[Use of medication for hypertension and coronary heart disease by Russian immigrants].
397 recent immigrants (olim) were under medical treatment at a primary care clinic during their first year (1990-1991) after immigration to Israel (aliya) from 14 republics of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS, formerly the Soviet Union). While in the CIS 3/4 had used medication for hypertension intermittently for only 2-4 weeks, whenever blood pressure was elevated. More than 3/4 took prophylactic drugs for coronary heart disease only when chest pain appeared and for only approximately 4 weeks, in contrast with continuous, prolonged treatment used in Israel and western countries. Immigrants brought with them stocks of drugs and continued to take them intermittently as they had in the CIS. This form of treatment is described in the official pharmacology book. Only after intervention of the family physician did the immigrants begin to take their drugs for hypertension and coronary heart disease continuously.
Ben-Noun
L
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Dept. of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheba.
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D017517:Commonwealth of Independent States / Q000208:ethnology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004363:Drug Utilization; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007557:Israel
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents