection method in which 45 microl of fresh arterial blood was injected into the right striatum.

Neuroprotective effect of darbepoetin alfa, a novel recombinant erythropoietic protein, in focal cerebral ischemia in rats.

Background And Purpose: Darbepoetin alfa is a novel erythropoiesis-stimulating protein developed for treating anemia. In animal models, exogenous recombinant human erythropoietin has been reported to be beneficial in treating experimental cerebral ischemia. In this study, we determined whether darbepoetin alfa would protect in a rat model of transient focal cerebral ischemia.

Stilbazulenyl nitrone, a second-generation azulenyl nitrone antioxidant, confers enduring neuroprotection in experimental focal cerebral ischemia in the rat: neurobehavior, histopathology, and pharmacokinetics.

Stilbazulenyl nitrone (STAZN) is a potent lipophilic second-generation azulenyl nitrone antioxidant, which is highly neuroprotective in rodent models of cerebral ischemia and trauma. This study was conducted to establish whether the neuroprotection induced by STAZN persists with chronic survival and to characterize STAZN's pharmacokinetics. Physiologically regulated rats received a 2-h middle cerebral artery occlusion by intraluminal suture and were treated with either STAZN [four 0.

Albumin treatment reduces neurological deficit and protects blood-brain barrier integrity after acute intracortical hematoma in the rat.

Background And Purpose: Acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a common and severe form of stroke. To date, medical management of ICH has had scant impact on morbidity and mortality. Because albumin therapy is markedly neuroprotective in preclinical models of ischemic stroke, and because ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke share several common injury mechanisms, we hypothesized that albumin therapy might also benefit ICH.