CAM use nationally in Australia appears to be considerably higher than estimated from previous Australian studies. This may reflect an increasing popularity of CAM; however, regional variations in CAM use and the broader range of CAM included in the current study may contribute to the difference. Most frequently, doctors would not appear to be aware of their patient use of CAM.

Background: There have been no published national studies on the use in Australia of the manipulative therapies, acupuncture, chiropractic or osteopathy, or on matters including the purposes for which these therapies are used, treatment outcomes and the socio-demographic characteristics of users.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by Australians is substantial and increasing, but little is known about its use by the elderly. We here present the findings for the elderly cohort in our recently conducted national survey on CAM use by adult Australians. In May and June 2005, computer-assisted telephone interviews, using random-digit telephone dialing, were employed to gather data on CAM use in the last 12 months. Of 1067 adult participants interviewed, 178 were 65 or older. More than half of these (57.8%; 95% CI, 50.7%-64.9%) had used at least one of 17 common forms of CAM and 60.4% of the CAM users had consulted CAM practitioners. Clinical nutrition, chiropractic, massage therapy, meditation, and herbal medicine were the most common forms of CAM used by the elderly. A higher proportion of the elderly had always used both CAM and conventional medical treatments (37.9%) than had those aged 18-34 (15.7%) and 35-64 (26.9%). Elderly CAM users (60.2%) were more likely than younger users to discuss their use with their doctors. Of those who did not do so, 24.1% were not asked by their doctors and 16.0% considered that their doctor would disapprove. In conclusion, we found that a substantial proportion of older Australians use CAM. The elderly are also more likely than younger adults to discuss their use of CAM with their doctors, but doctors need to play a more active role in initiating such communication.

1 The effects of the nonpeptide angiotensin II receptor (AT) antagonists losartan and PD 123319 on actions of angiotensin II in the rat caudal artery and rat vas deferens preparations were investigated. 2 Angiotensin 11 (1.0 I1M) increased perfusion pressure in isolated segments of the rat caudal artery.This increase in perfusion pressure was prevented by the AT,-antagonist, losartan (0.1 JAM) but was not affected by the AT2-antagonist, PD 123319 (0.1 JAM). 3 Angiotensin II (0.1-3.01M) produced a concentration-dependent enhancement of the stimulationinduced (S-I) efflux of [3H]-noradrenaline from isolated segments of rat caudal artery in which the noradrenergic transmitter stores had been labelled with [3H]-noradrenaline. The maximum enhancement of S-I efflux was approximately 60% with 1.O01M angiotensin II. 4 Losartan (0.01 and 0.1 AM) reduced the enhancement of S-I efflux produced by 1.0 JAM angiotensin II in the caudal artery. 5 PD 123319 (0.01 JAM) did not affect the enhancement of S-I efflux produced by angiotensin II (1.0 JAM) in the caudal artery. However, in a higher concentration (0.1 JAM), PD 123319 reduced the enhancement of S-I efflux produced by 1.O0JM angiotensin II. 6 Angiotensin II produced concentration-dependent enhancement of the purinergic twitch responses (1 pulse/60 s) in the rat vas deferens, 7 Losartan (0.03 JAM) and PD 123319 (0.03 JM) each reduced the angiotensin II-induced enhancement of the twitch responses in the rat vas deferens. 8 These findings indicate that the enhancement of sympathetic neuroeffector transmission in both the caudal artery and vas deferens of the rat involves angiotensin receptor subtype(s) sensitive to both losartan and PD 123319. In contrast, the direct vasoconstrictor effect of angiotensin II in the rat caudal artery involves activation of a receptor subtype sensitive only to losartan. Keywords: Angiotensin II; losartan; PD 123319; vasoconstriction; sympathetic neuroeffector transmission IntroductionThe renin-angiotensin system plays a central role in cardiovascular homeostasis by influencing vascular tone, extracellular fluid and electrolyte balance, and the sympathetic nervous system (Sealey & Laragh, 1989). The interactions of the renin-angiotensin system with the cardiovascular system are predominantly mediated by the octapeptide, angiotensin II. Angiotensin II influences cardiovascular function by several mechanisms, including direct constriction of resistance and capacitance vessels and direct cardiac inotropic and chronotropic activity (Sealey & Laragh, 1989). In addition, angiotensin II has been shown to facilitate noradrenergic neuroeffector transmission by enhancing stimulation-induced release of noradrenaline from sympathetic nerves, although it has also been reported to increase the rate of synthesis of noradrenaline and to inhibit neuronal uptake of the transmitter (Story & Ziogas, 1987 that, in the rabbit vas deferens, angiotensin II produces the usual enhancement of noradrenergic transmission, but that the peptide inhibits the purinergic comp...

Electroacupuncture to distal points alone is effective for short-term symptomatic relief of tension-type headache.