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A „Három generációval az egészségért program” praxisközösségeiben a háziorvosok feladata volt a dementia szűrése mini-COG és Mini Mental State vizsgálattal. Célul tűztük ki a bevontak szűrési eredményeinek, ezek orvos általi értékelésének és a betegek további sor­sának bemutatását. A bevontaknál mini-COG teszt után, demen­tiagyanú esetén végezték el az MMSE tesztet. A vizsgáló a kapott eredményt kóros vagy nem kóros kategóriába sorolta, rögzítette a továbbküldés megtörténtét, az adatokat egy online felületen rögzítette. Vizsgálatunk ke­resztmetszeti vizsgálat, a célkitűzésekben leírt para­méterek alakulását, illetve megoszlását írjuk le nyers esetszámokkal és részarányokkal. A páciensek bevonása az 55 év fe­lettiek körében konszekutív módon történt. Csak azokat az eseteket (29 730) elemeztük, ahol rendelkezésre állt a mini-COG és az MMSE teszt eredménye, azok orvos általi értékelése, a szakellátásba való tovább­küldés adatai. A Mini-Cog teszt alapján a vizsgáltak 64%-ánál merült fel kognitív hanyatlás gyanúja. Misz­klasszifikáció 13 015 esetben fordult elő, a Mini-Cog teszt pontszámai alapján a kognitív hanyatlás és a háziorvosok által is kórosnak gondolt elváltozás 21%-ban egyezett. Az MMSE teszt a minta 34%-ánál (10 174 fő) vetett fel dementiagyanút, a részt vevő háziorvosok 4262 (42%) főnél ítélték kórosnak az eredményt. A Mini-Cog teszt pontszámok alapján kóros értékkel rendelkező személyek 11%-a (2095 fő), az MMSE teszt pontszámok alapján dementiagyanús személyek 17%-a (1709 fő) kapott be­utalót szakellátásba. Vizsgálatunk a kognitív hanyatlás detektálásának gyakorlatát mérte fel az egészségügyi alapellátásban. A praxisközösségek a dementia szűrésére elfogadott eszközöket használták, a kapott eredmények értékelése és a dementiagyanús esetek szakellátásba irányítása az elvárt szint alatt maradt. Az alapellátók de­mentiadetektálással, -kezeléssel kapcsolatos isme­re­tei­nek fejlesztése, illetve a szakellátással való kapcsolatának erősítése szükséges.

In the "Three Generations for Health" programme, general practitioners were responsible for screening for dementia in their practices using mini-COG and Mini Mental State Examination. The aim was to present the screening results of those included, their assessment by the doctor and the further fate of the patients.After mini-COG test, MMSE test was performed in case of suspected dementia. The examiner categorized the result as abnormal or no abnormal, recorded the referral, and recorded the data in an online interface. Our study is a cross-sectional study; the evolution and distribution of the parameters described in the objectives are described with raw case numbers and proportions. Patients aged 55 years and over were recruited consecutively. Only those cases (29 730) where mini-COG and MMSE test results were available, their assessment by the physician, and referral data to specialist care were analyzed.The Mini-COG test revealed that 64% of the subjects were suspected of cognitive decline. Misclassification occurred in 13 015 cases, with 21% of the Mini-Cog test scores matching cognitive decline and 21% of lesions considered abnormal by GPs. The MMSE test raised the suspicion of dementia in 34% of the sample (10 174 people), with 4 262 (42%) of the participating GPs considering the result abnormal. 11% (2095 people) of people with abnormal Mini-Cog test scores and 17% (1709 people) of people with suspected dementia based on MMSE test scores were referred to specialist care.Our study assessed the practice of detecting cognitive decline in primary health care. The tools adopted for screening for dementia were used by practices, but the assessment of results and referral of suspected cases of dementia to specialist care were below the expected level. There is a need to improve primary care providers' knowledge of dementia detection and treatment and to strengthen links with specialist care.A „Három generációval az egészségért program” praxisközösségeiben a háziorvosok feladata volt a dementia szűrése mini-COG és Mini Mental State vizsgálattal. Célul tűztük ki a bevontak szűrési eredményeinek, ezek orvos általi értékelésének és a betegek további sor­sának bemutatását.A bevontaknál mini-COG teszt után, demen­tiagyanú esetén végezték el az MMSE tesztet. A vizsgáló a kapott eredményt kóros vagy nem kóros kategóriába sorolta, rögzítette a továbbküldés megtörténtét, az adatokat egy online felületen rögzítette. Vizsgálatunk ke­resztmetszeti vizsgálat, a célkitűzésekben leírt para­méterek alakulását, illetve megoszlását írjuk le nyers esetszámokkal és részarányokkal. A páciensek bevonása az 55 év fe­lettiek körében konszekutív módon történt. Csak azokat az eseteket (29 730) elemeztük, ahol rendelkezésre állt a mini-COG és az MMSE teszt eredménye, azok orvos általi értékelése, a szakellátásba való tovább­küldés adatai.A Mini-Cog teszt alapján a vizsgáltak 64%-ánál merült fel kognitív hanyatlás gyanúja. Misz­klasszifikáció 13 015 esetben fordult elő, a Mini-Cog teszt pontszámai alapján a kognitív hanyatlás és a háziorvosok által is kórosnak gondolt elváltozás 21%-ban egyezett. Az MMSE teszt a minta 34%-ánál (10 174 fő) vetett fel dementiagyanút, a részt vevő háziorvosok 4262 (42%) főnél ítélték kórosnak az eredményt. A Mini-Cog teszt pontszámok alapján kóros értékkel rendelkező személyek 11%-a (2095 fő), az MMSE teszt pontszámok alapján dementiagyanús személyek 17%-a (1709 fő) kapott be­utalót szakellátásba.Vizsgálatunk a kognitív hanyatlás detektálásának gyakorlatát mérte fel az egészségügyi alapellátásban. A praxisközösségek a dementia szűrésére elfogadott eszközöket használták, a kapott eredmények értékelése és a dementiagyanús esetek szakellátásba irányítása az elvárt szint alatt maradt. Az alapellátók de­mentiadetektálással, -kezeléssel kapcsolatos isme­re­tei­nek fejlesztése, illetve a szakellátással való kapcsolatának erősítése szükséges.

ObjectiveCardiovascular risk estimation is an essential step to reduce the onset of adverse cardiovascular events. For this purpose, the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) risk chart method was used in Europe. In 2021, the SCORE2 algorithm was released, bringing changes in the calculation methodology. This study assessed and compared the level of cardiovascular risk in a population aged 40–65 years using the SCORE and SCORE2 methodologies.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included a total of 85 802 patients in Hungary. Cardiovascular risk levels were determined using the SCORE and SCORE2 risk estimation methods.ResultsUsing SCORE, 97.7% of men aged 40–50 years were classified as low–moderate risk, which decreased to 32.4% using SCORE2. Using SCORE, 100% of women aged 40–50 years were classified as low–moderate risk, compared with 75.6% using SCORE2. Using SCORE, 36.8% of men aged 50–65 years were classified as high risk and 14.8% as very high risk, and 5.4% of women aged 50–65 years were classified as high risk and 0.5% as very high risk. In this age group, using SCORE2, 50% of men were classified as high risk and 25.8% as very high risk, and 38.8% of women were classified as high risk and 11.9% as very high risk.ConclusionsWhen the SCORE2 method was used instead of SCORE 43.91% of the whole population were classified with a higher level of risk, which represents a radical increase in the number of patients with high or very high cardiovascular risk.

Background: Preferences and wishes of patients is an important indicator of primary health care provision, although there are differences between national primary care systems. Aim: The aim of this paper is to describe and evaluate the preferences and values of Hungarian primary care (PC) patients before accessing and to analyse their experiences after attending PC services. Methods: In the Hungarian arm of the European QUALICOPC Study, in 2013–2014, information was collected with questionnaires; the Patient Values contained 19 and the Patient Experiences had 41 multiple-choice questions. Findings: The questionnaires were filled by 2149 (840 men, 1309 women) using PC services, aged 49.1 (SD ± 16.7) years, 73% of them having chronic morbidities. Women preferred to be accompanied and rated their own health better. Patients in the lowest educational category and women visited their GPs more often, and they are consulted more frequently by other doctors as well. Men, older and secondary educated people reported more frequently chronic morbidities. Longer opening hours were preferred by patients with higher education. The most preferred expectations were availability and polite communication of doctors, not pressures on consultation time, clear instructions provided during consultations, shared decisions about treatments and options for consultations, the knowledge of the doctors concerning the living conditions, social and cultural backgrounds of patients, updated medical records, short waiting times, options for home visits, wide scope of professional competences and trust in the doctor. Conclusion: Wishes, preferences of patients and fulfilment were similar than described in other participating countries of the study. Although there are room to improve PC services, most of the questioned population were satisfied with the provision.

Background. It is a major challenge to show what configurations of primary care(PC) is associated with better outcomes, in terms of quality, equity and costs. The QUALICOPC Study tried to analyse and compare them within 35 countries, using validated questionnaires filled by family physicians/general practitioners (GPs). This paper aims to provide data of the Hungarian-arm of the QUALICOPC Study; to compare some findings to that of other participating countries; to give a comprehensive overview about the recent Hungarian PC system. Methods. Altogether 222 questionnaires were completed by Hungarian GPs, delivered by fieldworkers, in a geographically representative distribution. Results . Financing are based mostly on capitation, with smaller additional compensatory elements and minor quality incentives. The gate-keeping function is weak, although by referrals, the preference of patients is mostly considered. Communication between PC and specialists is often insufficient. Variety of available devices and equipment’s are appropriate. Single handed practices were 87%. Appointment instead of queuing is a new option and become more popular, mainly among better educated and urban patients. GPs are involved in the management of almost all chronic condition of all generations. Half of them estimate their job as still interesting, burn-out symptoms were rarely found. Among the evaluated process indicators, access, continuity, comprehensiveness and coordination were rated as satisfactory, together with equity among health outcome indicators. Financing is not sufficient, therefore many GPs are involved in other earning activities. The increasing shortage of manpower is a major challenge. Conclusions. In the past 2 decades, there was visible improvement at service level and in economic circumstances. Cooperation and communication between different levels of health care provision should be improved, focusing better to community orientation and to preventive services. There is a need for specific primary care oriented guidelines to define the expected tasks of GPs.

Background: The Alma-Ata Declaration was a big step in the development of primary care, defining the main tasks and populations’ expectation. Celebrating the 40th year’s anniversary is a good opportunity to make an analysis. Development of primary care was not parallel in the Eastern and Western part of Europe. Aim: To provide an overview on the societal and economic situation, structural and financial changes of healthcare systems in the former ‘Soviet bloc’ countries, to present an analysis of the primary healthcare (PHC) provision and to find relationships between economic development and epidemiological changes of the respective countries. Method: Epidemiological data, healthcare expenditures and structure, and financing schemes were compared; systematic literature search was performed. Results: Visible improvements in population health, in the national economic condition, structural changes in healthcare and more focus to primary care were experienced everywhere. Higher life expectancies with high inter-country variation were observed in the former ‘Soviet bloc’ countries, although it could not be clearly linked to the development of healthcare system. PHC provision improved while structural changes were rarely initiated, often only as a project or model initiation. Single-handed practices are yet predominant. The gate-keeping system is usually weak; there were no effective initiatives to improve the education of nurses and to widen their competences. Migrations of workforce to Western countries become a real threat for the Central-East European countries. Conclusion: Lack of coordination between practices and interdisciplinary cooperation were recognized as the main barriers for further improvement in the structure.

Abstract: In 2015, local wars, starvation and misery in some Middle Eastern, Asian and African countries forced millions of people to leave their homelands. Many of these people migrated toward Europe, reaching Hungary as well. The refugee crisis created significant challenges for all national healthcare systems across Europe. Limited attention has been given to the extent to which health service provision for refugees and migrants has become a task for primary health care (PHC), which has been unprepared as a profession and pressured by the enormous workload. Hungarian primary care was involved only to an extent in the refugees’ health care, as most of the migrants entering Hungary wanted to move forward to other countries. The need for evidence-based patient-centred interventions to assess refugee healthcare needs, and for training programmes for rapid capacity-building for integrated PHC was addressed by the EUropean Refugees – HUman Movement and Advisory Network (EUR-HUMAN) project, which 7 European countries developed together. The overall aim of the EUR-HUMAN project is to enhance the knowledge and expertise of European member states who accept refugees and migrants in addressing their health needs, safeguarding them from risks, while at the same time to minimize cross-border health risks. This initiative focuses on addressing the early arrival period, transition and longer-term settlement of refugees in European host countries. A primary objective of this project is to identify, design and assess interventions to improve PHC delivery for refugees and migrants with a focus on vulnerable groups. The structure, the main focus and outputs of the project are described and summarized in this paper, providing relevant information and access to educational materials for Hungarian (primary care) physicians. The EUR-HUMAN project was operated in 2016 under the auspices of the European Commission and funded by the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (CHAFEA). Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(35): 1414–1422.

Background Within the frame of National Epidemiological Surveillance System, family physicians have an obligation to report infections and suspicions cases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, daily practice and the reporting activities of Hungarian family physicians regarding to infectious diseases. Methods A self-administered survey was developed, validated and used. The survey was completed by family physicians who had taken part in continuous medical educational programmes of all Hungarian medical faculties. The questionnaire, consisting demographic questions and 10 statements about their reporting habits were completed by 347 doctors, 8% of the total number of family physicians. The data were processed in a cross-sectional design with general linear model. Results According to the majority of responders, the current reporting system works efficiently. Rural physicians were mainly agreed, that reporting is not a simply obligation, it is a professional task as well. They were less hindered in daily work by reporting activities, waited less for laboratory confirmation before reporting, reported suspicious cases more frequently. Practitioner’s based in urban settlements preferred to await laboratory tests before reporting and were hindered less by failures of the electronic reporting system. Older physicians trusted more in the recent system and they wished to increase the number of reports. Female physicians have higher consciousness in epidemiology. They were mostly in agreement that even severe infectious diseases can be diagnosed at primary care level and their daily practices were less burdened by reporting duties. Conclusions Both the epidemiological knowledge of general practitioners’ and the electronic surveillance systems should be improved. There is a need to develope the electronic infrastructure of primary care. More and regular control is also expected by the health care authorities, beside the synthesis of professional and governmental expectations and regulations. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12879-018-2948-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background: Previous research has revealed a clear relationship between weight gain of persons and their metabolic diseases developing later. These studies have covered only short periods lasting 4-8 years.Our goal was to collect decades' old and often life-long anthropometric data and correlate the figures with the presence of hypertension and diabetes or both. Methods: A retrospective international study was planned and organized to compare self-recorded data of lifelong weight gain among 60-70-year-old patients, analyze their correlation with metabolic diseases they developed, with special attention to women's weight gain around pregnancy, delivery and menopause in primary care settings in Germany, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia and the Ukraine. Results: Of the recruited 815 participants, 319 men and 496 women presented all the required data. Diabetics of both genders had the highest baseline weight at 20 years of age. The weight and BMI of the whole study population increased steadily until their seventies, but to a lesser extent after their fifties. Compared to the control group, changes over decades were the greatest among diabetics and also greater among patients with hypertension. Weight increase in the first decades (20-30-year-old men and 30-40-year-old women) was a significant risk factor for the development of diabetes (OR=1.044; p=0.002; 95% CI: 1.01-1.07). Among patients with diabetes and hypertension, both diagnoses were set up earlier than among those with a single morbidity.Among females, weight increase around pregnancy and menopause correlated significantly with higher odds for the diagnoses of diabetes and/or hypertension, irrespective of the number of children. Conclusions: During their decade-long relationship with their patients, family physicians are expected to identify the higher weight gain of their patients, especially among younger generation and intervene, if necessary.

The prevalence of obesity is growing continuously worldwide, even in Hungary. Since 1988, when the first professional wide-range evaluation was performed, only limited data are available.Authors present the results of the ever largest Hungarian obesity-prevalence surveys, performed by family and occupational physicians.Data from 0.55% of the population above 18 year were registered in all geographical regions of Hungary (43,287 persons; 17,901 males and 25,386 females), close to the proper national representativeness. Age, body mass index, waist circumference, educational level, presence of hypertension and/or diabetes were analyzed statistically and compared with previous data.The overall prevalence rate of overweight and obesity among men was 40% and 32%, respectively, while overweight and obesity occurred in 32% of women. In the different age groups of men, the prevalence of overweight and obesity was: 32.7% and 18.2% in 18-34 years; 40.1% and 34.4% in 35-59 years; 43.5% and 38.8% in over 60 years, respectively. In the same age groups of women, overweight and obesity occurred in 19.6% and 15.7%, 36.8% and 38.7%, and 36.5% and 39.7%, respectively. Body mass index and waist-circumference were presented according to age, by decades and by type of residency as well. The highest ratio of overweight was registered among men with the highest educational level, while highest ratio of obesity among women having the lowest education. Obesity according to Body mass index and abdominal obesity was the highest in the villages, especially among females. Registered metabolic morbidities were strongly correlated with body mass index and both were inversely related to the level of urbanization.Over the previous decades, the ratio of the overweight and even the number of obese persons increased significantly, and it was most prominent among males, mainly in younger generation. Obesity means a serious medical, public health and economic problem, and it requires higher public awareness and political support. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(31), 1248-1255.

Background Patients with diabetes and hypertension represent a large proportion of primary care patients. Evaluation of their parameters usually requires medical setting, body weight and height can be measured by the patients themselves and this is often the case. The aim of this retrospective study is to analyse and to compare the life-long data on weight and BMI of patients with diabetes and hypertension and those without these pathologic conditions. Patients Eventually selected 759 patients (337 men, 422 women) between 60 and 70 years of age in different primary care settings were involved. Methods Retrospective and recent self-recorded data on weight and height in every decade since the age of 20 years in both genders were collected. These were compared to the control group of persons free from diabetes and hypertension. Results The current body weight and BMI were significantly higher in all groups than at 20 years and less than their maximal values. Patients with diabetes started at higher weights and their greatest gain was observed between 20-30 years in men and between 30-40 years in women, and in the last decade prior to diagnosis in both genders. Weight gain in the control group was steady at a lower rate. Conclusions Higher increases in body weight in the early youth decades were related to elevated hazard ratios for diabetes in men and for hypertension in women. More research with standardized methodology is needed to explore this relationship better: meanwhile more contribution is expected from primary care physicians in the weight management of their younger patients.

Study was aimed to assess the effect of eating habits on cardiovascular risk factors and the assumed cardiovascular risk among 18–60 years old individuals in Hungary. The 1320 patients were recruited who had not been treated previously because of known cardiovascular risk factors or diseases. Taking questionnaire on eating habits, physical examination, laboratory tests (total cholesterol, LDL-, HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, fasting blood glucose, OGTT) and cardiovascular risk assessment were carried out.Proportion of involved people who tended to follow healthy diet (determined on the basis of relevant European cardiovascular primary prevention guideline, focusing on the following parameters: total daily calorie-, fat-, cholesterol intake, fruit/vegetable- and salt consumption) was 66%. In “healthy diet” group we found more patients with normal total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride, blood pressure (BP) and body mass index (BMI) levels compared to “unhealthy diet” group and this difference w...

Summary Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and inter-relations of systolic hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia and hyperglycaemia in more than 28,000 Hungarians. Study design and methods A retrospective study was designed to collect relevant information from the database of the Screening Institution in Miskolc, Hungary, between 1990 and 1998. Prevalence of the investigated conditions was compared between different groups. Results The occurrence of any of the investigated cardiovascular risk factors increased the likelihood of the other risk factors, and this relationship was most apparent in more serious categories. A particularly high degree of comorbidity was found between hypertension and hyperglycaemia. Conclusion Since these results were based on a large percentage of the population, this study provides an important message for practising doctors: if they find any of these three risk factors in a patient, it is highly recommended that they should search for the others.

Background: In Hungary, the last wide-range evaluation about nutritional status of the population was completed in 1988. Since then, only limited data were available. Our aim was to collect, analyze and present updated prevalence data. Methods: Anthropometric, educational and morbidity data of persons above 18 y were registered in all geographical regions of Hungary, at primary care encounters and within community settings. Results: Data (BMI, waist circumference, educational level) of 40,331 individuals (16,544 men, 23,787 women) were analyzed. Overall prevalence for overweight was 40.4% among men, 31.3% among women, while for obesity 32.0% and 31.5%, respectively. Abdominal obesity was 37.1% in males, 60.9% in females. Among men, the prevalence of overweight-obesity was: under 35 y = 32.5%-16.2%, between 35-60 y = 40.6%-34.7%, over 60 y = 44.3%-36.7%. Among women, in the same age categories were: 17.8%-13.8%, 29.7%-29.0%, and 36.9%-39.0%. Data were presented according to age by decades as well. The highest odds ratio of overweight (OR: 1.079; 95% CI [1.026-1.135]) was registered by middle educational level, the lowest odds ratio of obesity (OR: 0.500; 95% CI [0.463-0.539]) by the highest educational level. The highest proportion of obese people lived in villages (35.4%) and in Budapest (28.9%). Distribution of overweighed persons were: Budapest (37.1%), other cities (35.8%), villages (33.8%). Registered metabolic morbidities were strongly correlated with BMIs and both were inversely related to the level of urbanization. Over the previous decades, there has been a shift in the distribution of population toward being overweight and moreover obese, it was most prominent among males, mainly in younger generation. Conclusions: Evaluation covered 0.53% of the total population over 18 y and could be very close to the proper national representativeness. The threat of obesity and related morbidities require higher public awareness and interventions.

Although an impressive progress has been achieved in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, they are at the top of the mortality statistics in Hungary. Prevention of these diseases is an essential task of the primary health care. Cardiovascular prevention is carried out at primary, secondary and tertiary levels using risk group and population preventive strategies. The two main tasks of primary cardiovascular prevention are health promotion and cardiovascular disease prevention, and its main programs are ensuring healthy nutrition, improving physical training and accomplishing an anti-smoking program. The essential form of secondary prevention is the screening activity of the primary health care. The majority of cardiovascular risk factors can be discovered during the doctor–patient consultation, but laboratory screening is needed for assessing metabolic risks. The official screening rules of the cardiovascular risk factors and diseases are based on diagnostic criteria of the metabolic syndrome; however, nowadays revealing of global cardiometabolic risks is also necessary. In patients without cardiovascular diseases but with risk factors, a cardiovascular risk estimation has to be performed. In primary care, there is a possibility for long term follow-up and continuous care of patients with chronic diseases, which is the main form of the tertiary prevention. In patients with cardiovascular diseases, ranking to cardiovascular risk groups is a very important task since target values of continuous care depend on which risk group they belong to. The methods used during continuous care are lifestyle therapy, specific pharmacotherapy and organ protection with drugs. Combined health education and counselling is the next element of the primary health care prevention; it is a tool that helps primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. Changes needed for improving cardiovascular prevention in primary care are the following: appropriate evaluation of primary prevention, health education and counselling, renewal of the cardiovascular screening system based on the notion of global cardiometabolic risk, creating a unified cardiovascular prevention guideline, and operating primary care cardiovascular prevention within the framework of an integrated prevention system. Orv. Hetil., 2012, 153, 1536–1546.

Treatment and care of elderly patients with diabetes and hypertension means a hard task in primary care. Patients with these two components of metabolic syndrome are often overweight or obese. Although some parameters of metabolic syndrome are usually measured in a medical setting, checking body weight is usually done by the patients. The aim of this study is to analyse the patients’ self-recorded data on weight and compare them according to hypertension and diabetes. Five hundred and forty people (225 men and 315 women) between 60 and 75 years of age were eventually selected in primary care settings. Retrospective self-recorded data on recent weights and every decade since the age of 20, as well as the decade prior to diagnosis were collected. The data of patients with and without diabetes and/or hypertension were compared. The current mean body weight was significantly higher in all groups than at the age of 20. Compared with the control group, hypertensive men and women were approximately of the same weight in their twenties and, also, recently, but they gained more weight in the 4th and 5th decades of their life. Diabetics started at higher weights. The greatest weight gain was observed as follows: between 20–30 years and 30–40 years in men and women, respectively, as well as between 50–60 years of age and in the last decade prior to diagnosis in both genders. Weight gain in the control group was steady at a lower rate. Weight gain between 20–40 years of age could be an important factor in the aetiology of diabetes. Stable or at least limited weight gain may be a preventive factor. Considering the limitations of the study, further and decades long epidemiological evaluations are suggested in a larger study population.

Introduction: The therapeutic modalities available for the conservative management of chronic lumbar pain included infrared laser therapy and underwater traction, which usefulness is not universally acknowledged. This study was intended to ascertain any beneficial impact of infrared laser therapy and weightbath treatment on the clinical parameters and quality of life of patients with lumbar discopathy. Material and methods: The study population comprised 54 randomised subjects. I. group of 18 patents received only infrared laser therapy to lumbar region and painful Valley points. II. group of 18 subjects each received underwater traction therapy of lumbar spine with add-on McKenzie exercise and iontophoresis. The remaining III. group treated with exercise and iontophoresis, served as control. VAS, Oswestry index, SF36 scores, range of motion, neurological findings and thermography were monitored to appraise therapeutic afficacy in lumbar discopathy. A CT or MRI scan was done at baseline and after 3 months follow-up. Result:Infrared laser therapy and underwater traction for discopathy achieved significant improvement of all study parameters, which was evident 3 months later. Among the controls, significant improvement of only a single parameter was seen in patients with lumbar discopathy. Conclusions: Infrared laser therapy and underwater traction treatment effectively mitigate pain, muscle spasms, enhance joint flexibility, and improve the quality of life of patients with lumbar discopathy.

Although nutritional advice and counseling are an important part of diabetes care, current Hungarian health care regulations make it available only in the secondary (specialist) care. Authors planned and implemented a self-financed nutritional counseling in primary care setting. For 67 of 108 diagnosed diabetic patients of a primary care practice in Budapest, a free of charge educational service was offered. The 47 patients (45 type 2 and 2 type 1) who accepted the invitation were educated in two consecutive group sessions. Only 24 of them were ready to take part in three further individual consultations. Fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin were measured before and after the sessions and 1 year later. Comparison was made between genders (31 men, 16 women) and patients who took part in the group and the individual nutritional counseling, respectively. Patients with a higher educational level, males and persons with shorter duration of diabetes were more likely to participate in the consultation. All glycemic parameters improved after counseling in both groups, but this was significant only in men and for the group consultation. After 1 year, a further improvement was seen in women and in patients of the individually counseled group. In turn, fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin concentrations of men and group-consulted patients increased again, reaching almost the baseline level before consultations. Nutritional counseling in the primary care offers more comfort and help for diabetics but requires changes in insurance regulation, and reimbursement system together with increase in resources.

Hypertension is an independent cardiovascular risk factor, therefore continuing care of patients with hypertension is an important task in cardiovascular prevention.This study was aimed to investigate continuing care of hypertension in general practices. Method of the study was a questionnaire survey, and 830 adult patients were involved. Forms contained information about duration of continuing care, associated risk factors, therapy, damages of target organs, and blood pressure values attained. Blood pressure measurement and hypertension grading were performed by the recommendation of the Hungarian Hypertension Society.Ratios of men and women participated in the study were 39.8% and 60.2%, respectively. Duration of hypertension care was 10.7 +/- 8.3 year. The care was initiated because of moderate and serious hypertension in 51.4% and 32.7%, respectively. Frequencies of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and peripheral vascular problems were parallelly increased with severity of hypertension. Frequency of all types of antihypertensive drugs used were also increased with the hypertension grades. The most frequently used drugs were ACE-inhibitors. The target blood pressure of 140/90 Hgmm was reached in 46.4%, and according to blood pressure measured during the last year of continuing care, patients had mild hypertension in 41.5%, moderate in 7.6%, and serious one in 0.9%. Effectiveness of the hypertension care, based on decrease in blood pressure, was associated with severity of hypertension at the time of its diagnosis, the patients' age, but not with their gender.Summarizing, our results prove that there is a need for intensification of early detection, treatment and continuing care of hypertension.

Both types of diabetes mellitus are conditions with high cardiovascular risk.This work was aimed to study the frequency of cardiovascular risk factors, macrovascular and microvascular complications and to assess the results of continuous diabetes care in an adult population with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Method of the study was a questionnaire survey, altogether 400 patients, 49 with type 1 and 351 with type 2 diabetes, were enrolled to it.Frequency of cardiovascular complications, obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemia was higher in type 2 diabetes, smoking and microvascular complications were more frequent in type 1 diabetes. The ratio of conservative intensive and conventional insulin therapy in type 1 diabetes was 70% and 30%, respectively. Treatment methods used in type 2 diabetes were: diet only: 8%, oral antidiabetic therapy: 78%, antidiabetic agent and insulin: 7%, insulin therapy 7%. Ratios of the patients having at least three laboratory results were: fasting blood glucose: 50%, postprandial blood glucose: 30%, haemoglobin A(1C): 10%. Ratios of patients reached the target results were in type 1 and type 2 diabetes were: fasting blood glucose: 27% vs. 14%, postprandial blood glucose: 26% vs. 18%, haemoglobin-A: 29% vs. 34%. Ratios of the patients in micro- and macrovascular risk category were: fasting blood glucose: 59% vs. 68%, postprandial blood glucose: 54% and 53%, haemoglobin-A(1C): 40% vs. 27%.Frequency of investigations to estimate glycemic control as well as ratio of patients reached target values were rather low, ratio of patients in micro- and macrovascular risk category was high. For these reasons there is a need for a more intensive continuous diabetes care to reach better results.

The role of dyslipidemia is essential in the development of atherosclerosis, therefore continuing care of dyslipidemic patients is an extremely important task in cardiovascular prevention.This study was aimed to investigate continuing care of dyslipidemic patients in general practices. Method of the study was a questionnaire survey, 397 patients of 39 general practices were involved into the study.The cause of their continuing care was hypercholesterolemia in 91.7%, hypertriglyceridemia in 69%, decreased HDL-C in 18.4%, and these alterations frequently occurred together. Hypertension in 77%, disturbances of carbohydrate metabolism in 41.7%, increased BMI in 43.2% were found. Patients were smokers in 26.5%, given up smoking in 13.2%. They had cardiovascular problems in 56.5%, cerebrovascular problems in 18.6% and peripheral vascular ones in 20.3%. Patients were treated with lipid lowering drugs in 87.7%, statins were used in 81.7%, fibrates in 29.6% and both of them in 11.5%. The main results of continuing care were: in the whole group frequency of cholesterol level5.2 mmol/l decreased by 13%, frequency of triglyceride level1.7 mmol/l decreased by 4%; cholesterol target values were reached in 3% of patients with high cardiovascular risk, in 22.2% of patients with medium risk, and in 66.7% of patients with mild risk.These results suggest that there is a need for more intensive drug treatment of dyslipidemic patients to reach the target lipid levels, and for regular assessment of continuing care of these patients.

Cardiovascular diseases are the first in the Hungarian mortality statistics. Numerous factors are known that may be involved as risk factors in the development of these diseases, and the risk is multiplied when they occur simultaneously. The recommendations of the European and Hungarian professional societies regard the early exploration of these risk factors and the estimation of cardiovascular risk as extremely important, since the intervention to be introduced depends on the extent of the risk.The study was aimed to assess, by using a professionally accepted risk estimation method, the extent of cardiovascular risk in the adult population aged between 18 and 60 years and previously not treated for cardiovascular risk(s) or diseases. 48 family doctors' practices of four counties participated in the study; a total of 1320 individuals were enrolled. During the study targeted recording of medical history, physical examination and the determination of certain parameters of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism were performed. Afterwards the participants' cardiovascular risk was calculated for 10 years, based on the parameters obtained (age, sex, smoking habits, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol level, status of carbohydrate metabolism).Frequency of high and very high cardiovascular risk was 12.44% in the population (22.59% in men and 4.89% in women, 17.72% in middle-aged and 0.75% in younger patients). Distribution of cardiovascular risk levels was less favourable in men than in woman (p0.001), and in middle-aged patients than in younger ones (p0.001). The distributions of each risk factors were similar: significant differences were demonstrated in smoking habit, systolic blood pressure and plasma cholesterol between men and women as well as between middle and younger aged patients, however significant difference in alterations of carbohydrate metabolism was found just between middle- and younger aged groups.Cardiovascular risk is reasonably high in adult population previously not treated with cardiovascular risks or disease. Distribution of risk levels is less favourable in men than in women, and middle-aged patients compared to younger aged patients. These results show that there is a need for the increase of the frequency of patients' preventive visits to physicians, since this can allow the identification of risk factors as early as possible, the recognition of increased cardiovascular risk and the use of the necessary and adequate intervention.