Ansiedade pós acidente vascular cerebral

Se entendemos o Acidente vascular cerebral como um acontecimento incapacitante da vida dos pacientes, poderemos compreender as alterações comportamentais e emocionas que este provoca. No entanto, poucos estudos têm sido realizados acerca desta temática, tendo assim este estudo como objetivo verificar se existe uma associação clara entre a ansiedade e um determinado tipo de AVC. Aplicou-se a escala de Montereal, o State-Trait Anxiety lnventory e o Inventario Neuropsiquiátrico numa amostra constituída por pacientes que tenham sofrido AVC no período de três meses a um ano, e num grupo controlo. Os resultados mostram que não existem diferenças significativas no que respeita à ansiedade nos pacientes com AVC anterior. Conclui-se que não existe um aumento de ansiedade, mas que os défices visuo-espaciais e atencionais são mais significativos no AVC anterior. / ABSTRACT: lf we recognize Stroke as an event that can incapacitate the patients' life, we can comprehend the behaviour and emotional changes that this provokes. One of the psychiatric symptoms usually associated to Stroke is anxiety. However, few studies have been made concerning this matter, being the purpose of this study to verify if a clear association exists between anxiety and a certain type of Stroke. The Montereal Cognitiva Assessment, State-Trait Anxiety lnventory, and Neuropsychiatric lnventory were applied in a sample consisting of patients that have suffered Stroke in the period of three months to one year, and in a control group. The results show no significant differences in what regards to anxiety in patients with previous Stroke. We conclude that there is no increase in anxiety after stroke, but cognitive deficits in visual-spatial and attentional are most significant in subjects with previous stroke.

Influência dos factores de risco vascular no desempenho cognitivo

O objetivo deste estudo consiste em verificar até que ponto os sujeitos com fatores de risco vascular acentuados apresentam alterações no seu desempenho cognitivo, na ausência de lesão vascular conhecida. Para tal, os défices apresentados por estes foram comparados com sujeitos que se encontram na fase pós-aguda do AVC (Acidente Vascular Cerebral) e sujeitos do grupo de controlo. Os défices cognitivos foram avaliados através de uma bateria de testes neuro psicológicos estandardizados, nos quais se avaliou a atenção, memória e funções executivas. Os resultados parecem confirmar a existência de um défice significativo nos sujeitos com fatores de risco em relação ao grupo de controlo, no que diz respeito à memória verbal e visual a curto-prazo e capacidade de aprendizagem. Assim, com base nos resultados podemos inferir a possibilidade de que os fatores de risco, por si só, podem causar determinado tipo de défice cognitivo. / ABSTRACT: The aim of this study is to determine the extent to which individuals with vascular risk factors have pronounced changes in their cognitive performance, in the absence of known vascular injury. For this purpose, the deficits presented by these subjects were compared to those who are in the post-acute stage of the Stroke and subjects in the control group. Cognitive deficits were assessed using a battery of standardized neuro¬ psychological tests, in which it was assessed attention, memory and executive functions. The results seem to confirm the existence of a significant deficit in subjects with risk factors in relation to the control group in what regards to short-term verbal and visual memory and learning ability. Therefore, based on the results we may imply the possibility that risk factors by themselves can cause certain types of cognitive impairment.

Assessment of the elderly’s functional ability to manage theirmedication: a systematic literature review

Background The evaluation of the elderly’s ability to manage medication through the use of a validated tool can be a significant step in identifying inabilities and needs, with the objective of increasing their self-care skills, and promoting successful aging. Aim of the review To identify studies assessing the elderly’s functional ability to manage their own medication. Method For the search strategy, the PICO method was used: P—Population(elderly), I—Instruments (tools for assessing medication management ability), C—Context (community) and O—Outcomes (functional ability to manage medication). Thefinal search query was run in MEDLINE/PubMed,CINAHL Plus, ISI Web of Science and Scopus. The whole process was developed according to the PRISMA statement. Results The search retrieved 8051 records. In each screening stage, the selection criteria were applied to eliminate records where at least one of the exclusion criteria was verified. At the end of this selection, we obtained a total of 18 papers (17 studies). The results allow the conclusion to be drawn that studies use several different instruments, most of them not validated. The authors agree that medication management abilities decrease as cognitive impairment increases, even if a lot of studies assess only the physical dimension. DRUGS was the instrument most often used. Conclusion Older adults’ ability to manage their medication should be assessed using tools specifically built and validate for the purpose. DRUGS (which uses the real regimen taken by the elderly) was the most widely used assessment instrument in the screened studies.

Antioxidant activity and cholinesterase inhibition studies if four flavoring herb from Alentejo.

In Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, the loss of cholinergic neurons leads to the progressive reduction of acetylcholine in the brain, resulting cognitive impairment. Inhibition of the hydrolysis of acetylcholine by blocking acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) has been considered as a potential target in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Essential oils and extracts of aromatic plants may have an important role in the oxidative stress protection. Traditionally, in Alentejo (Portugal), aromatic herbs Calamintha nepeta, Foeniculum vulgare, Mentha spicata and Thymus mastichina are often used by local population as condiments in food preparations. In this study, essential oils (EOs) and aqueous extracts (decoction waters) of these flavouring herbs were selected in order to evaluate its antioxidant potential and ability to inhibit AChE and BChE activities. Results suggest the potential use of EOs and extracts as nutraceutical or pharmaceutical preparations in the prevention of the oxidative stress and degenerative diseases.

Qualidade de vida e aptidão física funcional dos idosos do concelho de Évora

Já na antiguidade o Homem se debruçava sobre a temática do envelhecimento, todavia os anos passaram e este fenómeno constitui-se como um dos assuntos da ordem do dia que nos abrange a todos, porque todos queremos vivenciar o prazer de envelhecer, à semelhança dos nossos antepassados. Porém estes procuravam o elixir de uma vida eterna e nós ambicionamos o elixir de uma longa vida com qualidade. Objectivo: Avaliar a qualidade de vida e aptidão física funcional dos idosos residentes do Concelho de Évora em instituições da rede solidária e nos seus domicílios com idade igual ou superior a 75 anos. Métodos: Após a selecção aleatória e tendo por base os critérios de exclusão (sem défice cognitivo avaliado pelo MMS e sem problemas físicos que impedissem de realizar os testes funcionais) aceitaram participar no estudo 396 idosos do Concelho de Évora dos quais 196 se encontram institucionalizados nos lares da rede solidária e 200 residem nos seus domicílios. Os instrumentos de avaliação utilizados foram o EASYcare e a bateria de testes Rikly Jones- Senior Fitness Test. Conclusões: Os idosos não institucionalizados apresentam melhor qualidade de vida e aptidão física funcional face aos idosos institucionalizados. Os níveis de incapacidade do grupo de idosos são baixos, o que revela que estamos perante um grupo maioritariamente independente. Por sua vez os homens apresentam melhor auto­ percepção da sua qualidade de vida e melhor desempenho nos testes físicos realizados. Com o processo de envelhecimento é notório uma avaliação inferior nas diferentes áreas da qualidade de vida por parte dos idosos assim como um pior desempenho nos testes físicos. Verificou-se também que existem correlações significativas entre as áreas da qualidade de vida avaliadas e os parâmetros de aptidão física funcional considerados, estando estes interrelacionados. ABSTRACT: Introduction: Already in the antiquity Man was dealing with the aging topic, however the years passed and this issue is as one of the topics on the agenda that covers everyone, because we all want to experience the pleasure of growing old, like of our ancestors. Although they sought the elixir of eternal life and we are aiming the elixir of long life with quality. Aim: To evaluate the quality of life and functional fitness of elderly aged over 75 years, residents of the Municipality of Évora in the network institutions in their households. Methods: After random selection and based on the exclusion criteria (no cognitive impairment assessed by MMS and no conditions that hamper them from performing functional tests) agreed to participate in the study 396 elderly from Évora's Municipality of which 196 are institutionalized in nursing homes network of solidarity and 200 reside in their homes. The assessment instruments used were the EASYcare and battery of tests Rikly Jones- Senior Fitness Test. Conclusions: The non-institutionalized elderly have a better quality of life and functional fitness in relation to the institutionalized elderly. The levels of disability in the elderly group are low, indicating that this is a group mostly independent. ln tum the men have better self-perception of their quality of life and better performance in physical tests performed. With the aging process is an assessment of less known in different areas of life quality for elderly people as well as a poorer performance in physical tests. There was also that there are significant correlations between the areas of quality of life and evaluated the parameters of functional fitness considered and these interrelated.