Quality evaluation and content analysis of non-drug guidelines on risk factors of secondary prevention of myocardial infarction

Purpose: To strictly evaluate the quality of guidelines on risk factors related to secondaryprevention of myocardial infarction (MI), and to summarize and analyze the relevantrecommendations, and to provide evidence-based support for medical staff to developinterventions related risk factors for MI patients. Methods: The professional guideline websitesand databases in English and Chinese were retrieved, and the references related guidelines weretraced to get the published guidelines. Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation IIwas used to evaluate the methodological quality of the guidelines. Then the relevantrecommendations for MI were summarized and analyzed. Results: A total of 8 guidelines,including evidence-based guidelines and expert consensus were included in the initial review of2,099 articles, among which 2 from the UK, 1 from the US and 5 from China. The overallquality of the included guidelines is moderate. However, some guidelines score relatively lowin the dimensions of rigor of development, clarity of presentations and editorial independence.A total of 24 items were extracted, including three risk factors: blood pressure, blood sugar andblood lipid. The recommendations mainly cover the relevant target values of risk factors,providing evidence-based support for medical staff to control and guide the risk factors ofpatients with MI in three aspects, such as blood pressure, blood sugar and blood lipid, whichproviding the theory basis for self-monitoring. Conclusions: It is recommended that clinicalpractice on risk factors of MI should be based on best evidence and fully put the individualfactors into account.

Secondary prevention of ischaemic stroke

In spite of a documented reduction in incidence in highincome countries over the last decades, stroke is still a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. With the ageing of the population stroke-related economic burden is expected to increase, because of residual disability and its complications, such as cognitive impairment, high risk of falls and fractures, depression and epilepsy. Furthermore, because of the substantial rate of early and long-term vascular recurrences after the first event, secondary prevention after cerebral ischaemia is a crucial issue. This is even more important after minor stroke and transient ischaemic attack(TIA), in order to reduce the risk of potentially more severe and disabling events. To accomplish this aim, acute long-term medical and surgical treatments as well aslifestyle modifications are strongly recommended. However, apart from the well-established indications to thrombolysis, studies in acute phase after a first stroke or TIA are scarce and evidence is lacking. More trials are available for long-term secondary prevention with different classes of drugs, including antithrombotic medications for ischaemic events of arterial and cardiac origin, especially related to atrial fibrillation(antiplatelets and anticoagulants, respectively), lipid lowering agents(mainly statins), blood pressure lowering drugs, surgical and endovascular revascularization procedures.

Social Cultural and Economic Factors Affecting the Practice of Secondary Prevention among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus at Consolata Nkubu and Meru Level Five Hospital in Meru County

Diabetes is chronic metabolic disorder characterized by states of hyperglycemia with disturbances of carbohydrates, fat and protein metabolism. Diabetes affects millions of people globally every day and the prevalence of the disease is on the rise due to unhealthy diet and lifestyle. The disorder usually results to chronic complications including cardiovascular diseases, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic neuropathy, foot ulcers and diabetic eye diseases that are all preventable through secondary preventive measures. Once an individual has been diagnosed with T2DM, secondary preventive approaches are essential in preventing the occurrence of chronic complications. However, lack of awareness of these measures has been cited as the common reasons for the development of complications. The study aimed to assess the effect of social cultural and economic factors on the practice of secondary diabetes prevention among patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) at Consolata Hospital Nkubu and Meru Level Five Hospital between March and April 2019. A descriptive correlational study design was adopted to collect data from 357 purposively sampled participants with T2DM using questionnaires and Focus Group Discussion Guide. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 at 95% confidence interval and a significance level p ≤ 0.05. Most respondents attended Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital. Majority of the respondents were aged between 40 - 60 years. Most respondents 31.6% had secondary level of education and majority 67% was employed. Concerning secondary prevention, majority did foot examination on every visit 70.6% and BP monitoring 69.5% while 56.5% did annual eye screening. Level of income, affordability of services, health insurance cover of the patients, monthly cost of DM management and traditional beliefs in managing DM all significantly influenced DM secondary prevention at a p value ≤ 0.05. The factors need to be addressed to reduce the global burden posed by the disease.

Prevention of macrovascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: Review of cardiovascular safety and efficacy of newer diabetes medications

Lack of conclusive beneficial effects of strict glycemic control on macrovascular complications has been very frustrating for clinicians involved in care of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Highly publicized controversy surrounding cardiovascular (CV) safety of rosiglitazone resulted in major changes in United States Food and Drug Administration policy in 2008 regarding approval process of new antidiabetic medications, which has resulted in revolutionary data from several large CV outcome trials over the last few years. All drugs in glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor classes have shown to be CV safe with heterogeneous results on CV efficacy. Given twofold higher CV disease mortality in patients with DM than without DM, GLP-1 RAs and SGLT-2-inhibitors are important additions to clinician’s armamentarium and should be second line-therapy particularly in patients with T2DM and established atherosclerotic CV disease or high risks for CV disease. Abundance of data and heterogeneity in CV outcome trials results can make it difficult for clinicians, particularly primary care physicians, to stay updated with all the recent evidence. The scope of this comprehensive review will focus on all major CV outcome studies evaluating CV safety and efficacy of GLP-1 RAs and SGLT-2 inhibitors.

Cardiac rehabilitation and its essential role in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular diseases are the most common causes of mortality worldwide.They are frequently the reasons for patient hospitalization,their incapability for work,and disability.These diseases represent a significant socio-economic burden affecting the medical system as well as patients and their families.It has been demonstrated that the etiopathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases is significantly affected by lifestyle,and so modification of the latter is an essential component of both primary and secondary prevention.Cardiac rehabilitation(CR)represents an efficient secondary prevention model that is especially based on the positive effect of regular physical activity.This review presents an overview of basic information on CR with a focus on current trends,such as the issue of the various training modalities,utilization,and barriers to it or the use of telemedicine technologies.Appropriate attention should be devoted to these domains,as CR continues evolving as an effective and readily available intervention in the future.

Expression of p27Kip1, A Cell Cycle Repressor Protein with Dual Roles for Both Cancer Prevention and Promotion, Is Regulated Primarily at the Level of Unusual p27Kip1 mRNA—A Short Concept Proposal

The p27Kip1 is a cell cycle repressor protein that regulates primarily the cell cycle transition from G1 to S phase and hence the DNA replication is in the S phase and cell division in the M phase. Expression of p27Kip1 protein has dual roles for both cancer prevention and promotion. For example, numerous nutritional and chemopreventive anti-cancer agents specifically increase the expression of p27Kip1 protein without directly affecting the expression of any other cell cycle regulatory proteins. On the other hand, pro-cancer agents (like glucose, insulin and other growth factors frequently seen in obesity and/or diabetes) specifically decrease the expression of p27Kip1 protein without directly affecting the expression of any other cell cycle regulatory proteins. Unlike expression of any other cell cycle regulatory proteins, expression of p27Kip1 protein is very unusual. The mRNA of p27Kip1 has a very long and unusual 5’-untranslated region (from -575 to -1 in human). It appears that the 5’-untranslated region of p27Kip1 mRNA forms two alternative secondary structures. One increases the expression of p27Kip1 protein when anti-cancer agents are added and another decrease the expression of p27K1p1 when pro-cancer agents are added. For this short concept proposal, Dr. Albert Einstein’s “visualized thought experiments (German: Gedanken experiment)” were used as a fundamental tool for understanding how either anti- or pro-cancer agents bring the primary structure of the 5’-untranslated region of p27Kip1 mRNA into two alternative secondary structures, thereby either increasing or decreasing, respectively, the translation initiation of p27Kip1 protein.

Risk factors in cardiovascular patients:Challenges and opportunities to improve secondary prevention

BACKGROUND Effective management of major cardiovascular risk factors is of great importance to reduce mortality from cardiovascular disease(CVD).The Survey of Risk Factors in Coronary Heart Disease(SURF CHD)II study is a clinical audit of the recording and management of CHD risk factors.It was developed in collaboration with the European Association of Preventive Cardiology and the European Society of Cardiology(ESC).Previous studies have shown that control of major cardiovascular risk factors in patients with established atherosclerotic CVD is generally inadequate.Azerbaijan is a country in the South Caucasus,a region at a very high risk for CVD.AIM To assess adherence to ESC recommendations for secondary prevention of CVD based on the measurement of both modifiable major risk factors and their therapeutic management in patients with confirmed CHD at different hospitals in Baku(Azerbaijan).METHODS Six tertiary health care centers participated in the SURF CHD II study between 2019 and 2021.Information on demographics,risk factors,physical and laboratory data,and medications was collected using a standard questionnaire in consecutive patients aged≥18 years with established CHD during outpatient visits.Data from 687 patients(mean age 59.6±9.58 years;24.9%female)were included in the study.RESULTS Only 15.1%of participants were involved in cardiac rehabilitation programs.The rate of uncontrolled risk factors was high:Systolic blood pressure(BP)(SBP)(54.6%),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)(86.8%),diabetes mellitus(DM)(60.6%),as well as overweight(66.6%)and obesity(25%).In addition,significant differences in the prevalence and control of some risk factors[smoking,body mass index(BMI),waist circumference,blood glucose(BG),and SBP]between female and male participants were found.The cardiovascular health index score(CHIS)was calculated from the six risk factors:Non-or ex-smoker,BMI<25 kg/m2,moderate/vigorous physical activity,controlled BP(<140/90 mmHg;140/80 mmHg for patients with DM),controlled LDL-C(<70 mg/dL),and controlled BG(glycohemoglobin<7%or BG<126 mg/dL).Good,intermediate,and poor categories of CHIS were identified in 6%,58.3%,and 35.7%of patients,respectively(without statistical differences between female and male patients).CONCLUSION Implementation of the current ESC recommendations for CHD secondary prevention and,in particular,the control rate of BP,are insufficient.Given the fact that patients with different comorbid pathologies are at a very high risk,this is of great importance in the management of such patients.This should be taken into account by healthcare organizers when planning secondary prevention activities and public health protection measures,especially in the regions at a high risk for CVD.A wide range of educational products based on the Clinical Practice Guidelines should be used to improve the adherence of healthcare professionals and patients to the management of CVD risk factors.

Using Neural Networks to Predict Secondary Structure for Protein Folding

Protein Secondary Structure Prediction (PSSP) is considered as one of the major challenging tasks in bioinformatics, so many solutions have been proposed to solve that problem via trying to achieve more accurate prediction results. The goal of this paper is to develop and implement an intelligent based system to predict secondary structure of a protein from its primary amino acid sequence by using five models of Neural Network (NN). These models are Feed Forward Neural Network (FNN), Learning Vector Quantization (LVQ), Probabilistic Neural Network (PNN), Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), and CNN Fine Tuning for PSSP. To evaluate our approaches two datasets have been used. The first one contains 114 protein samples, and the second one contains 1845 protein samples.

Physical activity in primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease:Overview updated

Although the observed progress in the cardiovascular disease treatment, the incidence of new and recurrent coronary artery disease remains elevated and constitutes the leading cause of death in the developed countries. Three-quarters of deaths due to cardiovascular diseases could be prevented with adequate changes in lifestyle, including increased daily physical activity. New evidence confirms that there is an inverse dose-response relationship between physical activity and cardiovascular disease and mortality risk. However, participation in moderate to vigorous physical activity may not fully attenuate the independent effect of sedentary activities on increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. Physical activity also plays an important role in secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases by reducing the impact of the disease, slowing its progress and preventing recurrence. Nonetheless, most of eligible cardiovascular patients still do not benefit from secondary prevention/cardiac rehabilitation programs. The present review draws attention to the importance of physical activity in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. It also addresses the mechanisms by which physical activity and regular exercise can improve cardiovascular health and reduce the burden of the disease.

Role of Anti Angiogenic Therapy in Prevention of Recurrence in Hormonal Positive Breast Cancer: A Secondary Prevention Strategy and Method of Therapy

Existing literature supports the role of signaling protein vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in tumor growth and metastasis and furthers its involvement in recurrence. In both experimental and clinical studies, VEGF has been shown to be a significant factor involved for aberrant blood vessel growth, and in fact is the target of several classes of antineoplastic drugs [1] [2] [3] [4]. That said, the current standard of care for estrogen receptor positive breast cancer (although improved over the last decade), has not provided a “meaningful preventive shift” since the discovery of angiogenesis and its role in induction of recurrence. In this article, we discuss an anti angiogenic therapy implementing natural compounds to inhibit the production of VEGF. We applied our preclinical data to justify the predicted effect on VEGF. We used liquid biopsy to monitor patients response to therapy as a surrogate for recurrence. We hypothesize that by inhibition of angiogenesis through this protocol, we are able to positively impact tumor recurrence. It is our experience that patients in our sample even with high recurrence scores (based on Oncotype Dx testing) had a major reduction in recurrence when estrogen blockers were combined with this protocol. We also propose longitudinal studies to compare outcomes with combinational therapies with estrogen blockers in highly expected to recur disease.

Secondary Prevention Following Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: A Pilot Study for Improved Patient Education

Background: Sustained positive outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) requires risk factor modification and secondary prevention medications. Much attention has been focused on planning at hospital discharge;however longer-term patient compliance is not well described. Hypothesis: A follow-up multidisciplinary educational program improves disease understanding, motivation to reduce cardiovascular risk, and secondary prevention medication prescribing following hospital discharge. Methods: Using a prospective, randomized, controlled design, patients undergoing CABG completed surveys over a year period, assessing disease understanding and motivation. Four to six weeks after CABG, intervention subjects completed a one-time educational program with a multidisciplinary team. The primary endpoint was a composite score of reduced risk factors, medication use, and awareness of prescribed medications. Secondary endpoints evaluated survey scores and medication use rates. Wilcoxon Rank Sum and Chi Square tests compared data between specific time points. Generalized estimating equations and linear contrasts of the parameter estimates compared data at the three time points. Results: The final analysis included 98 subjects (Intervention = 49, Control = 49). The composite score was not different between groups (I = 12.8 ± 4.5 points, C = 12.7 ± 4.9 points, p = 0.9405). Improvements were noted in understanding and motivation in the entire cohort, but these changes were not influenced by the intervention. Medication prescribing declined at 3 and 12 months after CABG without significant differences between the groups. Conclusions: Disease understanding, motivation to reduce risk, and medication use are robust at hospital discharge but the latter declines with time and was not improved by our intervention. These findings are concerning and warrant further study.

Secondary prevention of recurrence by interferon therapy after ablation therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis C patients

Chronic hepatitis C is a leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide.Interferon (IFN) ther-apy decreases the incidence of HCC in patients with chronic hepatitis C.Prevention of chronic-hepatitis-C-related HCC is one of the most important issues in current hepatology.We have previously reported that male gender and high titer of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA are predictive factors for the development of HCC in HCV-related cirrhosis.Clinical efforts at eradicat-ing or reducing the viral load may reduce the risk for HCC.Furthermore,because HCC often recurs after ablation therapy,we performed a trial of IFN in pa-tients with chronic liver disease caused by HCV to see whether IFN therapy decreases recurrence after abla-tion therapy of HCV-related HCC.By using IFN therapy as a secondary prevention,patients with HCC who had received complete tumor ablation showed better sur-vival,primarily as a result of the preservation of liver function and also probably prevention of recurrence.Postoperative IFN therapy appears to decrease recur-rence after ablation therapy such as radiofrequency ablation (RFA) therapy of HCV-related HCC.We believe that there is a survival benefit in secondary prevention using IFN therapy.However,a controlled study is es-sential to obtain conclusive evidence of the efficacy of this strategy.

The influence of treatment modality on illness perception and secondary prevention outcomes among patients with acute myocardial infarction

Objectives:This study aims to determine if patients with acute myocardial infarction differ in illness perception and secondary prevention outcomes depending on the treatment they received.Methods:A repeated measures design was used to compare patients with acute myocardial infarction receiving three different treatment modalities:ST-elevation myocardial infarction treated by primary percutaneous coronary intervention,ST-elevation myocardial infarction treated by thrombolytic therapy,and non ST-elevation myocardial infarction treated by medication.A convenient sampling technique was used to recruit 206 patients with acute myocardial infarction who agreed to participate in the current study.Patients'illness perception,physical activity,and demographical and clinical data were collected during hospital admission and again at 6 months.Results:A total of 186 patients completed the study.Results showed that the primary percutaneous coronary intervention group perceived their illness as acute rather than chronic(P=0.034)and has lower personal control(P=0.032),higher treatment control(P=0.025),and higher perception of illness coherence(P=0.022)compared with patients receiving thrombolytic therapy and treated after non-ST segment infarction.Moreover,they report low control of their blood pressure(P=0.013)and less physical activity(P=0.001).Conclusion:The results of this study revealed that patients'treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention had negative illness perception and limited behavioral changes 6 months after hospitalization in comparison with other treatment modalities such as percutaneous coronary intervention and thrombolytic treatment.Further research is recommended to confirm this association with longer follow-up study and among different cultures.

Awareness intervention for Beijing neurologists regarding secondary prevention of cerebral infarction/transient ischemia Cross-sectional investigation

BACKGROUND： Stroke prevention guidelines should be made available application to aid in uniformity, timing, preciseness, and acceptance of disease. OBJECTIVE： To investigate the awareness of neurologists in some Beijing secondary prevention of cerebral infarction/transient ischemia. DESIGN： Cross-sectional study. to neurologists for clinical hospitals of intervention in SETTING： Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, General Hospital of Beijing Military Area, Command of Chinese PLA, Beijing Chuiyangliu Hospital, Beijing 6^th Hospital, Beijing Hepingli Hospital, and Beijing Daxing District Hospital. PARTICIPANTS： A total of 28 （associate） chief physicians, 58 attending physicians, and 54 resident physicians who engaged in clinical treatment of cerebrovascular diseases were selected from 8 hospitals in Beijing from March to April 2007. All physicians provided informed consent. METHODS： Self-made closed questionnaires were provided for data collection, consisting of 16 questions that were single choice or multiple choice. Specifically, questions 1-7 focused on awareness of blood pressure regulation in different patients and first choice of decompression drug; questions 8-12 focused on awareness of lipid regulation; and questions 13-16 focused on awareness of anti-blood platelet drugs applied in secondary prevention. The scores ranged from 0-100 points, and each question was worth 6.25 points. The scores positively correlated with the awareness rate. To test leveling real-time, the survey lasted for a maximum of 20 minutes. One questionnaire was independently finished by each subject in the survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Awareness intervention among neurologists during secondary prevention of cerebral infarction/transient ischemia and questionnaire scores. RESULTS： 140 subjects were included in the final analysis. ① The awareness rate among neurologists for intervention during secondary prevention of cerebral infarction/transient ischemia ranged from 0.7-57.9%, the scores ranged between 0-56 points, and the mean score was 26 points.② Scores of resident physicians were 0-56 points with a mean score of 26 points; attending physicians scored 6-50 points, with a mean score of 26 points; and chief physicians scored 6-50 points, with a mean score of 23 points. There were no significant differences among the various physicians （F = 0.771, t = 0.465, P 〉 0.05）. CONCLUSION： Awareness among neurologists of intervention during secondary prevention of cerebral infarction/transient ischemia is not ideal. However, there was no significant difference between professional titles.

Exploring the Role of Nutraceuticals (Red Yeast Rice) in Secondary Prevention: A New Pathway Can Be Opened

Background: Long-term survival in acute coronary syndrome has increased steadily in the last decades. Follow-up studies developed in this patient clearly reveal that they are at risk of suffering a new event, placing them in a new stage, secondary prevention. Assuming this increased risk, the control target of their cardiovascular risk factors become more ambitious. In this field, control of Cholesterol levels, particularly LDL-C, has arisen as a priority objective in patients with coronary arterial disease. In this sense, management of dyslipidemia guidelines, recently recognises the role of functional food, highlighting among them is the Red Yeast Rice (RYR). The aim of the study is to establish the potential role of functional food, in secondary prevention, while determining its additional capacity to reduce LDL-C in patients that despite optimal classic treatment (maximum tolerated dose of stain plus Ezetimibe) is still out of control objectives. Results and Discussion: 88 patients were included and after 3 months of treatment with RYR, their lipid profiles were compared with the baseline. The variation of T-Col, LDL-C and Trig were statistically significant. A reduction in LDL-C was 10.73 mg/dL, which means a 10.93% of additional reduction over the standard therapy the patients were receiving. Concerning security, no relevant side effects were reported when adding RYR, even in a relevant percentage (35.4%), myalgia disappeared (especially when reducing the titrating dose of the statin). Conclusion: Adding RYR in secondary prevention patients in combination with the usual treatment, seems to be an effective alternative to optimize LDL levels and thus gets closer to the target set in the guidelines, without adding relevant side effects, and even improving tolerance to the statins.

Myocardial infarction secondary prevention study (MISPS)

Background Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), especially herbal medicine, has been widely used in China and now is also being increasingly used in other countries for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Although many studies have demonstrated that certain Chinese herbal products are effective and safe for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, most of these lack sufficient quality. Therefore, large randomized clinical trials and further scientific research to determine its safety, effectiveness are necessary.QiShen YiQi Dripping Pills (QSYQDP) is a herbal preparation clinically used in the treatment and prevention of coronary artery disease. Preliminary observations have shown its safety and effectiveness. Methods/Design This randomized, controlled trial will recruit 3600 patients with a history of myocardial infarction. Patients will be randomized into two groups by a Centr-Randomized System. One group receives QSYQDP, the other group receive aspirin. This trial protocol will describe eligibility criteria, detailed information on the treatment definition, blinding, endpoints, statistical methods, sample size determination, data management, legal aspects, and the current status of the trial. Discussion This trial is one of the first randomized, controlled clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of traditional Chinese herbal medicine in the treatment and secondary prevention of coronary artery disease. The results of this study should help to define the role of TCM in modern medical care, as well as to provide the management strategy for CAD patients in China and other countries.

A Commentary on the Chinese Coronary Secondary Prevention Study

Chinese coronary secondary prevention study （CCSPS） is a key project in the field of medicine of the Ninth Five-year Plan of China, and is also called the Study of Xuezhikang Capsule （血脂康胶囊, XZK）in regulating blood lipids for secondary prevention of coronary heart diseases .Since the results of the study was publicized in June 2004 at the news release and deliberation by experts took place in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, wide attention and high opinions have been gotten, and at the same time,

JUPITER and satellites:Clinical implications of the JUPITER study and its secondary analyses

The justification for the use of statins in prevention: an intervention trial evaluating rosuvastatin(JUPITER) study was a real breakthrough in primary cardiovascular disease prevention with statins,since it was conducted in apparently healthy individuals with normal levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C <130 mg/dL)and increased inflammatory state,reflected by a high concentration of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP≥2 mg/L).These individuals would not have qualified for statin treatment according to current treatment guidelines.In JUPITER,rosuvastatin was associated with significant reductions in cardiovascular outcomes as well as in overall mortality compared with placebo.In this paper the most important secondary analyses of the JUPITER trial are discussed,by focusing on their novel findings regarding the role of statins in primary prevention.Also,the characteristics of otherwise healthy normocholesterolemic subjects who are anticipated to benefit more from statin treatment in the clinical setting are discussed.Subjects at"intermediate"or"high"10-year risk according to the Framingham score,those who exhibit low post-treatment levels of both LDL-C(< 70 mg/dL)and hs-CRP(<1 mg/L),who are 70 years of age or older,as well as those with moderate chronic kidney disease(estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min every 1.73 m2)are anticipated to benefit more from statin treatment.Unlikely other statin primary prevention trials,JUPITER added to our knowledge that statins may be effective drugs in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in normocholesterolemic individuals at moderate-to-high risk.Also,statin treatment may reduce the risk of venous thromboembolism and preserve renal function.An increase in physician-reported diabetes represents a major safety concern associated with the use of the most potent statins.

Beliefs and practices of young women on utilization of prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV services in Malawi

This study explored beliefs and actual practices of young women on utilization of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV services in Balaka district of Southern Malawi. The study design wascross sectional which utilized qualitative data collection and analysis methods. In-depth interviews were conducted on 12 young mothers of 15 to 24 years old. The respondents were drawn from 6 health centres in the district during their visits to either the under-five clinic, HIV and AIDS support groups or HIV follow up clinics. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis approach. Overall the respondents had positive beliefs on utilization of PMTCT services. They believed that adherence to PMTCT guidelines such as condom use, taking of Nevirapine (NVP) and exclusive breastfeeding protected the baby from contracting the virus. Nevertheless, all respondents believed that HIV testing was mandatory and that early weaning caused malnutrition and death of babies. Actual practice was very low. Very few young mothers breastfed exclusively, weaned their babies abruptly and took NVP as recommended. Not all positive beliefs translated into positive behavior. Lack of male support, inability of the midwives to provide comprehensive care to HIV infected mothers and their infants, and fear of stigma and discrimination were other factors that hindered utilization of PMTCT services. Culture was also a major barrier because traditionally babies are expected to be breastfed and supplements are fed to babies too. Therefore, there is a need to mobilize communities on PMTCT of HIV. Education programmes in HIV should emphasize behavior change interventions and should focus on both men and women and significant others. There is also need to intensify monitoring and evaluation of health workers’ activities to ensure that beliefs translate into positive behavior.