Integrated care changed the patient distribution, allowing the cardiologist to focus on serious pathologies while cardiovascular risk factors and stable patients were monitored in primary care. In ischemic heart disease,

improvement was observed in cholesterol management and blood pressure control; optimal medical treatment was more frequently prescribed and ventricular function evaluated more often. In heart failure, beta-blockers SCH 900776 molecular weight treatment increased and functional class was assessed more often. In atrial fibrillation, an increase in anticoagulation prescription and echocardiography evaluation was observed. Satisfaction parameters improved with integrated care. The use of resources was not increased.

Conclusions: Using our integration model, follow-up and chronic treatment of patients with ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation were improved. Monitoring of chronic patients was redistributed between primary care

and cardiology, and family physicians’ satisfaction levels improved. There was no increase in use of resources. (C) 2011 Sociedad Espanola de Cardiologia. Published by Elsevier Espana, S. L. All rights reserved.”
“The aim of the present review is to provide an update of the epidemiological evidence of the effects of air pollution on Selleck STI571 neuropsychological development and impairment, as well as of the evidence on individual susceptibility to these effects. Animal studies have shown deposition of ultrafine particles containing

metals in olfactory bulb and frontal cortical and subcortical areas, and overexpression of inflammatory responses, white matter lesions and vascular pathology in these areas that could be the basis for functional and structural brain effects. Several observational studies in the general population have observed cognitive deficits and behavioural impairment in children and the elderly. These effects, however, are not conclusive given the limited number of studies, their small size and their methodological constraints.”
“We assessed knowledge and perceptions of epilepsy held by Korean adolescents in the general population, and selleck compound investigated factors important in adolescents’ perceptions of stigma with respect to epilepsy. Surveys were distributed to students at 22 schools. A total of 1377 students participated. Fewer than half of all students (45.1%) reported hearing or reading about epilepsy. Overall, students showed a general lack of familiarity with and knowledge of epilepsy. Stigma perception scores were significantly higher in boys than in girls (P<0.05) and in middle school than in high school (P<0.05) students. We also found that stigma perception scores were significantly correlated with both younger age (r=-0.074, P=0.006) and lower knowledge scores (r=-0.404, P=0.000). Linear regression analysis showed that stigma-related perception was associated with lower knowledge scores (P<0.001) and middle school (P<0.05).