Nota: Estas diretrizes se prestam a informar e não a substituir o julgamento clínico do médico que, em última análise, deve determinar o tratamento apropriado para seus pacientes.

Controle da hipertensão arterial e fatores associados na atenção primária em Unidades Básicas de Saúde localizadas na Região Oeste da cidade de São PauloHypertension control and related factors at primary care located in the west side of the city of São Paulo, Brazil (OR = 2,26; IC 95%, 1,6), falta de conhecimento sobre prática de atividade física (OR = 3,5; IC 95%, 1,(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)8) e ausência de antecedente familiar para problemas cardíacos (OR = 2,2; IC 95%, 1,5 (OR = 2.26; IC 95%,, no family history of cardiovascular diseases (OR = 2.2; IC 95%,) and unaware of the importance of physical activities for blood pressure control (OR = 3.5; IC 95%,). Blood pressure control was associated with biological variables, behavior and information about hypertension as a risk factor and its treatment.

The objective of this study was to assess the accuracy and reliability of mercury and aneroid sphygmomanometers. Measurement of accuracy of calibration and evaluation of physical conditions were carried out in 524 sphygmomanometers, 351 from a hospital setting, and 173 from private medical offices. Mercury sphygmomanometers were considered inaccurate if the meniscus was not '0' at rest. Aneroid sphygmomanometers were tested against a properly calibrated mercury manometer, and were considered calibrated when the error was р3 mm Hg. Both types of sphygmomanometers were evaluated for conditions of cuff/bladder, bulb, pump and valve.Of the mercury sphygmomanometers tested 21% were found to be inaccurate. Of this group, unreliability was

The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of age-period and cohort (APC) of birth on mortality for acute myocardial infarction in Brazil and its geographic regions, according to sex in the period from 1980 to 2009. The data was extracted from the Mortality Information System and was corrected and adjusted by means of proportional redistribution of records with sex and age ignored, ill-defined causes, and corrections were made based on the death sub-register. The APC was calculated using the Poisson regression model with estimable functions. The APC analysis on both sexes and in all regions of the country showed gradual reductions in the risk of death in birth cohorts from the decade of the 1940s, except in the Northeast. In this region, there have been progressive increases in the risk of death from the late 1940s for both sexes. This was up until the 1950s for men and the 1960s for women. It was concluded that the observed differences in the risk of death in Brazilian regions is the result of socio-economic inequalities and poor access to health services within the Brazilian territory, favoring early mortality for this cause especially in poorer areas.

Foram entrevistados 205 hipertensos em tratamento ambulatorial para avaliar o papel do perfil bio-social no conhecimento e grau de gravidade da doença. As características da população foram: 72% mulheres, 63% brancos, 78% com mais de 40 anos, 60% casados, 68% com baixa escolaridade, 41% com renda de 1 a 3 salários, 75% com peso elevado, 76% não fumantes, 89% sem atividade física regular, e das mulheres 48% já tinham usado hormônios anticoncepcionais. A análise evidenciou que a ausência de conhecimento se associou com sexo masculino, idade entre 20 e 40 anos, viúvo, não branco e peso normal. Pressão arterial mais elevada (diastólica> 110 mm Hg) se associou com mais de 60 anos, não casado, acima do peso, baixa escolaridade, baixa renda, com mais de 5 anos de hipertensão e já ter feito tratamento anterior.

This study investigated the theoretical and technical knowledge of blood pressure measurement from 110 nursing assistants, 44 physicians and 25 nurses by answering to a questionnaire and practical knowledge through the observation of the blood pressure measurement procedure. In the theoretical knowledge the three categories showed statistically significant differences (p<0,05), the nursing assistants showed a lower indicator of the correctness (32%+/-12%) followed by nurses (44%+/-14%) and physicians (56%+/-13%). In the practical knowledge the physicians showed higher percentage of correctness (50%+/-12%) (p<0.05);followed by nurses (44%+/-10%) and nursing assistants (41%+/-6%). In conclusion, the knowledge of blood pressure measurement was not satisfactory.

Objective:To compare men and women who have hypertension with reference to the following: high blood pressure, biosocial variables, habits and life styles, mental disorders, and social support networks. Method: 290 hypertensive patients (women, 62.1%) were evaluated. The assessments involved the following: measuring blood pressure with an automatic measuring device, evaluating social status through the Social Support Scale, and the use of a Self-Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20) to identify common mental disorders. A value of p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Women were found to be different to men (p<0.05) in the following areas having: better control of their blood pressure (64.4% vs 52.7%), less salary incomes, less diabetes, higher total cholesterol, higher body mass index and wider abdominal circumferences. They also had lower systolic blood pressure, lower levels of alcohol consumption and a greater prevalence for mental disorders. The social support assessment revealed that hypertensive women received less help with preparing meals but had more company from people which allowed them to engage in enjoyable activities. Conclusion: Women had more control over their blood pressure than men, despite the presence of negative biopsychosocial factors that may have influenced their adherence to the treatments. DESCRIPTORS

Consciousness regarding the disease, the Morisky-Green test, and attendance to medical consultations did not influence blood pressure control.