Hypertension treatment and control in five European countries, Canada, and the United States

Levels of hypertension treatment and control have been noted to vary between Europe and North America, although direct comparisons with similar methods have not been undertaken. In this study, we sought to estimate the relative impact of hypertension treatment strategies in Germany, Sweden, England, Spain, Italy, Canada, and the United States by using sample surveys conducted in the 1990s. Hypertension was defined as a blood pressure of 160/95 mm Hg or 140/90 mm Hg, plus persons taking antihypertensive medication. "Controlled hypertension" was defined as a blood pressure less than threshold among persons taking antihypertensive medications. Among persons 35 to 64 years, 66% of hypertensives in the United States had their blood pressure controlled at 160/95 mm Hg, compared with 49% in Canada and 23% to 38% in Europe. Similar discrepancies were apparent at the 140/90 mm Hg threshold, at which 29% of hypertensives in the United States, 17% in Canada, and 相似文献   

Research Note: Ageism in Canada and the United States

To compare the prevalence of ageism in Canada and the United States, in Canada, the Ageism Survey was published in the CARPnews Report on Ageism, and in the United States, the Survey was administered to a convenience sample and published in the Center Report and Fifty Plus. Most respondents in both countries perceived ageism as frequent, but it was reported more often in Canada than in the United States. If the Ageism Survey is used to measure the prevalence of ageism among various groups and countries, we can develop an "epidemiology of ageism" and begin to reduce ageism.     

Drug regulation in the United States and the United Kingdom: the Depo-Provera story

In 1984, both the United Kingdom and the United States received recommendations from panels of experts specifically convened to consider the merits of Depo-Provera (depot medroxyprogesterone acetate [DMPA]) as a long-term contraceptive agent. This study compares the final reports written by these panels. We explore why, despite access to essentially the same data, the U.K. panel recommended marketing approval but the U.S. Public Board of Inquiry did not. We conclude that differing national policies helped shape the interpretation of the data and thus the divergent outcomes.     

Forgotten antibiotics: an inventory in Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia

In view of the alarming spread of antimicrobial resistance in the absence of new antibiotics, this study aimed at assessing the availability of potentially useful older antibiotics. A survey was performed in 38 countries among experts including hospital pharmacists, microbiologists, and infectious disease specialists in Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia. An international expert panel selected systemic antibacterial drugs for their potential to treat infections caused by resistant bacteria or their unique value for specific criteria. Twenty-two of the 33 selected antibiotics were available in fewer than 20 of 38 countries. Economic motives were the major cause for discontinuation of marketing of these antibiotics. Fourteen of 33 antibiotics are potentially active against either resistant Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria. Urgent measures are then needed to ensure better availability of these antibiotics on a global scale.     

Canada and the United States: Fertile ground for cross-cultural research

Department of Sociology, Case Western Reserve University     

Coronary artery bypass profile in Canada and the United States

This study compares computer registry data on coronary bypass surgery from several centres in Canada and the United States to assess current trends in patient profile, and looks at demand and resources available for this form of treatment. A computerized registry established at the Royal Victoria Hospital in 1982 was used to document the profile of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft. Comparing 1988 to the previous six years (1982-87), a significant increase was found in patients with unstable angina (P less than 0.001) and abnormal left ventricular function (P less than 0.015) among those operated. The incidence of emergency operations also increased (P less than 0.001). The patient profile was similar to that of the Toronto university hospital population and many major United States university hospitals. The incidence of coronary artery bypass graft per 100,000 population, however, is much greater in the United States than in Canada (120 versus 56). Resources in many Canadian centres appear to be insufficient to meet demand for this type of surgical intervention.