Anita Zimmermann

Hipertensão Arterial Sistêmica: aspectos clínicos e análise farmacológica no tratamento dos pacientes de um setor de Psicogeriatria do Instituto Bairral de Psiquiatria, no Município de Itapira, SP

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to check the tables of Hypertension Blood Pressure (HBP) and analysis of the major classes of oral antihypertensive agents used by patients members of the Therapeutic Unit - Bairral Industry office of the Institute of Psychiatry located at Itapira, SP. METHODOLOGY: The study sample consisted of 51 subjects aged between 52 and 87 years old, mostly suffering from psychiatric disorders and other clinical morbidities, being excluded from the sample patients with no history of hypertension and those whose blood pressure levels are considered normal by V Brazilian Guidelines on Hypertension. The material for this research was obtained from the literature review of books and scientific papers published in journals located in Medline, Lilacs and Scielo, with the key words: hypertension, antihypertensive; elderly. This is a cross-sectional study with data obtained from research records of technical notes for the characterization of the tables diagnosed with hypertension, considering anamnesis, physical examination on admission and daily control of blood pressure levels of patients in the Unit Office of Bairral Therapeutics Institute of Psychiatry, from the 18th to 25th September 2009, with subsequent analysis of the major classes of oral antihypertensive agents used. RESULTS: Of the 51 patients studied, 27 were included in the study because they were diagnosed with hypertension in the regarded period, accounting for 53% of the total number and having female predominance in 15 cases (56%). As the frequency of antihypertensive drugs prescribed in the sample, it was observed that inhibitors of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) was the most widely used group of medicines especially captopril, followed by the group of thiazide diuretics. Concomitantly, ACE together with diuretics were the most frequently prescribed. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated a significant number of elderly people with hypertension in the Bairral sector office of the Institute of Psychiatry, suggesting clinical and medical care of this clientele. Drug therapy of hypertension treatment adopted for the sector in question is consistent with the recommended literature.

E-learning as a complement to presential teaching of blindness prevention: a randomized clinical trial

OBJECTIVE: To investigate if E-learning material improves the basal student knowledge level before attending the presential class of blindness prevention (BP) and if helps to fix this information one-month after the class. METHODS: Fourth-year medical students were randomly assigned to have a presential class of BP (Traditional group = TG) or to have a presential class of BP plus an additional E-learning material (E-learning group = ELG). This material was e-mailed one week before the presential class. The students were submitted to a multiple-choice test (with three options each) with seven questions immediately before the presential class, immediately after the class, and one-month later. The three tests had the same questions; however, the answers options were distributed in different sequences. The primary outcome was immediate pretest score. The secondary outcomes were immediate posttest score and one-month posttest score. RESULTS: Among the 120 fourth-year medical students, a random sample of 34 students was assigned to the TG and 34 students was assigned to the ELG. The two groups showed similar immediate posttest score (TG=6.8 and ELG=6.9; P<.754), but the differences at the immediate pretest score (TG=3.6 and ELG=4.7; P<.001), and at the one-month posttest score, were significant (TG=6.1 and ELG=6.8; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: The pretest and the one-month posttest results suggested that the E-learning material acts as an effective complementary tool of the presential class of blindness prevention.

Teller test with functional vision evaluation in children with low vision

Objective: To know the effectiveness of Teller card test along with the functional vision evaluation in low vision preschool children presenting normal or delayed development. Methods: Transversal study comprising patients from the children visual stimulation Ambulatory Service of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas Teaching Hospital, Campinas (SP)(FCM/HC/ Unicamp). The best corrected visual acuity was obtained using Teller cards and functional vision evaluation, independent from the child development. Results: From a total of 143 evaluated children, 65% did not respond to the Teller card test, only to, the functional vision evaluation. Among 143 children, 99 (70%) presented development delay and 44 (30%), normal development. Conclusion: The Teller card test was not enough to evaluate the children visual acuity with development delays, since more than half of them were not responsive to it, making it necessary that they were submitted to a complementary functional visual evaluation.

Doenças crônicas degenerativas em idosos: dados fisioterapêuticos - doi:10.5020/18061230.2011.p221

Objective: To assess the most frequent chronic diseases in the elderly population of a private clinic of Physiotherapy. Methods: We assessed medical records of clients who received treatment at a Physiotherapy clinic in the period 2005 to 2008, looking for chronic diseases as diagnosis and/or related to them. Of these, we selected those which contained birth date and/or aged sixty-five years or above. An instrument like a check list, developed by the researchers, identified: quantity, gender, medical diagnosis and comorbidities. For quantification of variables we applied simple percentage calculation. Results: In the study period, there were four hundred fifty-eight records, of which forty-nine corresponded to the survey’s inclusion criteria. The majority 59.2% (n=29) referred to the year 2008; 26.6% (n=13) being males and 73.4% (n=36) females. The most commonly found diagnosis comprised osteoarthritis 57.1% (n=28), fracture and/or history of fractures 24.4% (n=12) and other diagnosis 48.9% (n=24). Associated chronic diseases included diabetes mellitus 18.3% (n=9) and systemic hypertension 57.1% (n=23). Conclusion: Chronic degenerative diseases in elderly have received increasing attention from health professionals; osteoarthritis being the most common diagnosis in this study, followed by fracture and/or history of fractures. The comorbidities represented a greater negative impact in the quality of life of elderly.

Experience with an internet-based course for ophthalmology residents

OBJECTIVE: To describe the first experience of an Internet-based course for ophthalmology residents. METHOD: Twenty-three residents were invited to participate in the study; however, only 13 (56.52%) took part, performing the proposed activities and answering a questionnaire. RESULTS: Of the 13 participants, only five (38.46%) completed 100% of the tasks, three (23.07%) completed between 70 and 90%, two (15.38%) completed between 50 and 60% and three (23.07%) completed less than 10% of the tasks. Regarding the use of computers and the Internet in general, all the participants reported using the Internet daily. All of them also affirmed they use the internet to study or to conduct research. CONCLUSION: Despite the advantages of the Internet, medical residents are still very reluctant to its use. Considering the context of information and communication technologies, there is a pressing need to reformulate continuing medical education in order to meet the demand of this new developing world.

Free software for vision stimulation services

PURPOSE: To develop free software (SAEVI) to improve the vision stimulation services. METHODS: The software of visual stimulation service (SAEVI) was developed in microsoft Acess®, version 2003. Results: This database management system allows an efficient patients control and specific patients appointments, such as: ophthalmological diagnostic and year of the appointment, and also other options, providing reports of each item. CONCLUSION: Professionals who work with visual stimulation or in related areas may be benefited from using the software to organize their work routines.