Patients in an ICU may receive daily chest x-rays. These x-rays are taken manually and may be at different phases of respiration, which limits their clinical usefulness. We examine design issues around automatically synchronizing an x-ray and ventilator in an interoperable manner, including requirements on the individual devices and new safety hazards introduced by connecting them into a system.
Background:Early diagnosis of asymptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD) is presently targeted in preventive cardiology. A positive family history though not modifiable can provide a window of opportunity for intervening on modifiable risk factors. We assessed the prevalence of risk factors among the family members of suspected CAD patients and estimated their 10 years CAD risk.Methods:In a hospital-based cross-sectional study, socio-demographic, personal data and blood samples for total and HDL cholesterol were collected. The risk of having a heart attack in the next 10 years was calculated using Framingham Risk Score.Results:The mean age of participants (n = 60) was 40.55 ± 1.78 years. 85% were physically inactive. Smoking (13%), alcohol use (12%), history of CAD (2%), HTN (12%) and diabetes (22%) were the observed risk factors. A family history of CAD at <40 years of age was reported by 7% of subjects. Prevalence of overweight was 21% and 11% were obese. Increased waist-hip ratio (43%), diabetes (22%), hypercholesterolemia (28%), reduced HDL Cholesterol (48%) were other prevalent risk factors. Risk of CAD of >1% in the next 10 years was noted among 60% of subjects.Conclusions:Window of opportunity for secondary prevention exists among the family members of suspected CAD.
Background:
India has a high burden of hypertension. While the private sector provides 70% of out-patient care in the country, a significant proportion of patients seeking care from the public sector buy drugs from private markets. This study aimed to describe India’s private sector antihypertensive drugs market at the national and state levels over 2016–2018.
Methods:
Antihypertensive drugs sales in India from 2016–2018 were analysed using a large nationally representative dataset for the private pharmaceuticals market. In addition, data for five states (Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana, and Maharashtra) that were the foci of a large hypertension control program were studied.
Results:
The Indian hypertension drug market grew at a rate of 6.9% from 2016 to 2018 with a total of 21,066 million pills sales in 2018. Single-pill combinations (SPCs) contributed to 39.1% of total sale volumes. The market comprised of 182 different antihypertensive drugs including 134 SPCs. Total volume of sales covered a maximum of 26% of treatment need for the estimated population with hypertension. Two-drug SPCs had the highest market share (36%), followed by calcium channel blockers (18%), beta-blockers (16%) and angiotensin receptor blockers (14%). Among SPCs, amlodipine+atenolol had highest sales (9.8%). Twenty-five drugs, a mix of single drugs and SPCs, accounted for 80% of total sales. There were large state-to-state variations in sales per capita, preferred therapeutic classes and drugs.
Conclusions:
Despite the large antihypertensive drugs market, there exists a high unmet need for treatment in India. Inter-state differences in product sales indicate variable treatment practices, underscoring the need for private sector engagement to improve hypertension care practices aligned with national and international guidelines. SPCs contributed to a large share of the private market and inclusion of select antihypertensive SPCs in the national list of essential medications should be considered for the public health system.
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