• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.51-59
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• 2016

Purpose: This study was to examine the effects of a footbath program on heart rate variability, blood pressure, body temperature and fatigue of stroke patients with stroke-induced hemiparesis. Methods: A non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. Participants were 40 stroke patients, twenty for the footbath program and twenty for the control group, who were hospitalized in a long-term rehabilitation hospital in G city of Korea, from February to April 2014. The twenty participants in the experimental group received the intervention of footbaths and an educational program focused on the prevention of stroke complications; Collected data were analyzed by the IBM SPSS WIN 20.0 program using a t-test, ${\chi}^2$ test, Mann-Whitney U test and repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Significant differences were found in heart rate variability, systolic blood pressure, hand and foot temperatures and fatigue between the two groups. But no significant differences were found in diastolic blood pressure, core temperatures, forehead temperatures, and hand temperatures between the two groups. Conclusion: The footbath program was an effective intervention for skin temperature change and fatigue reduction for stroke patients. Therefore, it is recommended that the footbath program can be utilized as an effective nursing intervention for stroke patients in long-term rehabilitation care hospitals.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.214-220
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• 2017

Background: Dapagliflozin is an oral selective inhibitor of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2(SGLT2), the kidney transporter chiefly responsible for glucose reabsorption from the glomerular filtrate. Because this mechanism does not require the action of insulin, dapagliflozin rarely causes hypoglycemia. Dapagliflozin may affect blood glucose control as well as blood pressure and the body weight which are one of the cardiovascular disease risk factors. However, dehydration and ketoacidosis are reported as the side effects of the dapagliflozin treatment and the safety issues have been occurred. The aim of this study is to analyze the effectiveness and adverse events of dapagliflozin in Korean patients. Methods: From December 2014 to August 2015, we retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of type 2 diabetes patients who were prescribed dapagliflozin at Severance Hospital. Results: A total of 202 Korean patients were enrolled in this study. The effectiveness in the reduction of blood glucose was statistically significant(p<0.001). Dapagliflozin decreased 0.74% of HbA1c after 24 weeks. Significantly more participants achieved the target HbA1c level(HbA1c<7%) after 24 weeks(n=42, 35.3%) than before taking dapagliflozin(n=21, 17.6%). Blood pressure decreased 5.7 mmHg systolic blood pressure(SBP), 1.9 mmHg diastolic blood pressure(DBP) after 24 weeks. More than one quarter of participants(n=35, 29.4%) experienced weight loss. Most common adverse event was genitourinary symptoms. Conclusion: In this study, the effectiveness of dapagliflozin in improving glycemic control, blood pressure control, and weight loss was statistically significant. However, elderly and female patients, who have higher incidence of adverse events, should use dapagliflozin cautiously.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.180-185
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The aims of the present study are: 1) to quantify sodium consumption of patients with unstable or uncontrolled hypertension, 2) to investigate if reduced sodium intake can lower BP in these patients, and 3), to assess the acceptability and feasibility of this approach. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study included 25 adults (age: 50+ years) with frequently elevated BP or patients with uncontrolled, uncomplicated hypertension despite drug treatment in a general practice setting. BP and salt intake (24h urinary excretion and food records) were measured at baseline and after a sodium reduced diet. RESULTS: Mean (${\pm}SD$) systolic (SBP) over diastolic (DBP) blood pressure (mmHg) at baseline was $150.7({\pm}9.5)$/$84.149({\pm}5.6)$. Mean urinary sodium excretion was 146 mmol/24h. A reduction of 28 mmol sodium excretion decreased SBP/DBP to $135.5({\pm}13.0)$/$82.5({\pm}12.8)$ (P < 0.001). After one month of no dietary advice, only in 48%, SBP was still ${\leq}140mmHg$. CONCLUSION: Assessment of sodium intake using food records, 24h urine collections and probing questions to identify use of sodium containing supplements or drugs are essential for tailored advice targeted at sodium intake reduction. The results of the present study indicate that reduced sodium intake can lower BP after 4 weeks in unstable or uncontrolled hypertensive patients.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.151-164
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• 2002

PURPOSE: Estrogen replacement therapy is indicated for the relief of hot flushes and urogenital atrophy, the prevention of osteoporosis and the reduction in risk of cardiovascular disease. The present study assessed by blood pressure, heart rate variability, and climacteric symptoms in menopausal women before treatment and at 1 month during estrogen replacement therapy. METHODS: The study sample consisted of 16 healthy menopausal women (range 49 to 59 years, mean : 53.4 years) attending menopausal clinics for the complaint of climateric symptoms at S. hospital in Chunchoen. They were all non-smokers and no patient had symptoms or evidence of cardiovascular disease. They took estrogen replacement therapy (conjugated estrogen 0.625 mg with or without medroxy progesteron 2.5mg) for 1 month. Blood pressure, heart rate variability(heart period and vagal tone) through ECG, and climacteric symptom were measured in all subjects before treatment and at 1 month during treatment. Climacteric symptom questionnaire which was developed by Neugarten et al.(1963) was modified with 20 items of question(Cronbach's alpha = 88 -.89). The data was collected from Sept. 1. 2000 to July. 30. 2001. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in mean systolic and diastolic pressure between the baseline and at 1 month during treatment. The mean heart period and vagal tone were slightly increased, but difference of mean heart period and vagal tone were not statistically significant between the baseline and at 1 month during treatment. The score of climacteric symptoms decreased significantly from the baseline after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Even though, this study did not show that estrogen replacement therapy led decrease of blood pressure and increase heart rate variability, climacteric symptoms reduced much in all subjects after taking drugs. These results suggest that there is need to repeat study with long term period.

• International Journal of Vascular Biomedical Engineering
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.4-12
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• 2003

The present study investigated the effect of transverse vibration on the hemorheological characteristics of blood using a newly designed pressure-scanning capillary viscometer. As vibration was applied, aggregated blood cells (rouleaux) were disaggregated. The range of vibration frequency and amplitude are $0{\sim}100\;Hz$ and $0{\sim}0.8\;mm$, respectively for a capillary diameter 0.84 mm. As vibration increased, blood viscosity initially increased and tended to decrease. In order to delineate the unexpected results, the present study proposed two counteracting mechanisms of vibration related with red blood cell (RBC) aggregation affecting hemo-rheological properties. One is the reduction of RBC aggregation due to vibration causing an increase of blood viscosity. The other is forced cell migration due to the transverse vibration, which in turn forms a cell-free layer near the tube wall and causes a decrease of flow resistance.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.7
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• pp.752-755
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• 2009

It is well known that hemodynamic load is one of the most important determinants of cardiac structure and function. Circadian variations in blood pressure (BP) are usually accompanied by consensual changes in peripheral resistance and/or cardiac output. In recent years, reduction in circadian variations in BP and, in particular, loss of nocturnal decline of BP were observed in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). The patients with only a slight or no loss of nocturnal decline of BP were considered "non-dippers". Regression of LVH was observed after prolonged antihypertensive therapy. Restoration of the circadian rhythm of BP was also observed. However, the classification of patients into "dippers" and "non-dippers" is arbitrary and poorly standardized and repeatable, and in the recent studies, most hypertensive patients with LVH were "dippers". Therefore, we should be particularly cautious about the conclusions drawn using this index. On the other hand, reduced activity of low-pressure cardiopulmonary baroreceptors and impaired day-to-night modulation of autonomic nervous system activity were observed in patients with only LVH. Therefore, alterations in cardiac structure may impair BP modulation. On the other hand, the reverse can also be trueprimary alterations in BP modulation, through a persistently elevated afterload, can increase cardiac mass. Thus, the interrelationship between cardiac structure and BP modulation is complex. Hence, new and more specific methods of evaluating circadian changes in BP are needed to better clarify the abovementioned reciprocal influences.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.737-751
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to assess sodium and potassium intakes and urinary excretion of adults in Busan and to evaluate the relationship of urinary sodium/potassium excretion (UNa/UK) to the status of anthropometric, blood pressure, urine analysis, and nutrient intake of subjects. Nutrient intake by 24-h recall, 24-h UNa/UK were measured with 87 adults aged 20-59 yrs (42 men and 45 women). The mean intakes of sodium and potassium were 3915.4 mg and 3093.9 mg, respectively. The mean 24-h UNa/UK was 3457.0/1680.4 mg. UNa showed significant positive correlations with sodium intake (p < 0.001, p < 0.001), sodium/potassium ratio (p < 0.001, p < 0.01), UK (p < 0.001, p < 0.001), and UNa/UK ratio (p < 0.05, p < 0.01) in men and women and with age, BMI, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure in women (p < 0.05, p < 0.05, p < 0.05, p < 0.05). The UK showed significant positive correlations sodium intake (p < 0.001, p < 0.001), UNa (p < 0.001, p < 0.001) in men and women and with sodium density in men (p < 0.001) and with age, intakes of protein and potassium in women (p < 0.01, p < 0.05, p < 0.05). Mean SBP was lowest in the second quartile and highest in the fourth quartile of UNa. Mean UNa in the second, third, and fourth quartiles were 2821.1 mg, 3621.3 mg, and 5456.4 mg, respectively. Mean SBP in the second, third, and fourth quartiles were 115.8 mmHg, 120.7 mmHg, and 125.9 mmHg, respectively. Based on the results, UNa was related to sodium intake, UK, and SBP. We conclude that nutritional education for the reduction of high sodium intake is needed in the general population to prevent and control adverse blood pressure levels.

• Clinical Nutrition Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.54-64
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• 2023

A systematic review and meta-analysis were designed to summarize studies conducted on the effects of raspberry and blackcurrant consumption on blood pressure (BP). Eligible studies were detected by searching numerous five online databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar, until December 17, 2022. We pooled the mean difference and its 95% confidence interval (CI) by applying a random-effects model. Overall, the impact of raspberry and blackcurrant on BP was reported in ten randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (420 subjects). Pooled analysis of six clinical trials revealed that raspberry consumption has no significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (SBP) (weighted mean differences [WMDs], -1.42; 95% CI, -3.27 to 0.87; p = 0.224) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (WMD, -0.53; 95% CI, -1.77 to 0.71; p = 0.401), in comparison with placebo. Moreover, pooled analysis of four clinical trials indicated that blackcurrant consumption did not reduce SBP (WMD, -1.46; 95% CI, -6.62 to 3.7; p = 0.579), and DBP (WMD, -2.09; 95% CI, -4.38 to 0.20; p = 0.07). Raspberry and blackcurrant consumption elicited no significant reductions in BP. More accurate RCTs are required to clarify the impact of raspberry and blackcurrant intake on BP.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.54-67
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• 2024

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in body weight and blood pressure and also analyze adverse events after weight loss program using Gamitaeeumjowee-tang in patients with class II or III obesity, considering for metabolic and bariatric surgery. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on class III obesity or class II obesity patients with comorbidities, who participated in 24-week weight loss program using Gamitaeeumjowee-tang (n=54). The analysis included changes in body weight, body mass index, fat mass, skeletal muscle mass, waist-hip ratio and blood pressure before and after the program. And also calculated the proportion of patients who lost more than 5%, 10%, and 15% of their initial weight. Adverse events were assessed by causality, severity and system-organ classes. Results: After the weight loss program, body weight decreased 12.21±6.43 kg (12.77%), and BMI decreased 4.61±2.25 kg/m² (12.75%) on average (P<0.05). The 90.7% of the subjects lost more than 5% of their weight, 68.5% lost more than 10%, and 35.1% lost more than 15% of their weight. Blood pressure significantly decreased 11.04±14.53 mmHg in systolic and 7.28±11.89 mmHg in diastolic on average (P<0.05). The 97% of adverse events were mild, and 75% were evaluated as 'unlikely' in the causality evaluation. Conclusions: The results of this study, the weight loss program using Gamitaeeumjowee-tang showed significant weight loss and blood pressure reduction in patients with class III obesity or class II obesity with comorbidities, without serious adverse events. Well-designed clinical studies are recommended for the future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.28-32
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• 2015

Blood flow simulations in an realistic carotid bifurcation model with considering wall compliance were carried out to investigate the effect of wall elasticity on the wall shear stress and wall solid stress. Canonical waveforms of flow rates and pressure in carotid arteries were imposed for boundary conditions. Compared to a rigid wall model, we found an increased recirculation region at the carotid bulb and an overall reduction of wall shear stress in a compliant model. Additionally, there was appreciable change of flow rate and pressure wave in longitudinal direction. Both solid and wall shear stress concentration occur at the bifurcation apex.