Derya Atik

The Effect of External Apple Vinegar Application on Varicosity Symptoms, Pain, and Social Appearance Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Aim. We aimed to determine the effect of external apple vinegar application on the symptoms and social appearance anxiety of varicosity patients who were suggested conservative treatment. Method. The study was planned as an experimental, randomized, and controlled study. 120 patients were randomly selected and then were randomly allocated to either experimental or control group by simple blind random sampling method. In the collection of research data, a questionnaire questioning sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, and the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS) were used. The patients in the study group were suggested to apply apple vinegar to the area of the leg with varicosity alongside the treatment suggested by the doctor. The patients in the control group received no intervention during the study. Results. The sociodemographic and clinic characteristics of both groups were found to be similar (p > 0.05). The patients were evaluated with regard to cramps, pain, leg fatigue perception, edema, itching, pigmentation, and weight feelings in the leg, VAS, and SAAS averages in the second evaluation; the control group had a decrease in such symptoms (p > 0.05) although the decrease in the application group was higher and statistically meaningful (p < 0.05). Conclusion. We determined that the external application of apple vinegar on varicosity patients, which is a very easy application, increased the positive effects of conservative treatment.

Metabolic syndrome in patients undergoing coronary angiography.

Introduction: Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is basically a cluster of cardiovascular risks that involve changes in metabolic and hemodynamic indicators; various organizations have defined it with small differences. Metabolic syndrome is a lethal endocrinopathy starting with insulin resistance and inviting a chain of systemic disorders such as abdominal obesity, glucose intolerance or diabetes mellitus (DM), dyslipidemia, hypertension (HT) and coronary artery disease (CAD). Material and methods: This prospective and descriptive study was conducted at the Cardiology Clinic of a Private Hospital in Osmaniye between January 2014 and May 2014. The study population included all patients who were administered a CA procedure at the Cardiology Clinic of Private New Life Hospital in Osmaniye in 2014. Results: The majority of the patients were male (63.3%), the mean age was 59.09±10.98, vast majority of them had social security (98.5%), 32.8% of them smoked, 7.2% had peripheral arterial disease (PAD), 52.5% were diagnosed with DM, 24.8% with HT, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or stent was administered to 40.3% of the patients who underwent CA and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) was decided for 15.5% of them. 41.8% of the patients met the MetS diagnosis criteria. The mean BMI was found to be 28.61±4.68, the mean FBS to be 143.20±74.83, the mean triglyceride value to be 168.73±96.94 and the mean HDL value to be 37.04±9.20. Although male gender came first among the patients who underwent CA, the prevalence of MetS did not show a statistically significant correlation with gender, mean age or smoking. The prevalence of HT, PAD and DM was significantly higher in the patients who met the MetS criteria. The mean values of FBS, HDL, CK-MB, triglyceride and cholesterol were also significantly higher in the patients who met the MetS criteria. As BMI increased, the rate at which MetS criteria are met also increased. Conclusion: The objective is to prevent diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Weight loss achieved with proper nutrition and an exercise program will have a reversing effect on all the disorders seen in metabolic syndrome.

Complementary Health Approaches Used in the Intensive Care Unit

Intensive care units are care centers where, in order to provide the maximum benefit to individuals whose life is in danger, many lifesaving technological tools and devices are present, and morbidity and mortality rates are high. In the intensive care unit, when classic treatments fail or become unbearable because of side effects, complementary methods have been suggested to be the best alternative. Complementary health approaches are methods that are used both for the continuation and the improvement of the well-being of an individual and as additions to medical treatments that are based on a holistic approach. These applications are especially helpful in the treatment of the stresses, anxieties, and other symptoms of unstable patients in the intensive care unit who do not tolerate traditional treatment methods well, increasing their psychological and physiological well-being, helping them sleep and rest. In intensive care patients, in order to decrease the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation, antiemetic and medicine needs, mechanical ventilation duration, and the intensity of the disease as well as to cope with symptoms such as pain, anxiety, physiological parameters, dyspnea, and sleep problems, body-mind interventions such as massage, reflexology, acupressure, aromatherapy, music therapy, energy therapies (healing touch, therapeutic touch, the Yakson method), and prayer are used as complementary health approaches.

Stress Level and Stress Management in Patients with Arteriovenous Fistula

Amac: Arastirma; arteriyovenoz fistul acilan hastalarda stres duzeyi ve stres yonetim duzeyini belirlemek amaciyla gerceklestirilmistir. Yontem: Arastirma, prospektif ve tanimlayici niteliktedir. Arastirmaya alinma kriterlerini karsilayan 103 HD hastasi orneklemi olusturdu. Arastirmada veriler; Hasta tanitim formu, Algilanan Stres Olcegi, Saglikli Yasam Bicimi Davranislari Olcegi (Stres Yonetimi Alt Olcegi) ile toplandi. Analiz yontemi olarak; yuzdelik, ortalama, One Way Anova, regresyon analizi yontemleri kullanildi. Bulgular: Hastalarin, %47.6’sina bir defa arteriyovenoz fistul acilmis, %45.6’sinda arteriyovenoz fistul acilmasina bagli en az bir komplikasyon gelismisti, en sik gorulen komplikasyonlar sirasiyla tromboz, kanama ve stenozdu. Arteriyovenoz fistul komplikasyonu gelisen hastalarda, algilanan stres duzeyi daha yuksek bulundu ancak stres yonetim duzeyleri daha dusuktu. Bir defa arteriyovenoz fistul acilanlarda, stres yonetim duzeyi daha yuksek, 2 defa arteriyovenoz fistul acilanlarda algilanan stres duzeyi daha yuksekti. Sonuc: Arteriyovenoz fistule bagli komplikasyon gelisiminin hastalarin stres duzeyi ve stres yonetimi uzerinde etkili oldugu, arteriyovenoz fistul acilma sayisinin ise istatistiksel olarak anlamli olmasa da stres duzeyi ve stres yonetimi uzerinde kismen etkili oldugu saptandi. Amac: Arastirma; arteriyovenoz fistul acilan hastalarda stres duzeyi ve stres yonetim duzeyini belirlemek amaciyla gerceklestirilmistir. Yontem: Arastirma, prospektif ve tanimlayici niteliktedir. Arastirmaya alinma kriterlerini karsilayan 103 HD hastasi orneklemi olusturdu. Arastirmada veriler; Hasta tanitim formu, Algilanan Stres Olcegi, Saglikli Yasam Bicimi Davranislari Olcegi (Stres Yonetimi Alt Olcegi) ile toplandi. Analiz yontemi olarak; yuzdelik, ortalama, One Way Anova, regresyon analizi yontemleri kullanildi. Bulgular: Hastalarin, %47.6’sina bir defa arteriyovenoz fistul acilmis, %45.6’sinda arteriyovenoz fistul acilmasina bagli en az bir komplikasyon gelismisti, en sik gorulen komplikasyonlar sirasiyla tromboz, kanama ve stenozdu. Arteriyovenoz fistul komplikasyonu gelisen hastalarda, algilanan stres duzeyi daha yuksek bulundu ancak stres yonetim duzeyleri daha dusuktu. Bir defa arteriyovenoz fistul acilanlarda, stres yonetim duzeyi daha yuksek, 2 defa arteriyovenoz fistul acilanlarda algilanan stres duzeyi daha yuksekti. Sonuc: Arteriyovenoz fistule bagli komplikasyon gelisiminin hastalarin stres duzeyi ve stres yonetimi uzerinde etkili oldugu, arteriyovenoz fistul acilma sayisinin ise istatistiksel olarak anlamli olmasa da stres duzeyi ve stres yonetimi uzerinde kismen etkili oldugu saptandi.

The significance of gender in patients administered coronary angiography with respect to smoking, peripheral arterial disease, diabetes mellitus and the procedure used.

RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This descriptive study was planned and conducted to determine whether or not gender is significant in patients administered coronary angiography with respect to smoking, peripheral arterial disease, diabetes mellitus and the procedure used. METHODS Based on the hospital records that were scanned retrospectively, the study included patients aged 18 and over who were diagnosed with coronary arterial disease and were administered for the first time a coronary angiography procedure in the Cardiology Clinic of Osmaniye Private New Life Hospital between 1 September 2012 and 31 December 2013. The data was evaluated on the SPSS 21.0 software. Percentages, averages, analysis of variance, Pearsons correlation analysis, chi-square independence test were used as our analysis method. RESULTS 40.2% of the patients who took part in the study were female and 59.8% male; the mean age was 58.18 ± 11.73. It was observed that approximately 41% of the patients smoked, 5% of them had peripheral arterial disease, 23.9% were administered percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty + stent and a surgical treatment was planned for 16.1% of them. Gender was considered statistically significant in terms of smoking, peripheral arterial disease, diabetes mellitus and the procedure used (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS We see that gender is important in the patient group consisting of patients with coronary arterial disease. We think that the information herein will provide a guideline for evaluating treatment strategies and prognoses as well as for the training and consultancy to be provided to patient groups.