The objectives of the study were to evaluate the prevalence of microalbuminuria (MAU) in patients with hypertension, monitored in primary care and to analyse the correlation between MAU, risk factors and associated parameters. Material and methods. During 2010-2014 we evaluated a number of 910 patients from 19 family medicine offices of Timiş County. The general practitioners took a standardized history, performed a physical examination, measured height, weight, blood pressure, ABPM and heart rate, calculated body mass index and tested urine for MAU with Arkray test strips. The patients with hypertension and MAU were referred to diagnosis centres where they underwent echocardiography. Results. After exclusion of patients with a history of renal disease and diabetes, MAU was present in 61 cases, 7.1%. The mean age of the MAU positive patients was 56±13.1 years, ranging from 29 to 79. The duration of hypertension was under 5 years in 4 (2.44%) patients, between 5-10 years in 35 (57.3%) and over 10 years in 22 (36%) Six patients with MAU (9.83%) had mild hypertension, 25 (40.9%) moderate and 30 (49.1%) severe hypertension. LVMI was 125 ± 28 g/m2 in the MAU absent group and 157 ± 56 g/m2 in the MAU present group (<0.04). A stepwise logistic regression analysis showed significant positive effects of 24 h systolic blood pressure, weight and LVH (p<0.001 for all comparisons) on MAU. No other variable had a significant predictive effect on the presence or absence of MAU. Conclusions. In patients with essential hypertension MAU was present in 7.1%, with a higher prevalence in uncontrolled than in controlled hypertension. MAU was associated with high blood pressure levels, obesity and LVH.
Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) is a heterogeneous group of cognitive disorders that share a presumed vascular cause and it is the second most common cause of cognitive impairment in the elderly after Alzheimer's disease. Its prevalence is estimated to double over the next 30 years. Vascular cognitive impairment encompasses cases related to multiple cortico-subcortical infarcts, silent infarcts, strategic infarcts, small vessel disease, as well as mixed pathology. It is important to emphasize that some of the risk factors for vascular dementia are the same as for stroke, including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and cigarette smoking. Compared with Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia has a higher rate of mortality and a slower rate of cognitive decline. The aim of the treatment in vascular cognitive impairment is mainly to identify and reduce the effect of the vascular risk factors. This article aims to resume the most important data regarding VCI.
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