Showing papers by "Thomas F. Lüscher published in 1983"

A Comparative Study Between 100mg Atenolol and 20mg Pindolol Slow-Release in Essential Hypertension

Abstract: After a wash-out period of 2 weeks in pretreated cases, 103 patients were randomly allocated to either atenolol, 1 × 100mg per day or pindolol, 1 × 20mg slow-release (SR) per day. ‘Responders’ (diastolic blood pressure ⩽ 95mm Hg) continued with the prescribed β-blocker, while the remainder (diastolic blood pressure > 95mm Hg and/or intolerable side effects) switched over to the other β-blocking agent and were re-classified 2 weeks later. Patients unresponsive to atenolol and pindolol were given propranolol, 1 × 160mg SR per day.

Problem cases in renovascular hypertension.

Abstract: The clinical course and response to therapy of 16 patients with various complex forms of renovascular hypertension were investigated. Reconstructive surgery and/or transluminal dilatation was either ineffective (n = 5) or could not be performed for technical reasons (n = 11). The group contained 7 patients with multilocular fibromuscular disease involving both renal arteries, two cases with multiple arteriosclerotic vascular occlusions, 3 patients with branch renal artery aneurysms, 3 with renal artery stenosis in a solitary kidney and one patient with renal artery stenosis and contraction of the contralateral kidney due to a non-vascular cause. With antihypertensive treatment, particularly with the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor captopril (n = 7), blood pressure could be reduced from 214 +/- 40/124 +/- 23 mm Hg to 145 +/- 23/88 +/- 9 mm Hg (P less than 0.001). In 11 of the 16 patients (69%) the values decreased to less than 160/95 mm Hg. These results suggest that, in complex forms of renovascular hypertension, antihypertensive treatment may be a potent therapeutic alternative if surgery and/or transluminal dilatation can not be performed or seem to have too high a risk.

[A slide program on hypertension and obesity: a simple method of patient information].

Abstract: It is well established that information on their disease is one of the prerequisites for improvement of patients' compliance with therapy. The authors have therefore developed a simple slide program presenting information on hypertension and obesity. Consisting of 52 slides, it was shown in the central waiting room of the medical outpatient department at the University Hospital, Zurich. In order to assess learning, 841 patients were asked to fill in a questionnaire. 485 had seen the program and 356 served as controls with the program switched off. Four main results emerged: 1. The percentage of subjects scoring greater than or equal to 4 correct answers (of a maximum of 5) rose significantly from 22.6% to 64.2%. 2. The number of incorrect answers (maximum 3) remained unchanged. 3. Learning decreased with age. 4. Occupation did not have a significant effect on learning. The results clearly show that the program represents an effective method of teaching patients and may therefore serve to improve compliance with therapy.