CARDIOVASCULAR JOURNAL OF AFRICA • Vol 21, No 5, September/October 2010
256
AFRICA
Hypertension
1985;
7
: 995–1002.
19. Nunez BD, Amodeo C, Garavaglia GE, Schmiedt RE, Frohlich ED.
Biventricular cardiac hypertrophy in essential hypertension.
Am Heart
J
1987;
114
: 813– 818.
20. Taylor RR, Covell JW, Sonnenblick EH, Ross J Jr. Dependence of
ventricular distensibility on filling of the opposite ventricle
. Am J
Physiol
1967;
213
: 711–718.
21. Bernard D, Alpert JS. Right ventricular function in health and in disease.
Curr Probl Cardiol
1987;
13
: 423–449.
22. Dell’Italia L. The right ventricle: anatomy, physiology, and clinical
importance.
Curr Probl Cardiol
1991;
16
: 658–720.
23. Kroeker CA, Shrive NG, Belenkie I, Tyberg JV. Pericardium modulates
left and right ventricular stroke volume to compensate for sudden
change in atrial volume.
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol
2003;
284
(6):
H2247–2254.
24. Tumuklu MM, Erkorkmaz U, Ocal A. The impact of hypertension and
hypertension-related left ventricular hypertrophy on right ventricular
function.
Echocardiography
2007;
24
: 374–384.
25. Fagard R, Lijnen P, Staessen J, Verschuere J, Amery A. The pulmonary
circulation in essential systemic hypertension.
Am J Cardiol
1988;
61
:
106Ommen SR, Nishimura RA. A clinical approach to the assessment of
left ventricular diastolic function by Doppler echocardiography: update
2003.
Heart
suppl 32003;
89
: iii 18–23.
26. Thomas JD, Weyman AE. Echocardiographic Doppler evaluation of left
ventricular diastolic function.
Circulation
1991;
84
: 977–990.
27. Yuda S, Short L, Leano R,
et al
. Abnormal left ventricular filling with
increasing age reflects abnormal myocardial characteristics independent
of ischaemia or hypertrophy.
Am J Cardiol
2003;
91
: 63–67.
28. Thomas JD, Garcia MJ, Greenberg NL. Application of colour Doppler
M-mode echocardiography in the assessment of ventricular diasto-
lic function: potential for quantitative analysis.
Heart Vessels
1997;
12
(suppl) 135–137.
Pharma Dynamics launch innovative Patient Assist
Pharma Dynamics has launched the Patient Assist Programme
aimed at assisting self-employed or employed South Africans
without medical aid to purchase affordable medicines. Ease of
registration for this service and a quality basket of medicines
available under the Pharma Dynamics label may help to reduce
disparities in access to chronic medication in particular.
Paul Anley, MD of Pharma Dynamics pointed out that South
Africa has not yet been able to improve the percentage of the
South African population that has access to medical aid cover.
‘We have increased the numbers of people within the medical
aid net, but in population terms, only 15% of the population is
covered – in fact, a drop from the 16% who had medical cover
10 years ago.’
Through the Patient Assist Programme, Pharma Dynamics
will make a 26% contribution to the dispensing fee of each
medicine – up to a maximum of R26.00. Patients will carry a
card much like a medical aid card, which they can present to the
dispensing pharmacy.
Pharma Dynamics has a good range of products in the cardio-
vascular, central nervous system and anti-inflammatory fields.
Supporting the quality of the Pharma Dynamics range of
generic products, Dr Graham Cassel, cardiologist, Johannesburg,
said at the launch in Cape Town, ‘This project has my support
because of the calibre of the Pharma Dynamics products. It also
addresses the needs of patients who are caught between not really
being State patients with no/very little funds and those who can
afford medical aid. This should provide a worthwhile subsidy
and make the situation a bit fairer for hard-working people who
are not yet able to fund medical aid cover.’
Currently, cardiovascular deaths in patients aged 35 to 64
years is projected to increase by 41% between 2000 and 2030.
Due to the fact that only about 14% of South Africa’s population
is covered by medical insurance, this projected increase could be
even higher.
‘Regular medication is essential when treating chronic illness-
es’, says Anley, ‘and could literally mean the difference between
life and death. We are lucky to live in the 21st century where
medicines are available to help ease symptoms and manage life-
threatening chronic conditions.’
‘We take our role as a provider of medication very seriously
and are excited to have devised Patient Assist to further help
the medical and pharmaceutical professions in managing their
patients, while easing the financial burden on patients’, says
Anley.
The way it works is that patients can obtain application
forms together with their unique Patient Assist card from their
doctor, the company’s website or a call centre, and the unique
Patient Assist card is activated at the dispensing counter at any
participating pharmacy. Thereafter all prescriptions for eligible
Patient Assist products can be processed with immediate effect –
making it simple and convenient.
For more information contact 0800 22 33 77,
e-mail
or
visit
J Aalbers, Special Assignments Editor
At the launch of the Pharma Dynamics Patient Assist at
the Cape Medical Museum are from left to right Graham
Cassel, Paul Anley and Mariska Fouche.
