Biomedical subjects

Zijad Duraković

Publications and source records attributed to Zijad Duraković.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Dispersion of the corrected QT and JT interval in the electrocardiogram of alcoholic patients.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze the corrected QT interval (QTc), its dispersion (QTcd), and the QT interval index (QTcI) and to compare it with the corrected JT interval (JTc), its dispersion (JTcd), and the JT interval index (JTcI) in long-term alcoholic users, by investigating the ventricular activation until the completion of repolarization. METHODS: The study of ECGs was performed on a selected group of 49 male white alcoholic patients, mean age 53.51+/-4.78 years. The control group was pair-matched. The analysis of ECGs was performed according to the Minnesota Code, and Bazett's formula gave the values of the corrected QT interval and JT interval. RESULTS: The results of the descriptive statistics in the group of alcoholics showed a range of the QTcd of 12.0 to 103.0 milliseconds, mean 44.2+/-18.6 milliseconds, compared with 5.0 to 68.0 milliseconds, mean 23.8+/-11.1 milliseconds, in the control group (p < 0.0001). The range of JTcd in the alcoholic patients was 11.0 to 88.0 milliseconds, mean 43.0+/-18.3 milliseconds, compared with 5.0 to 66.0 milliseconds, mean 22.8+/-12.1 milliseconds, in the control group (p < 0.0001). The QTc from 422.0 to 480.0 milliseconds was obtained in 69.4% of the alcoholic patients and 32.6% of the controls. The QTc over 480.0 milliseconds was found in 24.5% of the alcoholic patients, but was not recorded among the controls at all (p < 0.0001). The QTcd over 50.0 milliseconds was registered in 34.7% of the alcoholic patients, while in the controls a QTcd above 50 milliseconds was found in 2.0% (p < 0.0001). The mean values of QT were markedly higher in the alcoholic patients (p < 0.01) than in the controls. The same was the case with the values of QTd, QT(I), QTcd, and QTcI (p < 0.0001). Also, the mean values of JTd, JT(I), JTc, JTcd, and JTcI were significantly higher in the alcoholic patients than in the controls (p < 0.0001). The mean value of JT, although higher in the alcoholic patients, did not significantly differ between the examined groups (p=0.1002). The odds ratio estimated for prolonged QTc and for enlarged QTcd in the alcoholics versus the controls was 31.625 and 25.500 (p < 0.0001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Persons who consume various alcoholic beverages excessively and for a long time have significantly higher dispersions of the QTc and JTc, intervals and they have a significantly higher estimation of relative risk for the prolonged QTc interval and higher QTc dispersion than the control group, i.e., higher risk of arrhythmias.

Alcoholism↗

PubMed2006

Does chronological age reduce working ability?

Definitions of so-called older age often are based on a chronological age of 65 years and over, although by some authors aging is the process that starts after the 30th year of life. At the beginning occur changes in the organ functions, followed by anatomical changes as well. Some organs age faster, some slower. For example, kidneys decrease for one third, lungs do not change, liver shrinks a little, prostate increases twice. In some cross-sectional studies, muscle mass in men aged 65 is on average 12 kg less than in the so-called middle age, and in women it is approximately 5 kg less. In the heart the amount of connective tissue increases, lipofuscin is deposited in cardiac muscle, the strength of which is decreasing. In the respiratory tract the number of pathways cilia decreases, along with the alveolar surface, muscles involved in breathing change, lung elasticity is also diminished. But, in regard with the previous body capacity, "physiological aging" can be divided into three types of elderly: the "older" elderly have the highest functional capacity of 2-3 MET (MET--metabolic unit, i.e. the oxygen consumption of 3.5 ml/kg body mass in a minute), the "younger" elderly are the persons of older age having maximal functional capacity of 5-7 MET, while the "sport" elderly have the functional capacity of 9-10 MET, disregarding chronological age. The brain weight diminishes for approximately 7% compared to younger age. In temporal gyrus and area striata even 20-40% of cells are being lost, vacuolar and neuroaxonal degeneration occurs, lipofuscin is being accumulated. The brain blood flow, which is in normal conditions 50-60 ml/min/100 g of tissue, with the increase of biological age decreases to about 40 ml/min/100 g of tissue. However, this usually is not the consequence of biological age but of disease. A chronological age of 65 for the beginning of "elder hood" is a sociopolitical construct developed by social security systems and government organizations to decide an arbitrary age at which benefits should be paid. Thus, it neither a border nor do changes designating old age occurs exactly with that "age border". The changes in the organism during the so-called aging are individual. So, the functional capacity of an organism, both physical and intellectual, must be evaluated individually, having in mind biological age.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

Gender differences in cardiovascular diseases risk for physical education teachers.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the level of habitual physical activity in Croatian physical education (PE) teachers, as well as the existence of some other risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The sample consisted of 191 PE teachers aged 24 to 59 years (122 men, mean age 42.6+/-8.76 and 69 women, mean age 40.3+/-8.84;p=0.09). In order to assess the level of habitual physical activity, the teachers were asked to fill in Baecke's questionnaire. The questionnaire comprises 16 items testing physical loads at work, during sport activity and during leisure time. The questionnaire also contains 8 items, each of them representing a certain cardiovascular risk factor. In comparison to average adult employed population, PE teachers have a significantly higher level of sport and leisure time activity, which could have a favorable impact on the incidence of particular risk factors, such as overweight/obesity, systolic hypertension and blood cholesterol level. This is more obvious in females PE teachers who pay more attention to the principles of healthy life style: optimal body weight regulation, low fat diet and higher amount of leisure time physical activity (significantly higher than in male teachers). Female PE teachers who have maintained their active life style decrease the risk of CVD, particularly after the age of 55. Although it is necessary to keep in mind all the limitations of a questionnaire study, this preliminary report leads to the conclusion that male PE teachers, although physically active at job, have still kept sedentary habits, often have maintained heavy smoking habits, are slightly overweight, thus minimizing the positive effects of their demanding workplace. Consequently, average male PE teachers' risk for CVD development corresponds to the risk of general male population.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Acute cardiovascular complications due to physical exercise in male teenagers.

Five sudden cardiac deaths in male adolescents (age 14-18 years) were detected in a 5-year period in Croatia. Two of them had been engaged in physical exercise at school, one as a professional soccer player, one in recreational swimming, and the fifth had just finished secondary school and was working at the site. All of them were autopsied and in three congenital cardiovascular diseases was found. Two had hypoplastic coronary arteries. The third had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with interventricular wall of 40 mm. The fourth had normal heart findings including coronaries, but had bilateral pneumonia with a possible altitude (non-cardiogenic) pulmonary edema. The fifth had a chronic myopericarditis with an aneurysm of the left ventricle. All of them had not reported definite symptoms at exertion. According to this data, the death rate in adolescent males in Croatia during or after recreational physical exercise was 1/100,000 per year or 5/500,000 in five years. Thorough preparticipation medical examination including indicated laboratory tests and avoidance of heavy exertion at the time of respiratory infection might have helped to avoid some of the lethal events.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Dispersion of the corrected QT interval in the electrocardiogram of the ex-prisoners of war.

The study of electrocardiograms (ECGs) was performed in a subgroup of 181 men, ex-prisoners of war with mean age 35.8+/-11.0 years and mean duration of imprisonment 164.5+/-87.1 days, chosen at random from the total sample of released prisoners (N=1458). The control group was pair-matched. The analysis of ECGs was done according to the Minnesota code, and Bazett's formula gave the values of the corrected QT interval (QT(c)). The dispersion of the QT(c) interval is determined by the difference between the longest and the shortest measured QT(c) interval in each ECG lead. The results of descriptive statistics in the group of ex-prisoners showed the range of QT(c) dispersion of 8.0-122.0 ms (mean 52.4+/-21.6 ms), while in the control group the range was 6.0-72.0 ms (mean 30.4+/-13.8 ms) (df=360, t=11.536; P<0.001). The QT(c) interval from 422.0 to 480.0 ms had 60.2% ex-prisoners and 30.4% controls, while a QT(c) interval over 480.0 ms had 19.3% ex-prisoners and 1.10% controls (P<0.0001). In the ex-prisoners group, the QT(c) dispersion over 50 ms was present in 51.4%; of those, a dispersion of 95 ms and more was found in 3.9%, while in the controls a QT(c) dispersion over 50 ms was found in 8.3%, but a dispersion of 95 ms and more was not recorded (P<0.0001). The odds ratio estimated for the prolonged QT(c) interval was 8.467 and for enlarged QT(c) dispersion it was 11.695 in the ex-prisoners versus controls (P<0.001). In conclusion, persons exposed to long-term maltreatment in detention camps have significantly greater QT(c) dispersion, as well as a higher relative risk of prolonged QT(c) interval and greater QT(c) dispersion than a control group.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Impact of coffee and other selected factors on general mortality and mortality due to cardiovascular disease in Croatia.

In Croatia, the mortality rate is higher than that in the countries of the European Union (EU), and consumption of coffee is moderate compared to the EU countries. The study examined the effects of coffee consumption on all-cause (general) mortality, mortality due to cardiovascular disease, and survival. Analyses were based on data obtained from an epidemiological longitudinal study started in 1969 with follow-ups in 1972, including 1,571 men and 1,793 women aged 35-59 years, and in 1982, including 1,093 men and 1,330 women. The sample was age- and gender-stratified and included urban and rural populations from three coastal and three continental regions of Croatia. During the observation period from spring 1972 to the end of 1999, 568 men and 382 women died. In total, 254 men and 181 women died due to cardiovascular disease. The sample was classified in 4 groups: non-drinkers, consumption of coffee sometimes, regularly 1-2 cup(s), and regularly more than 2 cups per day. Apart from coffee, the effects of diastolic blood pressure, smoking habit, well-being, stomach ulcer, and resident status were analyzed. Data on general mortality and mortality due to cardiovascular disease were also analyzed. The influence of region and the effects of diastolic pressure and smoking habit on general mortality and cardiovascular disease-associated mortality were confirmed in both the sexes. No significant effects of coffee consumption on general mortality and mortality due to cardiovascular disease were found among men. Positive effects of coffee on general mortality (p = 0.0089) but not on cardiovascular disease-associated mortality were observed among women. Women who regularly drank coffee 1-2 cup(s) per day had a significantly lower risk of all-cause death adjusted for age, region, smoking, diastolic blood pressure, feeling of well-being, and history of stomach ulcer (relative risk = 0.631; p = 0.0033; confidence interval: 0.464-0.857). The role of coffee consumption on mortality was less relevant than other variables. However, it cannot be completely neglected in women.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Healthy aging and productive retirement].

Characteristics of aging as a normal physiological process are presented. The main indicators of increased the number of older population in the world as well as problems related to society and particularly to public health are listed. The difference between gerontology and geriatrics is described. Retirement is separately presented as a psychological process. Reported are the most frequent chronic diseases that may develop in older people including dementia, mental depression, and other psychological problems. The theories of aging related to organs and organic systems are described. The importance of geroprophylaxis, including primary, secondary and terciary prevention for older people is particularly stressed.

Aged↗