Systematic review of women's knowledge of warning signals and risk factors of stroke

Systematic review of women's knowledge of warning signals and risk factors of stroke

ARTICLE IN PRESS 230 Abstracts / European Journal of Integrative Medicine 1 (2009) 223–260 Cardiovascular diseases PO-012 Integrated treatment of c...

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ARTICLE IN PRESS 230

Abstracts / European Journal of Integrative Medicine 1 (2009) 223–260

Cardiovascular diseases

PO-012 Integrated treatment of cardiovascular common pathologies with conventional pharmacological therapy integrated with a typical remedy of anthroposophic medicine, Cardiodoron (Onopordon/Primula comp) E. Mariania, C. Donarinia, D. Grampellaa, T. Guerrerioa, G. Landonia, E. Portalupib

The department records since 2000 are being included in a database in order to have an overview of the value added of Cardiodoron treatment. Preliminary results will be presented. 10.1016/j.eujim.2009.08.015

PO-013

a

Istituto Clinico San Siro, General Medicine, Milano, Italy b ARESMA, Milano, Italy Anthroposophic medicine (AM) in Italy is mostly practiced in private settings: practices, multidisciplinary day-centers and a thermal clinic. In the General Medicine Department of the Istituto Clinico San Siro (ICSS), in Milan, AM has been used since 2000 in an integrated context, as a complementary or alternative treatment to conventional therapies. The department has one ambulance and 10 beds and treats acute, subacute and chronic orthopedic, postoperative, cardiovascular and oncological pathologies. Approximately 250 patients are treated each year. ICSS is a private clinic operating under a convention with the Italian NHS. The department medical team practices also anthroposophic medicine. At the beginning of XX century, the typical remedy Cardiodoron (a special composition of Onopordon acanthium, Primula officinalis, Hyoscyamus niger) was introduced in the context of AM for regulating cardiovascular system. Typical remedies have been conceived as image and support of the healthy balance of an organ, or an organ system or of a human complex function. In the ICSS department, patients with diagnose of heart failure, arrhythmia and hypertension, after giving their consent, receive systematically also oral Cardiodoron as a longterm regulating treatment. Since 2000, over 2000 patients have been treated and registered in the department. Both conventional and anthroposophical treatments are paid by the Italian NHS. The compliance to AM is high. To have an assessment of Cardiodoron use, 30 records of inpatients with heart failure (NYHA II/III) from period 2002 to 2003 have been randomly selected and statistically analysed in a pilot epidemiological–clinical observational study. The 30 patients (19 female, 11 male), mean age 78.9–78.5, respectively, were monitored with instant and Holter ECG, arterial pressure and cenesthesis. Improvement of these parameters and a quick disappearance of fear and anxiety were reported in all patients. In the present study, it was not possible to differentiate the effect of conventional and anthroposophical treatments, administered together. The hypothesis is of an optimising therapeutic effect of conventional therapies given by Cardiodoron.

Systematic review of women’s knowledge of warning signals and risk factors of stroke N. Stroebele, F. Mu¨ller-Riemenschneider, C. Nolte, S. Willich Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charite´ University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany Effective stroke risk reduction also depends on the public’s knowledge of stroke. To determine people’s knowledge of stroke and possible gender differences in knowledge of stroke warning signals and risk factors a systematic review of the literature was conducted. Studies published up to August 2008 were searched using MEDLINE and EMBASE. Studies were eligible if the research question addressed stroke knowledge, if results were reported separated by gender (or women only), and if they focused on adult populations. In total, 2158 studies were identified and 22 studies (20 cross-sectional, 2 longitudinal) were included in the review. Overall, there seems to be only inadequate knowledge of both warning signals and risk factors in the general population of various countries including but not limited to the US, Australia, India, Ireland, Germany and Spain. Knowledge of stroke risk factors appears to be especially limited. Women appear to be better at recognizing and naming warning signals as well as risk factors compared to men. Eight out of 15 studies reported better knowledge of warning signals in women. For risk factors, 8 out of 18 studies reported no gender differences whereas 4 studies reported a better knowledge in women. In addition, younger women as well as women with lower socioeconomic status seem to show a lack in knowledge in both warning signals and risk factors for stroke. Successful strategies for increasing stroke knowledge in the general population and especially in women with limited knowledge are urgently needed to improve prompt medical attention and to decrease the global stroke incidence. 10.1016/j.eujim.2009.08.016