Patients With Atypical Chest Pain: Epidemiology and Reported Consequences.

Background: Approximately a quarter of the global population experiences chest pain during their lifetime worldwide. Although largely non-life-threatening, many patients experience mental, physical, social, and financial consequences.

Aim: This study aimed to describe and determine the epidemiology and consequences of patients presenting with atypical chest pain (ACP).

Cardiovascular Disease in the Caribbean: Risk Factor Trends, Care and Outcomes Still Far From Expectations.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a major public health concern in the Caribbean. Cardiovascular care in the Caribbean revealed encouraging improvements but still less than expectations. This study aims to gain insight into CVD and identify gaps in cardiovascular care in the Caribbean compared to high-income countries.

Depression among patients with chronic kidney disease, associated factors, and predictors: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Depression with diverse etiologies is exacerbated by chronic diseases, such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), coronary artery disease (CAD), cancer, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. This study aimed to analyse depression, its associations, and predictors among patients attending the kidney clinic of a teaching hospital.

Methods: Data were collected from 01 August 2017 to 30 September 2017 via face-to-face interviews and examination of the medical records of a convenience sample of 314 patients.

The impact of chronic disease and accompanying bio-psycho-social factors on health-related quality of life.

Background: Most chronic illnesses lead to poor health outcomes. Bio-psycho-social sequelae and accompanying depression lead to further deterioration in health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study explored the HRQoL of patients with major chronic diseases in a public tertiary health care institution in Trinidad and Tobago.

Quality of life among patients with cardiac disease: the impact of comorbid depression.

Background: Patients with cardiac disease with or without depression may also have major physical and mental problems. This study assesses and compares the quality of life (QOL) of patients with cardiac disease with and without depression and accompanying comorbidities.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 388 patients with cardiac disease.

Medical care of acute myocardial infarction patients in a resource limiting country, Trinidad: a cross-sectional retrospective study.

Background: Cardiovascular disease remains the most common cause of death. However, effective and timely secondary care contributes to improved quality of life, decreased morbidity and mortality. This study analyzed the medical care of patients in a resource limiting country with a first presentation of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Prevalence and associations of depression among patients with cardiac diseases in a public health institute in Trinidad and Tobago.

Background: Psychosocial issues are major determinants as well as consequences of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study sought to assess the prevalence and identify factors associated with depression among patients with cardiac disease in a public health institute in Trinidad and Tobago.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 388 hospitalised, stable, adult patients with cardiac disease admitted in the only tertiary public health institute in South Trinidad.

Health services in Trinidad: throughput, throughput challenges, and the impact of a throughput intervention on overcrowding in a public health institution.

Background: Throughput might be partially responsible for sub-optimum organisational and medical outcomes. The present study examined throughput and the challenges to ensuring optimum throughput in hospitals, and determined the effectiveness of a throughput intervention in reducing overcrowding in a public healthcare institution in Trinidad and Tobago.

Methods: First, a literature review of throughput and its processes in relation to improving hospital care was conducted.

Quality of life of patients with first-time AMI: a descriptive study.

Background: Outcomes following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) may result in death, increased morbidity, and change in quality of life (QOL). This study explores health-related QOL of first-time patients following AMI.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used a sample of patients with first-time AMI experienced between April 2011 and March 2015 at a tertiary health institution.

Norethisterone enanthate-induced cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST).

A 23-year-old East Indian woman with no significant medical history, except a depot-norethisterone enanthate injection taken 3 weeks prior to admission, presented with a gradually worsening headache for the past 5 days. She had no fever, vomiting, neck stiffness, focal weakness or rash, and examination was unremarkable with no focal neurological deficits. Vasculitic, thrombophilia and sepsis screens were normal.

Prevalence, patterns, and perceived value of complementary and alternative medicine among HIV patients: a descriptive study.

Background: Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widespread among different patient populations despite the availability of evidence-based conventional medicine and lack of supporting evidence for the claims of most CAM types. This study explored the prevalence, patterns, and perceived value of CAM among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients.

Methods: This quantitative descriptive study was conducted between November 1, 2014 and March 31, 2015 among a cross-sectional, convenience sample of attendees of the HIV clinic of a public tertiary health care institution.

Lemierre's syndrome: forgotten, but not absent.

Lemierre's syndrome is rare, with no known reported cases in the Caribbean thus far. We highlight a case of a young woman who presented with diabetic ketoacidosis precipitated by oral pharyngeal sepsis, whose condition rapidly deteriorated within 24 hours requiring ventilation and administration of antibiotics. Her sepsis was accompanied by internal jugular vein thrombosis in keeping with a diagnosis of Lemierre's syndrome, which was treated aggressively with antibiotics, intensive care and mechanical ventilatory support in the intensive care unit.

Prevalence, patterns, and perceived value of complementary and alternative medicine among cancer patients: a cross-sectional, descriptive study.

Background: Sophisticated conventional medicine (CM) has brought significant advances to cancer prevention, detection, and treatment. However, many cancer patients still turn to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatment. This study explored the prevalence, patterns, and perceived value of CAM among cancer patients.

Use of complementary and alternative medicine by patients with end-stage renal disease on haemodialysis in Trinidad: A descriptive study.

Background: Despite the paucity of scientific evidence, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widely used for the prevention and treatment of illness, holistic care, and counteracting the adverse effects of conventional medicine (CM). This study investigates the use of CAM by patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on haemodialysis.

Methods: This quantitative study was conducted from November 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014 in the haemodialysis unit at San Fernando General Hospital (San Fernando, Trinidad).

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices among health care providers regarding complementary and alternative medicine in Trinidad and Tobago.

Background: Health care providers are often ill prepared to interact about or make acceptable conclusions on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) despite its widespread use. We explored the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of health care providers regarding CAM.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between March 1 and July 31, 2015 among health care providers working mainly in the public sector in Trinidad and Tobago.

Neuro-Ophthalmological Manifestations after Intramuscular Medroxyprogesterone: A of Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension?

We report a case of a 22-year-old female student nurse who presented to hospital with an acute neuro-ophthalmological syndrome characterized by papilledema, ataxia, ophthalmoplegia and headache after a single first time use of 150 mg medroxyprogesterone intramuscular injection. Clinical, laboratory, radiological and ophthalmological investigations were in keeping with the diagnosis of idiopathic intracranial hypertension but lumbar puncture did not show a raised cerebrospinal fluid pressure suggesting a of this entity. Her neuro-ophthalmological clinical features responded well to acetazolamide and diagnostictherapeutic lumbar puncture.

Complementary and alternative medicine usage among cardiac patients: a descriptive study.

Background: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) persists, despite the availability of conventional medicine (CM), modernisation, globalisation, technological advancement, and limited scientific evidence supporting CAM. People with cardiovascular diseases often use CAM, despite possible major adverse effects and lack of evidence supporting CAM claims. This study explored CAM use among cardiac patients, the types of CAM used, reasons and factors that influence its use, and the association between patient demographics and CAM use.

Perceptions of complementary and alternative medicine among cardiac patients in South Trinidad: a qualitative study.

Background: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been practiced for centuries owing to the absence or limited availability of conventional medicine. CAM has persisted globally with over USD34 billion spent annually, despite modernization, globalization, technological advancement, and limited supportive evidence. The present qualitative study explores the perception of CAM among cardiac patients with respect to rationale, perceived outcomes, influences, and public health concerns.