[Affective temperaments (cyclothymic, hypertymic, depressive, anxious, irritable) are stable parts of personality and after adolescent only their minor changes are detectable. Their connections with psychopathology is well-described; depressive temperament plays role in major depression, cyclothymic temperament in bipolar II disorder, while hyperthymic temperament in bipolar I disorder. Moreover, scientific data of the last decade suggest, that affective temperaments are also associated with somatic diseases. Cyclothymic temperament is supposed to have the closest connection with hypertension. The prevalence of hypertension is higher parallel with the presence of dominant cyclothymic affective temperament and in this condition the frequency of cardiovascular complications in hypertensive patients was also described to be higher. In chronic hypertensive patients cyclothymic temperament score is positively associated with systolic blood pressure and in women with the earlier development of hypertension. The background of these associations is probably based on the more prevalent presence of common risk factors (smoking, obesity, alcoholism) with more pronounced cyclothymic temperament. The scientific importance of the research of the associations of personality traits including affective temperaments with somatic disorders can help in the identification of higher risk patient subgroups.]

Background - Cerebral vasomotor reactivity, defined as the cerebral vasculature response to hypoxia, is not wellunderstood in fibromyalgia (FM) patients. This study investigated the difference in the cerebrovascular reactivity (i.e., responsiveness to hypercapnia was evaluated by use of breath- holding index) to the breath-holding index (BHI) between patients with fibromyalgia and a group of normal controls. Methods - The study included 40 FM patients and 40 healthy subjects. Cerebrovascular reactivity was evaluated using the BHI, which is a nonaggressive, well-tolerated, real-time, reproducible screening method to study cerebral haemodynamics. Insonation depth and basal velocity were symmetrical and not significantly different between the two groups (p>0.05). All patients completed the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), visual analogue scale (VAS), and the somatization subscale of the SCL-90-R symptom checklist. Results - The BHI ranged from 0.30 to 2.20 (mean 1.11±0.45) in the FM patients and 1.10 to 2.80 (mean 1.90±0.35) in the control group (p<0.001). Disease duration and right BHIaverage and left BHIaverage values exhibited a significant negative correlation (r=-0.877; p<0.001, r=-0.842; p<0.001, respectively). As pain and fatigue scores increased, the right BHIaverage and left BHIaverage values decreased (r=-0.431; p=0.005, r=-0.544; p<0.001, r=-0.341; p=0.031, r=-0.644; p<0.001, respectively). Conclusions - BHI values showed that cerebrovascular reactivity in FM patients decreased in comparison to healthy individuals. BHI decreased as disease duration and severity increased. Cerebrovascular reactivity decreased in FM patients, and this phenomenon should be accepted as an abnormality. Additionally, this outcome may have been the result of a mechanism responsible for central neuropathic pain.

[Cardiovascular disease accounts for more than 50% of Hungarian mortality and hypertension accounts for almost 50% of coronary heart disease and for more than 60% of stroke. High salt intake increases blood pressure and major and sustained consumption may cause high blood pressure. In Hungary more than 2.5 million people have hypertension and among them only 44% have their blood pressure under 140/90 mm Hg. Achieving target blood pressure is difficult as salt intake of the Hungarian population is higher than that recommended in every age group. Blood pressure control consists of proper combination of medical treatment and of nonmedical procedures. Among non-medical procedures weight loss, increase of physical activity, Mediterranean diet and decrease of salt intake are of value in blood pressure lowering. A daily salt intake of less than 6 grams is recommended in the Hungarian guideline and in the European one the recommendation is more rigorous. However in Hungary average salt intake is 18 grams among men and 14 grams among women. Responsibility of the individual person is inevitable in preserving health and preventing disease. A perfect example for this is the change of salt intake habits as it is demonstrated that decreasing salt intake results in the decrease of blood pressure. A daily decrease of 5 grams in salt intake results in 23% less stroke and 17% less cardiovascular disease. The Hungarian Society of Hypertension has joined among the first to the Hungarian Salt Intake Decreasing Programme and thus its activity is aimed at strengthening the public health subset of the Hungarian Cardiovascular Programme.]

[International and Hungarian guidelines emphasize the need of the combinations in the therapy of hypertension. Single pill combinations (SPC) are preferred. The importance of the treatment reducing cardiovascular risk is underlined by the fact that in most hypertensive patients other cardiovascular risk factors, among them most frequently dyslipidemia is present. In addition to antihypertensive drugs these patients should be treated also with those decreasing plasma lipids. Adherence / persistence to therapy of patients is greatly improved by the use of single pill combinations. Today we also have SPCs decreasing both, blood pressure and plasma lipids. Among them there is the combination containing amlodipine and atorvastatin. Several international and Hungarian clinical studies have been conducted. Results of these investigations have been described in several publications. In this paper I summarise the most important results of some of these studies. ]

[Changes in hypertension guidelines in the past years have affected the clinical thinking about β-blockers. Authors reviewed the development of β-blockers emphasizing the differences across various active pharmaceutical agents. Different hemodynamic and metabolic effects are being discussed in details for the third ge - neration vasodilatator carvedilol. Carvedilol has no effect on cardiac output but decreases peripheral vascular resistance which results in lower blood pressure values. However, carvedilol, opposite to unfavorable effects of traditional β-blockers, has a neutral impact on both carbohydrate and lipid metabolisms. Its more advanced cardiac effects include decreased left ventricular hypertrophy and increased coronary flow reserve. Vasodilatator type β-blockers (carvedilol, nebivolol) are indicated in the combi - nation treatment of hypertension, especially when the patient has heart failure, coronary disease or suffered from a previous heart attack.]