The cardiovascular risk factor prevalence change in Gerona was marked in this decade by a shift of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol distributions to the left, independent of the increase in lipid-lowering drug use, and better hypertension control with increased use of antihypertensive drugs.

After adjustment for confounding factors, each subtype of suspected elder abuse was associated with different variables. The results of this study suggest that elder abuse cannot be analyzed as a unitary concept and that risk factors must be assessed for each abuse subtype.

ABI<0.9 is relatively frequent in those 35-79, particularly over 74. However, IC and CHD risk> or =10% indicators are often missing. Adding ABI measurement to CHD-risk screening better identifies moderate-to-high cardiovascular risk patients.

The QOL of nursing home residents with severe dementia was related to environmental factors such as temperature, noise, and lighting. The monitoring of these environmental factors may improve these individuals' QOL.

Our evaluation of the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the QUALID indicates that it is a reliable and valid instrument with an adequate capacity to distinguish between different clinical status.

Objectives To assess the effect of sound isolation versus music on the comfort of mechanically ventilated patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) as a combined measurement of the hypnotic level, the level of sedation and the alteration of behaviour because of pain. Introduction Patients admitted to the ICU who require mechanical ventilation are surrounded by an ambient noise level ranging from 60 to 90 dB, well above the 40 dB recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Methods This was a randomized crossover clinical trial. Group A: sound isolation (1 h) followed by music (1 h); Group B: music (1 h) followed by sound isolation (1 h). Interventions were administered using noise‐cancelling headphones. The hypnotic level, the level of sedation and the alteration of behaviour because of pain was assessed using the bispectral index (BIS), the Ramsay scale and the behavioural pain scale (BPS), respectively. Statistical analysis of correlated data was performed using a generalized estimating equations (GEE) model. Results Of 130 patients assessed for eligibility, 82 were randomized to Groups A (n = 40) or B (n = 42). Mean age was 69 years (SD = 14), and 77·3% were men. A decrease of 4–5 points out of 100 during sound isolation and music therapy was recorded in BIS in both groups; the differences were not statistically significant compared with baseline scores. Likewise, no differences were observed in the scores obtained in the Ramsay scale and BPS. Conclusions Sound isolation and music intervention did not modify the comfort or physiological variables of mechanically ventilated critical patients from their respective baseline values. Relevance to clinical practice Music and sound isolation are potential strategies that could be used in nursing care to provide comfort to critical patients. Further studies should be undertaken to define the role of these new approaches and determine which groups of patients can benefit most from music or sound isolation.

Physiological and pathological processes differ in men and women, depending on factors such as sex and sociological and anthropological characteristics. However, many diseases are still approached from a masculine point of view. In this respect, ischemic heart disease is one of the diseases that most clearly reflects biological differences and social inequalities. In women, the disease presents at a more advanced age, and presentation is frequently atypical with a higher prevalence of comorbidities and greater severity. Consequently, treatment and outcome differ from those in men. Additionally, women differ in their knowledge, and beliefs regarding ischemic heart disease, as well as in their attitudes at symptom onset. Therefore, clinical practice should place significant emphasis on all these aspects in order to avoid inequalities between men and women in the correct diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and rehabilitation of ischemic heart disease.

Introduction and purpose The purpose was to analyze socioeconomic and clinical factors of psychosocial functioning and self-perception in relation to health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in people with severe mental health illness (SMI) by gender. Materials and method A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 133 women and 90 men. Recorded variables: HRQOL, SF-36 Physical Component Scores (PCS) and Mental Component Scores (MCS); sociodemographic and clinical data on psychosocial and self-perception functioning. Correlational studies using raw and adjusted linear regression models to evaluate the factors associated with HRQOL by obtaining coefficients, p-values and respective confidence intervals. Results The mean PCS for women and men was 44.6 and 49.0 (p = 0.004) and 36.4 and 37.5 (p = 0.575), respectively for MCS. The factors associated with PCS in women were age,-0.2 (-0.4:0); in work, 4.2(0.3:8.2); with an income higher than 700 euros/month, 4.4(1:7.7). In men, these factors were education level, 6.1(0.4:11.7); belief that they would not need help in the future, 4.6(0.1:9.2) and a higher need for psychosocial services,-6.6(-11.1:-2). Factors associated with MCS in women were,