Research Article
Meteorological and Environmental Drivers of Cardiovascular Health Risk in an Insular Region (Azores)
Issue:
Volume 9, Issue 1, March 2025
Pages:
1-24
Received:
16 December 2024
Accepted:
7 January 2025
Published:
7 February 2025
Abstract: Some authors share the same opinion that climatic and environmental parameters are strongly linked to health. This study investigates the impact of climatic and environmental factors on hypertension, cardiovascular and circulatory system disease admissions in the Faial Hospital. Faial is in the Azores, an insular region of Portugal. With the rise in global climate variability, understanding local effects on public health has become increasingly crucial, particularly in insular regions like the Azores. This research utilizes epidemiological, meteorological, and air quality data from Faial Island, collected from 2010 to 2019, to analyze the correlation between hospital admissions due to hypertension, circulatory and cardiovascular system diseases and variations in meteorological parameters (e.g., daily minimum, daily maximum and daily average temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, thermal amplitude, dew point, average total precipitation and atmospheric pressure at mean sea level) and air pollutants (e.g., nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone and particulate matter with diameter less than ten micrometers). The study uses statistical methods such as time series analysis, weekly percentile intervals, and principal component analysis (PCA). These methods reveal a seasonal pattern in hospital admissions related to meteorological conditions and air quality. Specifically, higher rates of admissions are associated with increased precipitation, wind speed, and temperature fluctuations during winter months. In contrast, summer shows lower admission rates corresponding to lower humidity and precipitation levels. These findings show that human health is highly sensitive to air quality and climatic conditions. This highlights the need for adaptive healthcare strategies amid environmental changes. The insights gained from this study underscore the importance of integrating meteorological and air quality monitoring into public health planning. Integrating monitoring systems is particularly crucial in regions facing dual challenges of climate change and limited healthcare resources. Proactive measures like early warning systems, predictive models, and public awareness campaigns can reduce health risks for vulnerable populations. By addressing critical knowledge gaps, this study contributes to the growing body of evidence on the interconnections between climate, air quality, and public health, providing a foundation for region-specific policies aimed at enhancing resilience to environmental changes. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the climate-health relation, offering a framework for developing region-specific policies to enhance resilience in the face of ongoing global environmental changes.
Abstract: Some authors share the same opinion that climatic and environmental parameters are strongly linked to health. This study investigates the impact of climatic and environmental factors on hypertension, cardiovascular and circulatory system disease admissions in the Faial Hospital. Faial is in the Azores, an insular region of Portugal. With the rise i...
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Research Article
Correlation Between Serum Apolipoprotein A and Clinical Outcome in Patients with Non-ischemic Heart Failure
Chiqian Ma,
Licong Chen
,
Shikun Sun,
Xiaodong Qian,
Yiren Qin*
Issue:
Volume 9, Issue 1, March 2025
Pages:
25-31
Received:
4 January 2025
Accepted:
22 January 2025
Published:
10 February 2025
Abstract: Previous studies on the correlation between serum apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) and the severity of heart failure (HF) as well as short-term clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure due to non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) have been inconclusive. To address this, we aimed to determine the impact of apoA-I on the severity of heart failure and short-term clinical outcomes in patients with HF due to NICM. In this single-center, observational study, we recruited 154 patients with NICM heart failure (NYHA functional class II-IV) and 80 control patients with normal cardiac function. Baseline characteristics were collected during hospitalization, and follow-up records were obtained 6 months after discharge. Statistical analyses included Pearson’s chi-squared test and Spearman's correlation analysis, while the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to discriminate patients with severe heart failure. Results showed that serum apoA-I levels were significantly lower in the heart failure group compared to controls and decreased with increasing cardiac function class. Additionally, serum apoA-I was positively correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and negatively correlated with B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and cardiac function class. Patients who experienced clinical events within 6 months of discharge had significantly lower apoA-I concentrations compared to those without events. In conclusion, low serum apoA-I concentrations in patients with NICM and heart failure may be associated with more severe heart failure and a higher probability of recurrent clinical events in the short term.
Abstract: Previous studies on the correlation between serum apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) and the severity of heart failure (HF) as well as short-term clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure due to non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) have been inconclusive. To address this, we aimed to determine the impact of apoA-I on the severity of heart failure and...
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Research Article
Influence of Depression on Antihypertensive Medication Adherence and Blood Pressure Control in Two Reference Hospitals in Cameroon: A Cross-Sectional Study
Ba Hamadou*,
Dieudonné Danwe,
Samuel Ntone-Enyime,
Dewa Koulsoumi Oummoul,
Alain Patrick Menanga
Issue:
Volume 9, Issue 1, March 2025
Pages:
32-38
Received:
17 February 2025
Accepted:
25 February 2025
Published:
7 March 2025
DOI:
10.11648/j.ccr.20250901.13
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Abstract: Hypertension is a major public health problem worldwide, and particularly in developing countries where it encompasses high rates of morbidity and mortality. Uncontrolled hypertension explains these rates of morbidity and mortality and may be more frequent in case of depression. This study aimed to assess the influence of depression on antihypertensive medication adherence and blood pressure control in Cameroon. We conducted a cross-sectional study in two reference hospitals in Cameroon from November 2023 to August 2024. We included hypertensive patients of 21 years or more treated with medications for at least 3 months. Depression was diagnosed with the Patient Health Questionnaire 9. Medication adherence was assessed using the Girerd questionnaire and blood pressure control through a 24 hours ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. We used the χ2 test to measure the association between categorical variables and the Spearman coefficient for correlation between quantitative variables. P values < 0.05 were considered as statistically significant. We included 70 patients (51.4% of women) with a median age of 57 years [49 – 65]. The median duration of hypertension was 60 months [24 – 120]. We found respectively 35.7%, 47.1%, 14.3% and 2.9% of monotherapy, dual, triple and quadruple combination therapy. There were respectively 60% and 20% of uncontrolled hypertension and poor medication adherence. Depression was present in 27.1% of participants. It was significantly associated to poor medication adherence [OR = 8.28, 95% CI (2.28 – 30.06); p = 0.001], but not to uncontrolled hypertension [OR = 1.64, 95% CI (0.54 – 5.01); p = 0.380]. Depression is frequent in hypertensive patients seen in the outpatient units of the Yaoundé and Garoua General Hospitals. It increases the risk of poor medication adherence with a tendency to uncontrolled hypertension.
Abstract: Hypertension is a major public health problem worldwide, and particularly in developing countries where it encompasses high rates of morbidity and mortality. Uncontrolled hypertension explains these rates of morbidity and mortality and may be more frequent in case of depression. This study aimed to assess the influence of depression on antihyperten...
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