The New Zealand medical journal
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Thromboprophylaxis is highly effective, safe and cost-effective. However, data from international studies have shown that many at-risk hospitalised patients do not receive appropriate prophylaxis, leaving them at risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and its consequences. ⋯ A significant number of at-risk patients, who subsequently developed VTE after discharge from hospital, failed to receive appropriate thromboprophylaxis during their index admission. Implementing national and local strategies, to improve the use of thromboprophylaxis in hospitalised patients, may help to reduce the burden of VTE.
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To compare the calibration performance of the original Framingham Heart Study risk prediction score for cardiovascular disease and an adjusted version of the Framingham score used in current New Zealand cardiovascular risk management guidelines for high and low risk ethnic groups. ⋯ The original Framingham Heart Study risk prediction score overestimates risk for the New Zealand European population but underestimates risk for the combined high risk ethnic populations. However the adjusted Framingham score used in New Zealand clinical guidelines overcompensates for this underestimate, resulting in a score that overestimates risk among the European, Maori, Pacific and Indian ethnic populations at all predicted risk levels. When sufficient person years of follow-up are available in the PREDICT cohort, new cardiovascular risk prediction scores should be developed for each of the ethnic groups to allow for more accurate risk prediction and targeting of treatment.
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Comparative Study
Characteristics and quitting success of roll-your-own versus tailor-made cigarette smokers.
Roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco use is exceptionally high in New Zealand with 61% of current smokers using it exclusively or in conjunction with tailor-made (TM) cigarettes. This study examines the characteristics of RYO users and their likelihood of quitting smoking compared to TM and mixed tobacco users. ⋯ This study confirms the different characteristics of RYO, TM and mixed tobacco users, and fills a gap of limited research about quitting success of RYO smokers.