Hypertension is the most common modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Antihypertensive treatment substantially reduces the risk of heart failure, stroke, and myocardial infarction. Current guidelines recommend screening all adults for high blood pressure (BP). Lifestyle modifications to help control high BP include weight loss, exercise, moderation of alcohol intake, and a diet low in sodium and saturated fats and high in fruits and vegetables. Out-of-office BP monitoring should be used to confirm suspected white coat effect, especially in patients with apparent resistant hypertension.
The objectives of this study were firstly, to determine an objective grading system of radiopharmaceutical uptake in the C6/7 articular facets of the cervical spine as a predictor of clinical signs in warmblood sporthorses; and secondly to establish an objective absorption coefficient (AC) value that could possibly differentiate between presence or absence of clinical signs in this region. 308 scintigraphic views of the cervical spine in 154 German warmblood horses were evaluated. Scintigrams were divided into clinically normal (60) and clinically abnormal (94) groups of horses. Horses were grouped according to performance type and age. Uptake coefficients using C3/4 as a reference point were established. Sensitivity and specificity for detection of neck pain and radiographic abnormalities were assessed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to determine a cutoff point for distinguishing between clinically normal and abnormal horses. An AC value of 1.243 at the C6/7 cervical vertebral facets separated clinically normal from clinically abnormal horses. Values decreased slightly with increasing age of the horses, and were highest in the middle age. There was a significant difference in AC values between clinically normal and abnormal horses in the dressage and show jumping groups. The best predictive values were established for horses in the show jumping category where scintigraphic findings correlated with clinical signs. An AC value of 1.235 at the C6/7 cervical vertebral facets reliably separates pathological from physiological uptake. However, age and performance type of the horses should be taken into account when interpreting these findings.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.