Postgraduate medical journal
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The incidence of older patients with end stage renal disease is on the increase. This group of patients have multiple comorbidities and a high symptom burden. Dialysis can be life sustaining for such patients. ⋯ Cognitive impairment, depression, malnutrition and function decline are non-renal determinants of quality of life and mortality. They are under-recognised in the renal population but are potentially treatable, if not preventable. This review article discusses aetio-pathogenesis, prevalence and impact of these four outcomes, advocating regular screening for early identification and management.
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The mechanisms underlying drug induced QT prolongation and the immediate treatment of torsade de pointes have been extensively studied but the post-acute management of the Acquired Long QT Syndrome (ALQTS) remains to be addressed. We aimed to review the state of the art data regarding risk stratification, arrhythmic prevention and treatment of patients with ALQTS. A comprehensive review of the scientific data collectable from MEDLINE, EMBASE and COCHRANE (from inception to April 2013) was performed, and descriptive and qualitative information was extracted from the most relevant manuscripts. ⋯ Drug challenge with D,L-sotalol in suspected LQTS and treatment with a carvedilol analogue, verapamil or an Ikr activating drug are still in need of further investigation. The post-acute management of patients with ALQTS has received scarce attention in the past, probably due to the fact that it is considered a reversible phenomenon in most cases. Considering the relatively high risk of arrhythmic recurrence in the highest risk ALQTS patients, effective preventive and treatment strategies are warranted, and further research is needed.
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Troponin estimation is increasingly performed on emergency medical admissions. We report on a high-sensitivity troponin (hscTn) assay, introduced in January 2011, and its relevance to in-hospital mortality in such patients. ⋯ An increase in troponin carries prognostic information in acutely ill medical patients; the extent of the risk conferred justifies incorporation of this information into predictive algorithms for hospital mortality.