Effects of a psychological intervention in a primary health care center for caregivers of dependent relatives: a randomized trial.

Purpose: To assess, in the context of Primary Health Care (PHC), the effect of a psychological intervention in mental health among caregivers (CGs) of dependent relatives.

Design And Methods: Randomized multicenter, controlled clinical trial. The 125 CGs included in the trial were receiving health care in PHC.

Relationships between high-sensitive C-reactive protein and markers of arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients. Differences by sex.

Background: The present study was designed to evaluate the relationship between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and arterial stiffness according to sex in patients with arterial hypertension.

Methods: A case-series study was carried out in 258 hypertensive patients without antecedents of cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus. Nephelometry was used to determine hs-CRP.

Office and 24-hour heart rate and target organ damage in hypertensive patients.

Background: We investigated the association between heart rate and its variability with the parameters that assess vascular, renal and cardiac target organ damage.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed including a consecutive sample of 360 hypertensive patients without heart rate lowering drugs (aged 56 ± 11 years, 64.2% male).

Cocoa intake and arterial stiffness in subjects with cardiovascular risk factors.

Background: To analyze the relationship of cocoa intake to central and peripheral blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and carotid intima-media thickness in subjects with some cardiovascular risk factor.

Design: A cross-sectional study of 351 subjects (mean age 54.76 years, 62.

Abdominal obesity vs general obesity for identifying arterial stiffness, subclinical atherosclerosis and wave reflection in healthy, diabetics and hypertensive.

Background: Our aim was to analyze the relationship between abdominal obesity and general obesity, with subclinical atherosclerosis, arterial stiffness and wave reflection in healthy, diabetics and hypertensive subjects.

Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was made of 305 individuals (diabetics 32.8%, hypertensive subjects 37.

Cardiovascular risk assessment in hypertensive patients with tests recommended by the European Guidelines on Hypertension.

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of the diagnostic tests recommended by the European Society of Hypertension/Cardiology Guidelines (ESH-ESC 2007) in hypertensive patients classified as being at low or moderate risk, analyzing the change to high risk classification and the characteristics associated with such change.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was made in 391 patients aged between 30 and 80 years recently diagnosed with arterial hypertension in the Primary Care setting. The criteria of the 2007 ESH-ESC Guidelines were followed for the evaluation of risk factors, subclinical organ damage, cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular risk.

Relationship between intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery and arterial stiffness in subjects with and without type 2 diabetes: a case-series report.

Background: We examined the relationship between the intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery (CCA-IMT) and arterial stiffness, assessed by pulse wave velocity (PWV), the ambulatory arterial stiffness index (AASI) and the augmentation index (AIx) in subjects with and without type 2 diabetes.

Methods: A case-series study was made in 366 patients (105 diabetics and 261-non-diabetics). Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed on a day of standard activity with the SpaceLabs 90207 system.

Effectiveness of an intervention in groups of family caregivers of dependent patients for their application in primary health centers. Study protocol.

Background: Although Primary Health Care (PHC) Teams are used to deal with prevention and treatment of sanitary problems in adults with chronic diseases, they usually have a lack of experience in development of psychotherapeutic interventions. However, these interventions are the ones that achieve better results to reduce symptomatology and improve emotional state of caregivers.The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention of psychotherapy in improving the mental health and Quality of life of caregivers.