Ugeskrift for laeger
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Ugeskrift for laeger · Dec 2008
[The comfort of a pleasant discomfort. Humour as a biological phenomenon I].
No understanding of the nature of humour can be complete without a description of the emotional reactions and mechanisms accompanying humour. The enjoyment of a good laugh is essential to an explanation of humour and the reason why we seek humorous experiences. Humour is, however, not only coupled with positive emotions, but also triggered by potentially harmful experiences. ⋯ Humour, seen as a biological phenomenon, therefore has its evolutionary roots in the mechanisms underlying the ability to learn to avoid danger. In humans this often takes place in a complex social context, and the final steps in the evolution of humour therefore must be sought in the complex primate society. In this, the first of two articles on humour in a biological context, we examine the role of emotions in experiencing humour.
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Delirium and postoperative cognitive dysfunction are important and common complications after surgery. Risk factors are first of all increasing age and type of surgery, whereas the type of anaesthesia does not seem to play an important role. Mortality is higher among patients with cognitive dysfunction than among patients without such dysfunction.
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This review presents the latest findings on ebola. Ebola presents one of the highest case-fatality rates of all infectious diseases, and in 2007 outbreaks were observed first in the Democratic Republic of Congo and later in Uganda with a new subtype. Accumulating evidence suggests that fruit bats are a likely reservoir for the ebola virus. The frequency of filovirus outbreaks in Central Africa is increasing and the potential for introduction and patient care in Denmark is evaluated.
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In 2005, new international evidence-based guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) were published by the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR). The aim of these new guidelines is to improve the quality of care and, thereby, the outcome from cardiac arrest. This necessitates that the guidelines are known and implemented in clinical practice. The purpose of this investigation is to elucidate the extent of implementation of Guidelines 2005 (G2005) among doctors on Cardiac Arrest Teams (CAT) one year after the publication. In addition, the date of implementation is examined among medical emergency services and major providers of basic life support (BLS) courses. ⋯ One year after the publication of G2005, there is limited knowledge of the guidelines among doctors on duty. The study does not give any explanation for the lack of implementation. The barriers to implementation should be clarified, and future guidelines should be accompanied by an active strategy for implementation.
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Ugeskrift for laeger · Nov 2008
Case Reports[Emphysematous cystitis with total necrotization of the bladder].
Emphysematous cystitis is a rare disease of the bladder caused by gas-forming bacteria. Diabetics are the most commonly infected and the clinical picture ranges from dysuria to sepsis and peritonitis. ⋯ We report the case of a 74-year old male diabetic presenting who was found to have emphysematous cystitis with total necrotization of the bladder. To our knowledge this is the only reported case with a totally necrotized bladder in emphysematous cystitis.