No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

As the population ages the number of older adults living with hypertension (HTN) is rising dramatically. Uncontrolled HTN increases cardiovascular and renal mortality. Ambulatory (A) blood pressure (BP) is a better predictor of HTN-related morbidity and mortality than office BP. Lower BP is the most important therapeutic goal in treating HTN. Any reduction in BP has significant benefits for older adults. The current study was designed to evaluate the impact of the presence of pet dogs and cats on ABP during the daily lives of independently living, older pet owners with pre-to mild HTN. A repeated measures observational study of ABP of 32 pet owners (21 dogs, 8 cats, 3 cat and dog; 29 women) aged 50-83 years with BP 120-150/80-100 mmHg or < 150/100 with anti-hypertensive medication was conducted. Owner's ABPs were recorded every 20 minutes for one day during waking hours at study entry, one month, and three months. Activity monitors and diaries were used to obtain information about activity, mood, and whether the pet and/or another person was present in the room (indoors) or in close proximity (outdoors) with the owner at each assessment. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) analyses for hierarchical data (unstructured correlations) were performed for systolic and diastolic ABP. Mean ABPs were significantly (systolic BP/diastolic BP: dog p = 0.008/p = 0.002; cat p < 0.009/p < 0.001) different (systolic BP/diastolic BP mmHg: dog 3.1/1.5; cat -3.0/2.2) when pets were present after controlling for participant's mood ( p > 0.05/p < 0.001), activity intensity (p = 0.026/p = 0.441), location (p = 0.013/p = 0.004), and the presence of other people (p = 0.947/p = 0.723). The presence of a dog was associated with lower systolic and diastolic BP and of a cat was associated with lower diastolic BP and higher systolic BP during their owners' normal 535 Anthrozoös

Background Heart failure (HF) is a major health problem in the US affecting 5.7 million American adults. Psychosocial distress, in particular depression, contributes to morbidity and mortality in patients with HF. Little is known about the interrelationship among disease severity, social support, and depression. Objective To examine the contributions of social support and disease severity to longitudinal changes in depression and anxiety of outpatients with HF. Methods Patients (N = 108) enrolled in the Psychosocial Factors Outcome Study (PFOS) completed the Beck Depression Inventory -II, State Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Social Support Questionnaire-6 at study entry and every 6 months for up to 2 years. Results At baseline 30% of the patients were depressed and 42% were anxious. Social support amount contributed to changes in depression (p=.044) but not anxiety (p=.856). Depression increased over time for patients who had lower initial social support amount. Depression did not increase for those with higher initial social support amount. Neither NYHA class nor treatment group (placebo or ICD) interacted with time to predict depression which indicates that changes in depression were parallel for patients with NYHA class II and class III HF and for those who received ICDs and those who did not. Assessment of patients with HF should include depression and social support. Interventions to enhance social support among patients with HF who have low social support may help alleviate the development of depression. Conclusions Reducing psychological distress and increasing social support may improve health outcomes among HF outpatients. It is important for studies of HF to include assessment of depression, anxiety, and social support and evaluate their contributions to health outcomes.