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Preventive Medicine Topic Homepage
Preventive Medicine Overview
Preventive medicine is the branch of medicine that aims to prevent the appearance, the aggravation or the extension of disease at individual and collective levels.1
Preventive medicine has four components; disease prevention, screening, epidemiology and health education.2 It gives advice (cleanliness, diet, and physical activity), educates people about risk behaviors (smoking and alcohol) and sets up...
... monitoring and screening campaigns (cancer and hypertension).2 This discipline has developed since the end of the 19th century, following numerous discoveries in bacteriology and immunology.1
The first collective actions of preventive medicine have been implemented following the study of contagion and the effect of public health measures.1 Discovery of vaccines reduced the incidence of infectious diseases.1 Development of immunisation programmes has significantly reduced the prevalence of infectious diseases, and in case of smallpox3, led to a complete eradication. Current programs to vaccinate children, including MMR and DTaP/IPV/Hib, have undoubtedly reduced healthcare costs.4 However, preventive medicine is not confined to infectious diseases.
Screening programs for hypertension and cancer (breast, prostate, cervical cancer) also play an important role in improving the prognosis of diseases. The European guidelines on cervical cancer screening suggest that women should be screened at least every three years.5 This has seen significant reductions in mortality rates in the 19 member states in which screening has been successfully implemented.5
The combination of screening and information on risk factors (smoking, obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia) is crucial in preventing diseases like diabetes, stroke and coronary heart disease. EUROASPIRE studies have shown a reduction of hypertension in patients at high cardiovascular risk. However, there has been an increase in smoking and obesity in these patients.6 The change in patient behavior can be achieved only through an effective and patient-centered education. Ethically as well as economically, preventive medicine should be a priority.2
1. Dhaar G.M. et al. Foundation of community medicine. Elsevier. 2nd edition. 2008 : 812 pages.
2. Lazorthes G. Sciences humaines et sociales: l'homme, la société et la médecine. Elsevier Masson. 6ème édition. 2000 : 387.
3. Henderson D.A. Encyclopedia of Microbiology Smallpox, Historical. Elsevier Inc. Third Edition. 2009 ; 73-79.
4. Szucs T. Cost-benefits of vaccination programmes. Vaccine. February 2000 ; 18 (18-1) : S49-51.
5. Anttila A. et al. Description of the National Situation of Cervical Cancer Screening in the Member States of the European Union. European Journal of Cancer. October 2009 ; 45 (15) : 2685-2708.
6. Kotseva K. et al. Cardiovascular prevention guidelines in daily practice: a comparison of EUROASPIRE I, II, and III surveys in eight European countries. The Lancet. March 2009 ; 373 (9667) : 929-940.
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Drug News
RELY-ABLE trial shows long-term safety profile of Pradaxa (Boehringer) in patients with Atrial Fibrillation
16-06-2013Results from the RELY-ABLE trial, a long-term extension of the pivotal RE-LY study of Pradaxa (dabigatran etexilate), from Boehringer, in patients with non-valvular Atrial Fibrillation (NVAF),...
Study of Kendall Sequential Compression System (Covidien) shows reduced risk of DVT
02-06-2013Data from the CLOTS 3 trial, a multicenter, parallel group trial of 2,876 immobile stroke patients indicates that intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) treatment using Kendall SCD Sequential...
CHMP recommends approval of Imvanex (Bavarian Nordic) for Smallpox
01-06-2013The EU's CHMP has adopted a positive opinion recommending the granting of a marketing authorization for Imvanex vaccine, from Bavarian Nordic, for active immunization against Smallpox for the...
Preventive Medicine Drug Data - A-Z
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Recent Drug Updates
Omacor
13-06-2013Post Myocardial Infarction Adjuvant treatment in secondary prevention after myocardial infarction, in addition to other standard therapy (e.g. statins, anti-platelet medicinal products, ...
REYATAZ
12-06-2013REYATAZ is indicated for the treatment of HIV-1 infected adults in combination with other antiretroviral medicinal products. In antiretroviral treatment experienced patients, the demonstration of...
Menveo Group A, C, W135 and Y conjugate vaccine
21-05-2013Menveo is indicated for active immunization of adolescents (from 11 years of age) and adults at risk of exposure to Neisseria meningitidis groups A, C, W135 and Y, to prevent invasive disease. The...
Clinical Guidelines
European Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice (version 2012)
May 2012The aim of the 2012 guidelines from the Fifth Joint Task Force (JTF) of the European Societies on..
... Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Clinical Practice is to give an update of the present knowledge in preventive cardiology for physicians and other health workers. The document differs from 2007 guidelines in several ways: there is a greater focus on new scientific knowledge. The use of grading systems [European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE)] allows more evidence-based recommendations to be adapted to the needs of clinical practice.
The reader will find answers to the key questions of CVD prevention in the five sections: what is CVD prevention, why is it needed, who should benefit from it, how can CVD prevention be applied, and when is the right moment to act, and finally where prevention programmes should be provided.
ESC Management of Dyslipidaemias
Jun 2011These guidelines deal with the management of dyslipidaemias as an essential and integral part of CVD..
... prevention.
Clinical Trials
Cranberry-lingonberry Juice Started During Acute Infection in Prevention of Urinary Tract Infections in Children
21-05-2013Cranberry and cranberry-lingonberry juice prevented urinary tract infections in children and in adults in our earlier clinical trials. The preventive effect was, however, observed late in the follow-up and the next recurrence was not prevented in children. The investigators hypothesize that cranberry-lingonberry juice..
... should be started already during the antimicrobial treatment of acute urinary tract infection in order to maximize the preventive efficacy of the juice. In addition, the investigators aim to find the explanation for the efficacy of cranberry-lingonberry juice by analyzing the concomitant changes in the chemical composition of urine and feces as well as the changes of gut microbiota.
A Phase I Study of Candidate Influenza Vaccines MVA-NP+M1 and ChAdOx1 NP+M1
18-03-2013This will be a randomised observational phase 1 study in 48 healthy volunteers aged 18-50. The study is assessing safety and immunogenicity of viral vectored vaccines ChAdOx1 NP+M1 and MVA NP+M1 in heterologous prime-boost regimens. A crossover design will allow comparison of the two vaccines. Volunteers will be..
... divided into 4 groups (n=12 in each group). Groups will be recruited simultaneously to control for seasonal changes in influenza. This is because at certain times of year there is likely to be a higher naturally acquired T cell response to influenza than at other times due to circulating influenza virus in the community.
Medical Videos
Medical Journal Abstracts
Should the Frequency of Surveillance for Small Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms be Reduced?
European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery
May 2013
Different national screening programmes use a variety of surveillance intervals for patients identified with small abdominal aortic aneurysm. An individual patient meta-analysis of >15000 persons with small aneurysm has provided a strong scientific basis for safe surveillance frequency. In many screening programmes the..
Should the Frequency of Surveillance for Small Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms be Reduced?
European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery
May 2013
Different national screening programmes use a variety of surveillance intervals for patients identified with small abdominal aortic aneurysm. An individual patient meta-analysis of >15000 persons with small aneurysm has provided a strong scientific basis for safe surveillance frequency. In many screening programmes the..
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