Ugeskrift for laeger
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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is substantially underdiagnosed and under treated. The present review paper discusses the possibilities of early diagnosis by means of spirometry in the setting of Danish general practice. It is concluded that case finding of undiagnosed COPD is feasible by applying opportunistic spirometry in patients with relevant exposures and relevant respiratory symptoms. The potential barriers of this approach and possible solutions are discussed.
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Ugeskrift for laeger · Apr 2013
Review[Diagnosis and treatment of acute colonic pseudo-obstruction].
Acute colonic pseudo-obstruction (ACPO), also known as Ogilvie's syndrome, is a clinical condition with acute dilatation of the colon without a provable mechanical cause. Early recognition and treatment of the condition is important in order to improve the outcome. ⋯ If no improvement occurs after 24 hours, medical treatment with neostigmine administered i.v. is instituted and repeated if necessary. Colonoscopic decompression is the next step, but if ischaemia or perforation appear surgery should be performed.
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The new version of the GOLD document on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), introduces a profound change in the stratification of the patients. In addition to the level of forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), the new stratification also includes the level of daily symptoms, in particular dyspnoea, and the history of exacerbations. This review describes this stratification and the treatment of stable COPD according to the GOLD document. It focuses on early diagnosis, smoking cessation, rehabilitation and medical treatment.
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Genetic haemochromatosis is a complex disorder/disease, which can be caused by a multiplicity of mutations in genes involved in iron metabolism being located on different chromosomes. In Caucasians, mutations in the HFE-gene account for the most common form of haemochromatosis (type 1). Non-HFE-haemochromatoses are less frequent and consist of juvenile haemochromatosis (type 2A and 2B) and TRF2-related haemochromatosis (type 3), which all respond to phlebotomies. The others comprise ferroportin disease (type 4A) atypical ferroportin disease (type 4B), acoeruloplasminaemia, atransferrinaemia and DMT1-associated haemochromatosis.