Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) cause premature mortality among youth. Associated with lifestyle and behavioural choices, these diseases and deaths can and should be prevented among young people. This article presents data showing the gains in life expectancy among youth in the absence of NCD causes of death.
 
  To estimate the levels of NCD mortality among youth (15 - 24 years of age) in South Africa (SA) and show the current and projected additional years of life gained with the elimination of heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
 
  This was a cross-sectional study using 20 years of death notification forms from SA (1997 - 2016). The data were nationally representative and the sample was 62 395 youth deaths (age 15 - 24 years) from the selected NCDs. Cause-specific mortality rates, expressed as percentages, were estimated by age group and sex. Cause-deleted life-table techniques were used to estimate current and projected life expectancy (ex) and life expectancy in the absence of specific NCDs (e-ix).
 
  Dea the SA healthcare system and to public health practitioners whose aim is to reduce the strain on public resources and reduce mortality among youth. Future studies should estimate the extent of NCD mortality in households and communities with the aim of developing macro-level interventions.
  The quality of international normalised ratio (INR) control determines the effectiveness and safety of warfarin therapy. Data on INR control in non-metropolitan settings of South Africa (SA) are sparse.
 
  To examine the time in therapeutic range (TTR) and its potential predictors in a sample of Garden Route District Municipality primary healthcare clinics (PHCs).
 
  INR records from eight PHCs were reviewed. The TTR and percentage of patients with a TTR >65% were determined. A host of variables were analysed for association with TTR.
 
  The median (interquartile range (IQR)) age of the cohort (N=191) was 56 (44 - 69) years. The median (IQR) TTR was 37.2% (20.2- 58.8); only 17.8% of patients had a TTR ≥65%. Compared with patients aged >50 years, those aged <50 had worse INR control (median (IQR) TTR 26.6% (16.1 - 53.0) v. 43.5% (23.5 - 60.1); p=0.01). Patients hospitalised for any reason during the study period had worse INR control than patients not hospitalised (median (IQR) TTR 26.2% (1e the quality of INR control in patients on warfarin therapy need to be instituted as a matter of urgency.
  The association between pre-eclampsia and the subsequent development of metabolic syndrome has not been well documented in low- and middle-income countries.
 
  To compare the prevalence of metabolic syndrome at 6 weeks after delivery among women with pregnancies complicated by pre-eclampsia with that in a normotensive, low-risk control group in an urban South African (SA) setting.
 
  This was a prospective cohort study at two tertiary-level hospitals and one district-level hospital in Pretoria, SA. Women were recruited after delivery and were followed up 6 weeks later to confirm or exclude the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome.
 
  Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed in 48/150 women with pregnancies complicated by pre-eclampsia (32.0%), compared with 33/150 (22.0%) of the control group (p=0.05).
 
  Women who developed pre-eclampsia during pregnancy had an increased chance of metabolic syndrome being diagnosed 6 weeks after delivery. Guidelines should be developed to identify women with cardiometabolic risk, so that interventions may be implemented to modify this risk before and after pregnancy.
 Women who developed pre-eclampsia during pregnancy had an increased chance of metabolic syndrome being diagnosed 6 weeks after delivery. Guidelines should be developed to identify women with cardiometabolic risk, so that interventions may be implemented to modify this risk before and after pregnancy.
  The role of the district hospital (DH) in surgical care has been undervalued. However, decentralised surgical services at DHs have been identified as a key component of universal health coverage. Surgical capacity at DHs in Western Cape (WC) Province, South Africa, has not been described.
 
  To describe DH surgical capacity in WC and identify barriers to scaling up surgical capacity at these facilities.
 
  This was a cross-sectional survey of 33 DHs using the World Health Organization surgical situational analysis tool administered to hospital staff from June to December 2019. The survey addressed the following domains general services and financing; service delivery and surgical volume; surgical workforce; hospital and operating theatre (OT) infrastructure, equipment and medication; and barriers to scaling up surgical care.
 
  Seven of 33 DHs (21%) did not have a functional OT. Of the 28 World Bank DH procedures, small WC DHs performed up to 22(79%) and medium/large DHs up to 26 (93%). Only medium/large DHs performed all three bellwether procedures. Five DHs (15%) had a full-time surgeon, anaesthetist or obstetrician (SAO). Of DHs without any SAO specialists, 14 (50%) had family physicians (FPs). These DHs performed more operative procedures than those without FPs (p=0.005).  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/bos172722.html  Lack of finances dedicated for surgical care and lack of surgical providers were the most reported barriers to providing and expanding surgical services.
 
  WC DH surgical capacity varied by hospital size. However, FPs could play an essential role in surgery at DHs with appropriate training, oversight and support from SAO specialists.Strategies to scale up surgical capacity include dedicated financial and human resources.
 WC DH surgical capacity varied by hospital size. However, FPs could play an essential role in surgery at DHs with appropriate training, oversight and support from SAO specialists. Strategies to scale up surgical capacity include dedicated financial and human resources.
  International guidelines recommend risk stratification to identify high-risk non-cardiac surgical patients. It is also recommended that all patients aged ≥45 years with significant cardiovascular disease should have preoperative natriuretic peptide (NP) testing. Abnormal preoperative B-type NPs have a strong association with postoperative cardiac complications. In South African hospitals, it is not known how many patients with significant cardiovascular disease scheduled for intermediate- to high-risk surgery will have raised NPs.
 
  To determine the prevalence of abnormal (raised) NPs in non-cardiac surgical patients with cardiac clinical risk factors. Asecondary objective was to develop a model to identify surgical patients who may benefit from preoperative NP screening.
 
  The inclusion criteria were patients aged ≥45 years presenting for elective, non-obstetric, intermediate- to high-risk non-cardiac surgery with at least one of the following cardiovascular risk factors a history of ischaemic heart disease or peripheral vascular disease (coronary equivalent); a history of stroke or transient ischaemic attack; a history of congestive cardiac failure; diabetes mellitus currently on an oral hypoglycaemic agent or insulin; and serum creatinine level >175 µmol/L (>2.