Lack of adherence to hypertension treatment guidelines among GPs in southern Sweden-a case report-based survey.

Background: General practitioners (GPs) often fail to correctly adhere to guidelines for the treatment of hypertension. The reasons for this are unclear, but could be related to lack of knowledge in assessing individual patients' cardiovascular disease risk. Our aim was to investigate how GPs in southern Sweden adhere to clinical guidelines for the treatment of hypertension when major cardiovascular risk factors are taken into consideration.

Primary aldosteronism among newly diagnosed and untreated hypertensive patients in a Swedish primary care area.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of primary aldosteronism (PA) in newly diagnosed and untreated hypertensive patients in primary care using the aldosterone/renin ratio (ARR), and to assess clinical and biochemical characteristics in patients with high and normal ARR.

Design: Patient survey study.

Setting And Subjects: A total of 200 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed and untreated hypertension from six primary health care centres in Sweden were included.

The women's health in the Lund area (WHILA) study--an overview.

The Women's Health in the Lund Area (WHILA) study invited all women (n=10,766) living in the Lund area of Southern Sweden by 1995, who were born between 1935 and 1945. The health screening program included a postal validated questionnaire concerning medical history, drug treatment, family history of diabetes and hypertension, menopausal status, smoking and alcohol habits, education, household, and working status, physical activity, quality of life as well as subjective physical and mental symptoms. The screening consisted of a routine physical examination with standardized blood pressure measurements, bone densitometry and an extended laboratory examination.

Re-evaluation of the fludrocortisone test: duration, NaCl supplementation and cut-off limits for aldosterone.

Objective: Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most common form of secondary hypertension. Thus, the aims of this study were: (1) to clarify whether the fludrocortisone suppression test (FST), which confirms autonomous aldosterone secretion, is reliable when carried out during a shorter period of time and (2) to confirm the importance of NaCl supplementation. The cut-off limits already obtained for aldosterone in healthy subjects during the FST were applied in hypertensive patients with a high aldosterone to renin ratio (ARR).

Barriers to adherence to hypertension guidelines among GPs in southern Sweden: a survey.

Objective: To evaluate barriers to adherence to hypertension guidelines among publicly employed general practitioners (GPs).

Design: Questionnaire-based survey distributed to GPs in 24 randomly selected primary care centres in the Region of Skåne in southern Sweden.

Subjects: A total of 109 GPs received a self-administered questionnaire and 90 of them responded.

Abstinence, occasional drinking and binge drinking in middle-aged women. The Women's Health in Lund Area (WHILA) Study.

Although drinking patterns in women have received increased attention, few studies have focused on middle-aged women. Drinking patterns were investigated in a population sample of 513 Swedish women aged 50-59, and analysed in relation to social situation, and mental and physical health. The chi-square test was used to analyse differences in proportions.

Stroke incidence and survival in the beginning of the 21st century in southern Sweden: comparisons with the late 20th century and projections into the future.

Background And Purpose: We report trends of stroke incidence and survival up to year 2001/2002 in Lund-Orup, Sweden, and projections of future stroke incidence in Sweden.

Methods: Lund Stroke Register, a prospective population-based study, included all first-ever stroke patients, between March 1, 2001 and February 28, 2002, in the Lund-Orup health care district. Institution-based studies for 1983 to 1985 and 1993 to 1995 were used for comparison.

Medication report reduces number of medication errors when elderly patients are discharged from hospital.

Objective: To investigate whether a Medication Report can reduce the number of medication errors when elderly patients are discharged from hospital.

Method: We conducted a prospective intervention with retrospective controls on patients at three departments at Lund University Hospital, Sweden that where transferred to primary care. The intervention group, where patients received a Medication Report at discharge, was compared with a control group with patients of the same age, who were not given a Medication Report when discharged from the same ward one year earlier.

Insulin resistance and self-rated symptoms of depression in Swedish women with risk factors for diabetes: the Women's Health in the Lund Area study.

Previous studies have suggested that depression increases the risk for diabetes and that this may be mediated through insulin resistance. The study aimed to analyze if self-rated symptoms of depression are related to insulin resistance among middle-aged and older Swedish women with features of the metabolic syndrome and being at risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus. We analyzed data from 1047 Swedish women aged 50 to 64 years without a history of diabetes and living in the southern part of Sweden.

Health hazards in middle-aged women with cardiovascular disease: a case-control study of swedish women. the women's health in the Lund area (WHILA) study.

Objective: To delineate the health profile in middle-aged women with cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Methods: The Women's Health in the Lund Area (WHILA) project covered all women born 1935-1945 (n = 10,766) living in the Lund area; 6917 (64.2%) women completed a generic questionnaire and underwent physical and laboratory assessments.

Do sex hormones influence features of the metabolic syndrome in middle-aged women? A population-based study of Swedish women: the Women's Health in the Lund Area (WHILA) Study.

Objective: To outline perceived associations between various sex hormones and risk markers for cardiovascular disease in middle-aged women, with an emphasis on features of the metabolic syndrome (MS).

Design: Cross-sectional analysis.

Setting: Women's Health in the Lund Area Study.

Mental symptoms, psychotropic drug use and alcohol consumption in immigrated middle-aged women. The Women's Health in Lund Area (WHILA) Study.

This study aims to analyse mental symptoms, psychotropic drug use and alcohol consumption, in immigrant women born in Finland, the other Nordic countries, Eastern Europe, Western Europe and countries outside Europe, compared with Swedish-born women, and furthermore, to study if age at immigration may have an influence. All women (n=10,766) aged 50-59 years and living in the Lund area of southern Sweden received a postal invitation to a health survey named the Women's Health in Lund Area; 64.2% (n=6917) participated.

High blood pressure despite treatment: results from a cross-sectional primary healthcare-based study in southern Sweden.

Objective: To study degree of blood pressure (BP) control in primary healthcare (PHC) treated hypertensive patients in relation to sex, age, drug treatment, and concomitant diseases.

Design: Random sample of patients with hypertension.

Setting: Ten PHC centres in the Region of Skåne, Sweden.

High frequency of primary hyperaldosteronism among hypertensive patients from a primary care area in Sweden.

Objective: To search for primary hyperaldosteronism (PHA) among previously known hypertensive patients in primary care, using the aldosterone/renin ratio (ARR), and to evaluate clinical and biochemical characteristics in patients with high or normal ratio.

Design: Patient survey study.

Setting And Subjects: The study population was recruited by written invitation among hypertensive patients in two primary care areas in Sweden.

Does the hormonal situation modify lipid effects by lifestyle factors in middle-aged women? Results from a population-based study of Swedish women: the women's health in the Lund area study.

The aim of the study was to outline whether the influence by lifestyle factors on serum lipids was modified by the hormonal situation in middle-aged women. Six thousand nine hundred eight women, aged 50 to 59 years, participated in a health assessment program, including a serum lipid profile evaluation. The women were grouped according to their hormonal status into premenopausal (PM) (n = 492), postmenopausal without hormone therapy (HT) (PM0) (n = 3600), and postmenopausal with HT (PMT) (n = 2816).

Cadmium-induced effects on bone in a population-based study of women.

High cadmium exposure is known to cause bone damage, but the association between low-level cadmium exposure and osteoporosis remains to be clarified. Using a population-based women's health survey in southern Sweden [Women's Health in the Lund Area (WHILA) ] with no known historical cadmium contamination, we investigated cadmium-related effects on bone in 820 women (53-64 years of age) . We measured cadmium in blood and urine and lead in blood, an array of markers of bone metabolism, and forearm bone mineral density (BMD) .

The hysterectomized woman. Is she special? The women's health in the Lund area (WHILA) study.

Objective: To delineate the health profile of hysterectomized women and to assess whether women who have undergone hysterectomy have a different health profile even before surgery.

Material And Methods: The WHILA project covers all women (n = 10,766) aged 50-60, living in the Lund area and are based on questionnaires and personal interviews tied to laboratory examinations.

Results: 6917 women (64.

Effects of educational outreach visits on prescribing of benzodiazepines and antipsychotic drugs to elderly patients in primary health care in southern Sweden.

Background: Different methods have previously been tested to affect GPs' prescribing habits. Attention has been drawn to benzodiazepines and antipsychotic drugs that are associated with several adverse effects in the elderly.

Objective: To evaluate if educational outreach visits to GP practices can affect the prescribing of benzodiazepines and antipsychotic drugs to the elderly and to evaluate the opinions of the participating GPs on such education.

Few middle-aged women with severe mental symptoms use psychotropic drugs: the Women's Health in Lund Area (WHILA) study.

Aims: In a population of middle-aged women a survey was carried out to ascertain the prevalence of mental symptoms and psychotropic drug use, and further to investigate whether severe mental symptoms are associated with social situation, alcohol consumption, smoking, and physical health.

Methods: All women (n = 10,766) aged 50-59 years and living in the Lund area were invited to the WHILA study, a health survey including laboratory examinations and a self-administered questionnaire; 6,917 (64.2%) participated.

Tubular and glomerular kidney effects in Swedish women with low environmental cadmium exposure.

Cadmium is a well-known nephrotoxic agent in food and tobacco, but the exposure level that is critical for kidney effects in the general population is not defined. Within a population-based women's health survey in southern Sweden (Women's Health in the Lund Area, WHILA), we investigated cadmium exposure in relation to tubular and glomerular function, from 1999 through early 2000 in 820 women (71% participation rate) 53-64 years of age. Multiple linear regression showed cadmium in blood (median, 0.

Lower urinary tract symptoms in middle-aged women--prevalence and attitude towards mild urinary incontinence: a community-based population study.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and perceived bother of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in middle-aged women with and without self-reported urinary incontinence.

Patients And Methods: In the Women's Health In the Lund Area study (WHILA 1995--2000), 32% of the participating 6,917 women, 50--59 years, reported urinary incontinence defined as involuntary urinary leakage causing a social and/or hygienic problem. Out of these, 1,500 women with (INCONT) and 1,500 without incontinence (CONT) received the Bristol Female lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) questionnaire in January 2001.

Women living alone have an increased risk to develop diabetes, which is explained mainly by lifestyle factors.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the role of household conditions for the progression to diabetes in women with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).

Research Design And Methods: A total of 461 women, aged 50-64 years, with IGT defined by an oral glucose tolerance test, had baseline advice on physical exercise, diet, smoking, and alcohol habits. Physical examination, blood tests, and questionnaires were completed at baseline and after 2.

Well-being and occupational roles among middle-aged women.

One purpose of the present study is to explore the stability of the pattern of health/work and sickness absence among middle-aged women over a period of three years. This study tested two hypotheses: (a) that enduringly healthy working women would perceive more valued occupational roles and higher well-being than long-term sick-listed women; (b) that high levels of well-being at baseline would predict enduring health and occupational role value at a 3-year follow-up. Middle-aged women (n = 208) answered a postal survey with the Role checklist, a well-being scale and questions about work and sickness situation.

Prevalence of urinary incontinence in relation to self-reported depression, intake of serotonergic antidepressants, and hormone therapy in middle-aged women: a report from the Women's Health in the Lund Area study.

Objective: To study a perceived relationship of urinary incontinence with self-reported depression among middle-aged women, and to outline whether hormone therapy, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors influence the prevalence of urinary incontinence.

Design: A population-based cross-sectional study of 6,642 women from the Lund area, Sweden, aged 50 to 64 years, who answered questions on urinary incontinence. We obtained information on urinary incontinence, self-reported depression, and medication by questionnaire and personal interviews between December 1995 and February 2000.