The Canadian journal of cardiology
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Prevalence surveys have consistently found that the blood pressure control rate among people with hypertension is less than 25%. Studies of telemedicine as a means of providing care to hypertensive patients have shown that this approach is effective in lowering blood pressure. Major design flaws and high operating costs, however, have hindered its adoption by physicians and patients. ⋯ This tightly focused qualitative study led to the development of design principles for a prototype system, increasing the likelihood of user acceptance and improving its effectiveness.
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Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common adult arrhythmia, and significantly increases the risk of ischemic stroke. Oral anticoagulation may be underused and may be less effective in community settings than clinical trial settings. ⋯ Warfarin use was found to significantly reduce the rate of thromboembolic events without a concomitant increase in hemorrhagic events. The present study confirms the effectiveness of warfarin therapy in a population-based cohort.