[Smoking and passive exposure to tobacco smoke among members of medical rescue teams].

In Poland approximately 33% adults are active smokers. Both active smoking and passive exposition to tobacco smoke leads to serious diseases and causes many other problems. This is why the decrease of smoking prevalence seems to be one of the most important targets of contemporary medicine.

[Evaluation of selected endocrine parameters in smoking patients with arterial hypertension].

Among many actions of tobacco smoke very important is: metabolic influence and other biological effects e.g. hormones secretion.

[Does spironolactone use at arterial hypertension therapy protect endothelium also in smoking patients?].

The aim of the study was evaluation of spironolactone effect on concentration of endothelin-1 (ET-1 - vasoconstrictive substance produced by endothelial cells) and aldosterone (Ald) and plasma renin activity (PRA) in patients with primary arterial hypertension (AH): group A--smoking patients (11 individuals) in comparison with group B--non-smoking ones (12 individuals). ET-1, Ald and PRA were assessed before treatment (examination 1) and after 20 days of spironolactone therapy in dose 25 mg/day (examination 2). We observed: In group A significant elevation of: ET-1 ((Me +/- S exam.

[Pharmacy students' exposition to tobacco smoke--a trial of assessment of causes and prevalence].

Prevalence of tobacco smoking among young people is one of the most important aspects in prevention of smoking and smoking-related diseases. The aim of this study was assessment of pharmacy students' exposition to tobacco smoke (active and passive smoking) and searching for circumstances promoting tobacco smoking and exposition to ETS (environmental tobacco smoke). In the examined cohort of 161 students we found 37 smokers (23%; 21.

[Is hypotensive effectiveness of amlodipine therapy in smokers connected with endothelin-1 (ET-1) concentration?].

An interaction between a vasoconstrictive factor--endothelin-1 (ET-1) and nicotine is currently a subject of investigations. Many studies make us consider whether worse hypotensive effectiveness of many antihypertensive agents applied in smokers may be connected with elevated ET-1 level. The aim of this study was evaluation of hypotensive effectiveness of amlodipine in smoking (group A) and non-smoking (group B) hypertensive subjects.

[Evaluation of plasma endothelin-1 concentration in tobacco smoking patients with essential hypertension].

An evident influence of nicotine on vasoconstrictive and mitogenic peptide-- endothelin-1 (ET-1) synthesis and expression of its receptors was observed in experimental investigations. The aim of this study was ET-1 concentration assessment in patients with essential arterial hypertension, regarding nicotine action as ET-1 production stimulant. The investigation enrolled 27 patients with essential hypertension (degree I and II).

[Cigarette smoke as a risk factor of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)--assessment of knowledge and behavior of women].

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) means the sudden death of an infant which is unexpected by history and in which an examination of the death scene and a thorough postmortem examination fails to reveal an adequate cause of death. Etiology of this syndrome is unknown but many risk factors were identified; the most important and preventable risk factors are prone sleeping position and influence of tobacco smoke (both smoking by pregnant woman and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) near child's bed). The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of smoking among women (also during pregnancy) and exposure of neonates and infants to ETS, to establish what circumstances are likely to make smoking woman stop smoking and to examine women's knowledge concerning risk factors of SIDS (mainly influence of tobacco smoke).

[Diabetes mellitus--a problem for occupational medicine physicians].

The authors present current data concerning occupational certification in diabetic patients. Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in everyday occupational medicine practice. In diabetes type 1, the main problem faced by an occupational medicine physician is to certify the presence or absence of contraindications for jobs, which pose the risk of serious traumas resulting from possible disturbances of consciousness.

[Justification for screening laboratory tests not related to occupational exposure ordered by occupational medicine physicians: an analytical study].

The aim of the study was to analyze whether laboratory tests not related with occupational exposure ordered by occupational medicine physicians are justified. In Poland, prophylactic standards in occupational medicine are determined by law and the minimum range of laboratory tests and consultations by specialists is laid down. The extension of its range to include screening in all workers is disputable.

[Kidneys--the place of synthesis, activity and degradation of endothelin-1].

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) belongs to the group of isopeptides which reveal vasoconstrictive property. The role of ET-1 in kidneys is still unclear, but results of many researches may indicate the importance of this peptide in physiological conditions and in renal pathology. Kidneys are the place of synthesis, activity and degradation of ET-1.