A qualitative study of healthy ageing and co-production.

Europe's ageing population increases the demand for housing solutions targeting older citizens' needs and preferences. Establishing age-friendly communities fostering social participation is essential for healthy ageing and various housing options with shared facilities prioritizing social contact have emerged. While involving older people in public service delivery is emphasized, studies on co-production with older people in building age-friendly communities remain limited.

Co-Creation and Co-Production of Health Promoting Activities Addressing Older People-A Scoping Review.

The global population is aging and the promotion of health and well-being for this generation is essential. Co-creative and co-productive practices can be solutions to welfare challenges in local policies. Therefore, this scoping review aimed to understand the extent and type of evidence in relation to the co-creation and co-production of health-promoting activities addressing older people aged 60+ years and to examine the influence of co-creative and co-productive activities on health and well-being, including influential factors for co-creation and co-production.

Fibrin clot structure - pro-fibrinolytic effect of oral contraceptives in apparently healthy women.

Fibrin metabolism is influenced by many factors. The velocity of fibrin formation, genetic polymorphisms, fibrinolytic features and the structure of the fibrin clot are determinants of fibrin turnover. Oral contraceptives (OCs) have significant impact on the haemostatic system, by increasing the concentration of coagulation factors, plasminogen and tissue plasminogen activator activity, and decreasing the concentration of haemostatic inhibitors.

Oral anticoagulants in coronary heart disease (Section IV). Position paper of the ESC Working Group on Thrombosis - Task Force on Anticoagulants in Heart Disease.

Until recently, vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) were the only available oral anticoagulants evaluated for long-term treatment of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), particularly after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Despite efficacy in this setting, VKAs are rarely used because they are cumbersome to administer. Instead, the more readily manageable antiplatelet agents are the mainstay of prevention in ACS patients.

Gender Differences in Fibrin Polymerization and Lysability of Fibrin in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia for both men and women. The embolic cardiovascular events represent serious complications of AF, and apparently women are affected more seriously than men. Little is known about prothrombotic factors and possible gender differences.

Lysability of fibrin clots is a potential new determinant of stroke risk in atrial fibrillation.

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of ischemic stroke, but the risk depends on other factors as well. Present risk stratification schemes use age and co-morbidities, but not biochemical markers. We investigated the hypothesis that the formation, structure and lysability of fibrin clots are potential determinants of stroke risk in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Postprandial coagulation activation in overweight individuals after weight loss: acute and long-term effects of a high-monounsaturated fat diet and a low-fat diet.

Diet is important in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, and it has been suggested that a high-MUFA diet is more cardioprotective than a low-fat diet. We hypothesised that the postprandial thrombotic risk profile is improved most favourably by a high-MUFA diet compared with a low-fat diet. This was tested in a parallel intervention trial on overweight individuals (aged 28.

Vitamin K antagonists in heart disease: current status and perspectives (Section III). Position paper of the ESC Working Group on Thrombosis--Task Force on Anticoagulants in Heart Disease.

Oral anticoagulants are a mainstay of cardiovascular therapy, and for over 60 years vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) were the only available agents for long-term use. VKAs interfere with the cyclic inter-conversion of vitamin K and its 2,3 epoxide, thus inhibiting γ-carboxylation of glutamate residues at the amino-termini of vitamin K-dependent proteins, including the coagulation factors (F) II (prothrombin), VII, IX and X, as well as of the anticoagulant proteins C, S and Z. The overall effect of such interference is a dose-dependent anticoagulant effect, which has been therapeutically exploited in heart disease since the early 1950s.

Difference in fibrinolytic capacity in young patients with venous thrombosis or ischaemic stroke.

Many recent studies focus on the common pathophysiological mechanisms and risk factors for arterial and venous thrombosis. We investigated the hypothesis that fibrinolytic capacity is similar in patients with ischaemic stroke and venous thromboembolism. Retrospective study of 604 consecutive patients (age <50 years) referred to systematic thrombophilia testing at a single regional centre.

General mechanisms of coagulation and targets of anticoagulants (Section I). Position Paper of the ESC Working Group on Thrombosis--Task Force on Anticoagulants in Heart Disease.

Contrary to previous models based on plasma, coagulation processes are currently believed to be mostly cell surface-based, including three overlapping phases: initiation, when tissue factor-expressing cells and microparticles are exposed to plasma; amplification, whereby small amounts of thrombin induce platelet activation and aggregation, and promote activation of factors (F)V, FVIII and FXI on platelet surfaces; and propagation, in which the Xase (tenase) and prothrombinase complexes are formed, producing a burst of thrombin and the cleavage of fibrinogen to fibrin. Thrombin exerts a number of additional biological actions, including platelet activation, amplification and self-inhibition of coagulation, clot stabilisation and anti-fibrinolysis, in processes occurring in the proximity of vessel injury, tightly regulated by a series of inhibitory mechanisms. "Classical" anticoagulants, including heparin and vitamin K antagonists, typically target multiple coagulation steps.

The influence of VKORC1 and CYP2C9 gene sequence variants on the stability of maintenance phase warfarin treatment.

Introduction: A substantial part of the inter-individual variation in vitamin K-antagonist dose can be explained by certain sequence variants in the genes CYP2C9 (NG_008385.1:g.8633C>T or *1/*2, NG_008385.

Randomized controlled trial of cholecalciferol supplementation in chronic kidney disease patients with hypovitaminosis D.

Background: Hypovitaminosis D is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Effects of 25-hydroxyvitamin D replenishment in CKD are not well described.

Methods: An 8-week randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind parallel intervention study was conducted in haemodialysis (HD) and non-HD CKD patients.

New oral anticoagulants in atrial fibrillation and acute coronary syndromes: ESC Working Group on Thrombosis-Task Force on Anticoagulants in Heart Disease position paper.

Until recently, vitamin K antagonists were the only available oral anticoagulants, but with numerous limitations that prompted the introduction of new oral anticoagulants targeting the single coagulation enzymes thrombin (dabigatran) or factor Xa (apixaban, rivaroxaban, and edoxaban) and given in fixed doses without coagulation monitoring. Here we review the pharmacology and the results of clinical trials with these new agents in stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation and secondary prevention after acute coronary syndromes, providing perspectives on their future incorporation into clinical practice. In phase III trials in atrial fibrillation, compared with warfarin, dabigatran etexilate 150 mg B.

Application of the UK NHS Improvement Anticoagulation Commissioning Support Document for 'safety indicators' in atrial fibrillation. Results of the European Action on Anticoagulation study.

Introduction: 'Safety indicators' in the anticoagulant management of atrial fibrillation (AF) are listed in the UK NHS Improvement Document, 'Anticoagulation for AF', aiming to promote quality services. Acceptable clinical event rates are not quantified in the document.

Objective: To provide clinical evaluation of the relevant safety indicators using data from a recent large European Action on Anticoagulation (EAA) study.

Multivariate analysis of the relation between diet and warfarin dose.

Purpose: The vitamin K antagonist (VKA) warfarin is effective for the prevention of thromboembolisms. Maintenance doses differ greatly among patients and are known to be primarily determined by genetic polymorphisms. The relative impact of dietary vitamin K intake is still a matter of debate.

Genetic, clinical and behavioural determinants of vitamin K-antagonist dose--explored through multivariable modelling and visualization.

Vitamin K antagonists (VKA) are highly effective anticoagulants but their use is hampered by multiple interactions with food and medicine and a narrow therapeutic range. The large variation in dose requirements has led to the development of several dosing algorithms based on pharmacogenetic and clinical variables. In contrast, evidence about the influence of behavioural (i.

Plasma factor VII-activating protease is increased by oral contraceptives and induces factor VII activation in-vivo.

Unlabelled: Oral contraceptive (OC) use influences the hemostatic system significantly and is a risk factor for development of cardiovascular disease. Factor VII-activating protease (FSAP) has potential effects on hemostasis. The 1601GA genotype of the 1601G/A polymorphism in the FSAP gene expresses a FSAP alloenzyme with reduced pro-fibrinolytic activity.

Plenty of pills: polypharmacy prevails in patients of a Danish anticoagulant clinic.

Purpose: Vitamin K antagonist (VKA) treatment can successfully prevent thromboembolic complications, but the modality has a narrow therapeutic window and numerous interactions with other pharmaceuticals. The aim of the study reported here was to describe the use of co-medications and the prevalence of polypharmacy among patients treated with VKA.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 250 consecutive patients (65% male, median age 68 years, most common indication for VKA treatment: atrial fibrillation) in the maintenance phase of VKA treatment were interviewed about their use of prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs and alternative medicines during the last 7 days.

INR derivation with the PT/INR Line simplified using a spreadsheet from the world wide web.

Background: The prothrombin time/international normalised ratio (PT/INR) Line method to derive INR, based on only five European Concerted Action on Anticoagulation (ECAA) certified plasmas, is shown to be reliable in previous ECAA studies. A simpler method not requiring linear regression calculation would be an advantage.

Method: After determining the local PT/INR Line, local INRs have been obtained using a readily available spreadsheet on the internet which laboratories can use without performing any additional calculations.

Evaluation of European Concerted Action on Anticoagulation lyophilized plasmas for INR derivation using the PT/INR line.

The prothrombin time/international normalized ratio (PT/INR) Line method based on 5 certified European Concerted Action on Anticoagulation (ECAA) plasmas provides reliable local INR values without conventional World Health Organization international sensitivity index calibrations. The present study investigated the use of different numbers and types of ECAA calibrant plasmas to derive accurate PT/INR Lines and reliable INR values. The numbers ranged from 3 to 10 plasmas in a set with normal or abnormal samples.

Effects on markers of inflammation and endothelial cell function of three ad libitum diets differing in type and amount of fat and carbohydrate: a 6-month randomised study in obese individuals.

Diet is important for the prevention of CVD, and diets high in MUFA might be more cardioprotective than low-fat diets. We hypothesise that inflammation and endothelial cell function will be improved most favourably by a high-MUFA diet compared with a low-fat diet. This was tested in a parallel randomised intervention trial on overweight individuals (aged 28·2 (SD 4·6) years) assigned to a diet moderate in the amount of fat (35-45% of energy; >20% of fat as MUFA; MUFA diet, n 39), a low-fat (20-30% of energy) diet (LF diet, n 43) or a control diet (35 % of energy as fat, n 24) for 6 months after weight loss.

Analytical and clinical validation of a new point-of-care testing system for determination of D-Dimer in human blood.

D-Dimer testing is used for exclusion of deep venous thrombosis (DVT). AQT90 FLEX D-Dimer (AQT D-Dimer) is a novel time-resolved fluorescence based point-of-care test for quantification of D-Dimer in whole blood or plasma. Presently we have determined the analytical and clinical performance of AQT D-Dimer and compared it with four routine D-Dimer assays.