Characteristics of Citizens and Their Use of Teleconsultations in Primary Care in the Catalan Public Health System Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Retrospective Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: eConsulta-that is, asynchronous, two-way teleconsultation in primary care-is one of the most important telemedicine developments in the Catalan public health system, a service that has been heavily boosted by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is vital to know the characteristics of its users in order to be able to meet their needs and understand the coverage of this service in a context where there is reduced accessibility to the health system. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to analyze the profile of the citizens who use the eConsulta tool and the reasons for their use, as well as to gain an understanding of the elements that characterize their decision to use it while distinguishing between those who used it before and those who have used it since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A descriptive, observational study based on administrative data was performed. This study differentiates between the COVID-19 pandemic era and the period preceding it, considering the day the state of emergency was declared in Spain (ie, March 12, 2020) as the cut-off point. It also differentiates between eConsulta users who send messages and those who only receive them. RESULTS: During the pandemic, the number of unique users of this teleconsultation service had almost tripled, with up to 33.10 visits per 1000 inhabitants per month reported in the first three months. For the two user profiles analyzed, most users since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak were predominantly female, systematically younger, more actively employed, and with less complex pathologies. Furthermore, eConsulta users received more messages proactively from the health professionals. There was also a relative decrease in the number of conversations initiated by higher-income urban users and an increase in conversations initiated by users in rural areas. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has helped to generalize the use of telemedicine as a tool to compensate, to some extent, for the decline in face-to-face visits, especially among younger citizens in Catalonia. Telemedicine has made it possible to maintain contact between citizens and the health care system in the context of maximum complexity.

Factores de riesgo cardiovascular en el tratamiento crónico con antipsicóticos en atención primaria / Cardiovascular risk factors in chronic treatment with antipsychotic agents used in primary care

Objetivo. Comparar la prevalencia de factores de riesgo cardiovascular (FRCV) y eventos vasculares en pacientes tratados con antipsicoticos, comparandolos con los no tratados. Sujetos y métodos. Estudio descriptivo transversal de pacientes atendidos en atencion primaria de la ciudad de Barcelona y tratados con antipsicoticos entre el 2008 y el 2010, comparandolos con una poblacion no tratada. Se registraron las variables antropometricas y clinicas y los FRCV. Se estudio por separado a pacientes adultos y ancianos, y a los tratados con antipsicoticos tipicos y atipicos. Resultados. Un total de 14.087 pacientes habian sido tratados con antipsicoticos (63,4% atipicos). El mas prescrito fue la risperidona. Se aparejaron 13.724 pacientes de la misma edad y genero, pero no tratados (n total = 27.811). Los tratados con antipsicoticos presentaron una prevalencia superior de obesidad (16,9% frente a 10,6%), tabaquismo (22,2% frente a 11,1%), diabetes mellitus (16% frente a 11,9%) y dislipemia (32,8% frente a 25,8%) (p < 0,001). La prevalencia de accidente vascular cerebral fue significativamente superior entre los tratados, tanto en los adultos (odds ratio = 2,33) como en los ancianos (odds ratio = 1,64). La prevalencia de cardiopatia isquemica fue similar en ambos grupos (odds ratio = 0,97). No se observaron diferencias significativas entre los tratados con un antipsicotico tipico o atipico. Conclusiones. Los pacientes tratados con antipsicoticos presentaron una mayor prevalencia de FRCV (diabetes, obesidad y tabaquismo). La presencia de ictus fue superior entre los tratados con antipsicoticos. No se detectaron diferencias importantes entre los pacientes tratados con antipsicoticos tipicos y atípicos (AU)

Cardiovascular risk factors in chronic treatment with antipsychotic agents used in primary care (AU)

Cardiovascular risk factors in chronic treatment with antipsychotic agents used in primary care.

AIM: To compare the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) and vascular events, between patients treated and untreated with antipsychotic drugs. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was done in Barcelona. We compared patients attended in Primary Health Care Centres, treated with or without antipsychotics between 2008 and 2010. Anthropometric measurements, clinical variables, and CVRF were assessed. Adult and elderly patients, typical and atypical antipsychotics, were studied separately. RESULTS: 14,087 patients had been prescribed antipsychotics (63.4% atypical), the most common being risperidone. We selected 13,724 patients with the same age and gender but not treated (total of 27,811 patients). Patients receiving antipsychotic had higher prevalence of obesity (16.9% vs. 11.9%), smoking (22.2% vs. 11.1%), diabetes mellitus (16% vs. 11.9%), and dyslipidemia (32.8% vs. 25.8%) (p < 0.001). The prevalence of stroke was significantly higher in the treated patients, both in adults (odds ratio = 2.33) and the elderly (odds ratio = 1.64). The prevalence of coronary heart disease was similar in both groups (odds ratio = 0.97). Among patients treated with antipsychotic, differences were not observed depending typical or atypical ones. CONCLUSIONS: Patients treated with antipsychotic drugs had a greater prevalence of several CVRF (diabetes mellitus, obesity, and smoking). The presence of stroke was higher in those treated with antipsychotics. No relevant differences were observed between patients receiving typical or atypical antipsychotics.

TITLE: Factores de riesgo cardiovascular en el tratamiento cronico con antipsicoticos en atencion primaria.Objetivo. Comparar la prevalencia de factores de riesgo cardiovascular (FRCV) y eventos vasculares en pacientes tratados con antipsicoticos, comparandolos con los no tratados. Sujetos y metodos. Estudio descriptivo transversal de pacientes atendidos en atencion primaria de la ciudad de Barcelona y tratados con antipsicoticos entre el 2008 y el 2010, comparandolos con una poblacion no tratada. Se registraron las variables antropometricas y clinicas y los FRCV. Se estudio por separado a pacientes adultos y ancianos, y a los tratados con antipsicoticos tipicos y atipicos. Resultados. Un total de 14.087 pacientes habian sido tratados con antipsicoticos (63,4% atipicos). El mas prescrito fue la risperidona. Se aparejaron 13.724 pacientes de la misma edad y genero, pero no tratados (n total = 27.811). Los tratados con antipsicoticos presentaron una prevalencia superior de obesidad (16,9% frente a 10,6%), tabaquismo (22,2% frente a 11,1%), diabetes mellitus (16% frente a 11,9%) y dislipemia (32,8% frente a 25,8%) (p < 0,001). La prevalencia de accidente vascular cerebral fue significativamente superior entre los tratados, tanto en los adultos (odds ratio = 2,33) como en los ancianos (odds ratio = 1,64). La prevalencia de cardiopatia isquemica fue similar en ambos grupos (odds ratio = 0,97). No se observaron diferencias significativas entre los tratados con un antipsicotico tipico o atipico. Conclusiones. Los pacientes tratados con antipsicoticos presentaron una mayor prevalencia de FRCV (diabetes, obesidad y tabaquismo). La presencia de ictus fue superior entre los tratados con antipsicoticos. No se detectaron diferencias importantes entre los pacientes tratados con antipsicoticos tipicos y atipicos.