No abstract

On the basis of the available studies, it seems likely that a moderate lowering of the daily intake of sodium chloride by the general population from 8 to 12 grams per day (the current value) to 5 to 6 grams per day would be a useful public health measure, with economic benefits as well. The potential risks for certain groups of individuals are foreseeable and controllable. A general reduction of dietary salt intake can only be achieved by reducing the sodium chloride content of industrially processed foods, as these account for 75% to 80% of the sodium chloride consumed daily. Aside from a general reduction of dietary salt intake, further important primary prevention measures for the general population include changes in lifestyle and in dietary habits.

Spatial patterns of the precipitation variability over West Africa south of the Sahara and their changes during the past 52 years are examined using eigenvector analysis of the mean annual precipitation totals. The time series of the coefficients of the extracted eigenvectors are used to identify intervals of change in the large scale distribution of annual precipitation totals. A tendency of drought reoccurrence in three, seven and thirty years periods can be indicated by "Maximum Entropy Spectral Analysis". Zusammenfassung Raummuster und Pedodizit~it der mittleren jahrlichen Niederschlagssummen siidlich der SaharaDie Raummuster der Niederschlagsvariabflit~it und ihre zeittichen ~nderungen ira Ablauf der letzten 52 Jahre werden for Westafrika stidlich der Sahara mit Hflfe einer Hauptkomponentenanalyse der mitfleren j~ihrlichen Niederschlagssummen analysiert. Anhand der Zeitreihen der Koeffizienten zu den extrahierten Eigenvektoren werden die 9 zeiflichen ~ndemngen der groi~rihamigen Verteflungen der j~ihrlichen Niederschlagssummen herausgearbeitet. Die Zeitreihen der Koeffizienten werden zudem einer "Maximum Entropy Spectrum Analyse" unterzogen. Eine Tendenz zum Auftreten regionaler Diirren kann im drei-, sieben-und dreil~igjiihrigen Rhythmus belegt werden.

No abstract

Seventy-six hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) were randomized to receive felodipine or felodipine plus metoprolol in a double-blind parallel-group study. The doses of each treatment regimen were titrated to obtain a diastolic blood pressure (BP) of less than 95 mmHg. The duration of the treatment was 9 months. At the end of the study, BP was significantly reduced in both groups, and the reduction did not differ between the groups. Left ventricular posterior wall and septum thickness were significantly and similarly reduced in both groups. Left ventricular systolic and diastolic end diameters were not significantly changed. Left ventricular mass (LVM) was significantly and similarly reduced in both treatment groups, as was the ratio of LVM and left ventricular end diastolic volume. In conclusion, felodipine and the combination of felodipine and metoprolol reduced left ventricular hypertrophy to the same extent when BP was similarly reduced.