Background: Myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery (MINS) was defined as prognostically relevant myocardial injury due to ischemia that occurs during or within 30 days after noncardiac surgery. The study’s four objectives were to determine the diagnostic criteria, characteristics, predictors, and 30-day outcomes of MINS. Methods: In this international, prospective cohort study of 15,065 patients aged 45 yr or older who underwent in-patient noncardiac surgery, troponin T was measured during the first 3 postoperative days. Patients with a troponin T level of 0.04 ng/ml or greater (elevated “abnormal” laboratory threshold) were assessed for ischemic features (i.e., ischemic symptoms and electrocardiography findings). Patients adjudicated as having a nonischemic troponin elevation (e.g., sepsis) were excluded. To establish diagnostic criteria for MINS, the authors used Cox regression analyses in which the dependent variable was 30-day mortality (260 deaths) and independent variables included preoperative variables, perioperative complications, and potential MINS diagnostic criteria. Results: An elevated troponin after noncardiac surgery, irrespective of the presence of an ischemic feature, independently predicted 30-day mortality. Therefore, the authors’ diagnostic criterion for MINS was a peak troponin T level of 0.03 ng/ml or greater judged due to myocardial ischemia. MINS was an independent predictor of 30-day mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.87; 95% CI, 2.96–5.08) and had the highest population-attributable risk (34.0%, 95% CI, 26.6–41.5) of the perioperative complications. Twelve hundred patients (8.0%) suffered MINS, and 58.2% of these patients would not have fulfilled the universal definition of myocardial infarction. Only 15.8% of patients with MINS experienced an ischemic symptom. Conclusion: Among adults undergoing noncardiac surgery, MINS is common and associated with substantial mortality.

Isometric handgrip or (wall) squat exercise performed three times per week produces reductions in systolic blood pressure (SBP) in adults with hypertension. We aimed to compare these interventions and the potential to retain benefits with one exercise session per week. We compared blood pressure changes following handgrip and squat isometric training interventions with controls in a randomized controlled multicentre trial in 77 unmedicated hypertensive (SBP ≥ 130 mmHg) adults. Exercise sessions were performed in the workplace and consisted of four repetitions—three sessions per week for the first 12 weeks (phase 1), and one session per week for the subsequent 12 weeks (phase 2). Office blood pressure (BP) was measured at baseline, post‐phase 1 and post‐phase 2. Post‐phase 1, mean reductions in SBP were significantly greater in handgrip (–11.2 mmHg, n = 28) and squat (–12.9 mmHg, n = 27) groups than in controls (–.4 mmHg; n = 22) but changes in DBP were not. There were no significant within‐group changes during phase 2 but SBP was 3.8 mmHg lower in the wall squat than the handgrip group—a small magnitude but clinically important difference. While both interventions produced significant SBP reductions, the wall squat appears to be more effective in maintaining benefits with a minimal training dose. The low time investment to achieve and retain clinically significant SBP reductions—42 and 12 min, respectively—and minimal cost, particularly of the wall squat, make it a promising intervention for delivery in public health settings.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a disorder associated with an increased risk for the development of diabetes mellitus and its complications. Lower isometric handgrip strength (HGS) is associated with an increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases. However, the association between HGS and arterial stiffness parameters, which are considered the predictors of morbidity and mortality in individuals with MetS, is not well defined. Objective: To determine the association between HGS and HGS asymmetry on components of vascular function in adults with MetS. Methods: We measured handgrip strength normalized to bodyweight (HGS/kg), HGS asymmetry, body composition, blood glucose, lipid profile, blood pressure, pulse wave velocity (PWV), reflection coefficient (RC), augmentation index @75 bpm (AIx@75) and peripheral vascular resistance (PVR) in 55 adults with a diagnosis of MetS between 25 and 54 years old. Results: Mean age was 43.1 ± 7.0 years, 56.3% were females. HGS/kg was negatively correlated with AIx@75 (r = −0.440), p < 0.05, but these associations were not significant after adjusting for age and sex. However, when interaction effects between sex, HGS/kg and age were examined, we observed an inverse relationship between HGS/kg and AIx@75 in the older adults in the sample, whereas in the younger adults, a weak direct association was found. We also found a significant association between HGS asymmetry and PVR (beta = 30, 95% CI = 7.02; 54.2; p <0.012). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that in people with MetS, maintaining muscle strength may have an increasingly important role in older age in the attenuation of age-related increases in AIx@75—a marker of vascular stiffness—and that a higher HGS asymmetry could be associated with a greater vascular resistance.

Introducción: La experiencia del cáncer afecta las dimensiones de la Calidad de vida (CV); la adherencia al tratamiento oncológico es un asunto poco descrito en la literatura científica, sin embargo, éste puede guardar relación con la calidad de vida de personas con enfermedad crónica oncológica, sobre todo en los primeros meses del diagnóstico. Materiales y Métodos: Estudio descriptivo, de correlación, cuantitativo y corte transversal. Participaron 158 personas con enfermedad crónica oncológica diagnosticadas entre 0 y 6 meses que asisten a una institución de tercer nivel de atención en salud de Bucaramanga, Colombia. Se aplicó la Escala de Calidad de vida versión paciente y el Instrumento para Evaluar los Factores que Influyen en la Adherencia a los Tratamientos Farmacológicos y no Farmacológicos en Pacientes con Riesgo de Enfermedad Cardiovascular. Para el análisis se utilizó estadística descriptiva y coeficiente de correlación lineal de Pearson. Resultados: La muestra, mayoritariamente mujeres, mayores de 60 años, de estratos bajos, dedicadas al hogar, principalmente con cáncer de mama, cérvix, piel; se observó analfabetismo en el 15%. La CV mostro media de 104.17 (DE 16.71). El 51% se ubicó en bajo riesgo y 41.75 riesgo medio para no adherirse. Se encontró relación débil positiva entre las dos variables r=,232 p=0,003. Discusión: La correlación lineal entre las dos variables en los pacientes con cáncer es menor que la descrita en estudios de otras condiciones de enfermedades crónicas no trasmisibles y crónicas infecciosas. Conclusiones: Hay relación débil entre la CV y los grados de riesgo para la adherencia al tratamiento y de las mismas con las dimensiones de cada variable.Cómo citar este artículo: Castañeda ÁH. Calidad de vida y adherencia al tratamiento de personas con enfermedad crónica oncológica. Rev Cuid. 2015; 6(1): 906-13. http://dx.doi.org/10.15649/cuidarte.v6i1.146

Introduction: Low muscle strength is a risk factor for various health conditions such as cardiometabolic diseases, neurodegenerative syndromes and mortality. Objective: Evaluate the knowledge of muscle strength in health professionals in Colombia. Materials and Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in health professionals attending two continuing medical education events. Three components were evaluated through a questionnaire: identification of muscle strength as a risk factor for health conditions, measurement of muscle strength and education in muscle strength. Results: 501 participants (52.49% women) were evaluated. Of these, 53.89% (n=270) were general practitioners, 18.16% (n=91) specialists and 6.18% (n=31) nurses. The association between low muscle strength and cardiometabolic diseases was identified by 56.67% (n=153) of general practitioners and 41.94% (n=13) of nurses. The indication for measuring muscle strength in older adults was recognized by 86.81% (n=79) of specialist physicians and 41.94% (n=13) of nurses. 32.93% (n=165) of the participants were aware of some method for measurement. Physiotherapists were the group that mostly reported measuring muscle strength by 83.33% (n=20). Only 29.03% (n=9) of the nurses had received academic information on muscle strength. Discussion and Conclusions: This study demonstrates the lack of knowledge on low muscle strength, its association with health conditions and measurement methods, and the lack of information about published literature on the subject. Educational interventions are needed to incorporate muscular strength evaluation into the clinical practice.

Introduction: Low medication adherence and low hypertension control are a public health challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Healthcare system- and patient-related barriers hinder the successful management of hypertension. This study aimed to identify the perceptions of barriers and facilitators to hypertension management among health system stakeholders in Santander, Colombia. Materials and Methods: We conducted a qualitative, phenomenological, and interpretative study, comprising five focus groups, to explore the barriers and facilitators to managing people with hypertension. Each focus group was formed by stakeholders from territorial entities, healthcare insurers, or healthcare providers. Meetings were held between December 2022 and February 2023. The sessions were recorded and transcribed using NVivo Transcription and analyzed using NVivo version 1.6.1. Results: Seven categories of barriers and facilitators were identified: strategies, resources, access, risk assessment, cross-sector collaboration, articulation, and stewardship. Of these categories, articulation and stewardship emerged as the main barriers, as revealed through axial coding and cluster analysis, which highlighted deficiencies in stewardship practices, a lack of clear objectives, and misalignment with public policy frameworks. Conclusions: Multisectoral actions extending beyond healthcare providers and aimed at improving coordination and intersectoral collaboration are essential for enhancing hypertension control in LMICs, such as Colombia. Addressing social determinants and strengthening primary healthcare through community-based strategies are critical, making stewardship and improved access key priorities.