Postprandial hypotension in the elderly: Findings in a Mexican population.

OBJECTIVE: Postprandial hypotension is a known cause of syncope in the elderly. Its prevalence is unknown in our country. METHODS: A prospective cross-sectional study was performed to determine PPH's Prevalence in elderly adults of both an urban and a rural Community in the State of Queretaro. Blood pressure measurements included a basal pre-prandial record, minute 0 recording at the moment they finished the meal and every 10 min until a 90 min record was complete. We included a medical history, a mental state test for cognitive evaluation (Minimental) and Minnesota Quality of life score and a food macronutrient composition analysis. RESULTS: We included 256 subjects, 78.1 ± 8.8 years old, 195 (76.2%) female. Two-hundred and five subjects (80.1%) had Postprandial hypotension after one or both analyzed meals, with non-significant differences in the studied items. Sixty-six (26.2%) patients had "significant postprandial hypotension". Patients living in a special care facility had more postprandial hypotension than people at the family home (87-3% vs 69.8% respectively, p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Post-prandial hypotension is a common finding in this elderly population. We did not find distinctive conditions or markers that allow identification of subjects at risk for postprandial hypotension and its complications. This should prompt for routine screenings in specialized facilities to prevent complications.

Ambulatory postural blood pressure changes and history allow a better selection of patients that should undergo a head-up tilt test.

BACKGROUND: Syncope is a common symptom and in most cases it is of a neurally mediated origin. Such patients have to be studied with a careful history and a physical exploration that should include simple maneuvers such as blood pressure (BP) recordings in decubitus and standing position. These tools can suggest diagnosis in a good percentage of patients without the need for expensive or invasive testing. METHODS: We carried out a prospective observational study measuring BP and heart rate (HR) with the patients in decubitus and just as they stood up. The patients were sent for a tilt table test in different specialized centers. The BP changes were compared to the results of the tilt test. RESULTS: We included 215 patients, 36.1 ± 18.8 years old, 118 (54.9%) feminine, of which 143 (66.5%) had a positive tilt test. Patients with a positive test showed a rise in systolic BP (SBP) (121.7 ± 19.1 vs. 124.2 ± 20, p < 0.005) and in diastolic BP (DBP) (75 ± 11 vs. 78 ± 11.3, p < 0.005) when compared to people with a negative one. On the other hand, percentage BP changes were significantly different (SBP 2.24% vs. 0.48%, p = 0.02; DBP 4.1% vs. 1.2%, p = 0.009). Patients with a positive test had also a lower HR on standing up (72.1 ± ± 11.1 vs. 78.3 ± 17.2, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with neurally mediated syncope showed an elevation of SBP and DBP when standing up actively, unlike subjects with a negative tilt test.

Miocardiopatía del atleta / Athlete's cardiomyopathy

La práctica de los deportes de alto nivel es cada vez más común. En el presente trabajo se revisa una serie de conceptos sobre la muerte súbita en atletas y cómo se puede incluir el concepto de "miocardiopatía del atleta" en el conocimiento disponible hasta la fecha. La prevalencia de muerte súbita en atletas es mayor que en la población general (1.5:100,000 contra 0.2:100,000 respectivamente). Esta diferencia puede ser secundaria a ciertos cambios miocárdicos derivados del ejercicio de resistencia. Consistentemente se han estado describiendo cambios anatómicos y funcionales de predominio ventricular derecho que semejan a una displasia arritmogénica, lo que da lugar a la hipótesis de que el ejercicio de resistencia de alto nivel puede inducir una forma de miocardiopatía que explica un cierto número de casos de muerte súbita en atletas. Los profesionales de la salud deben conocer esta posibilidad de riesgo en atletas entrenados, al tiempo que deben estimular la realización de ejercicio moderado regular como una práctica saludable en la población general.

High performance sports practice is more common every day. In the present work we evaluate several concepts regarding sudden death among athletes and the recently described "Athlete's cardiomyopathy". The prevalence of sudden death among athletes is higher than among the general population (1.5:100,000 versus 0.2:100,000 respectively). This difference can be related to myocardial changes derived from endurance exercise. There are consistent descriptions of anatomical and functional changes, more specific to the right ventricle that simulate an arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy. This can originate the hypothesis that such a cardiomyopathy can explain a certain number of sudden deaths among athletes. As healthcare professionals we have to be aware of this possibility among trained athletes, although we must continue to encourage moderate physical activity as a healthy behaviour among the general population.