Scandinavian journal of primary health care
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Jun 2016
Observational StudyPotential cardiac arrest - an observational study of pre-hospital medical response.
A previous study showed that Norwegian GPs on call attended around 40% of out-of-hospital medical emergencies. We wanted to investigate the alarms of prehospital medical resources and the doctors' responses in situations of potential cardiac arrests. ⋯ Events involving patients in need of resuscitation are rare, but medical response in the form of the attendance of prehospital personnel is significant. Norwegian GPs have a higher call-out rate for patients in severe situations where resuscitation was an option of treatment, compared with other "red-response" situations. Key points This study investigates alarms of and call-outs among GPs and anaesthesiologists on call, in the most acute clinical situations: Medical emergencies involving patients in need of resuscitation were rare. The health care contribution by pre-hospital personnel being called out was significant. Compared with other acute situations, the GP had a higher attendance rate to patients in life-threatening situations.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Jun 2016
Comparative StudyChronic pain among community-dwelling elderly: a population-based clinical study.
To present the occurrence, characteristics, etiology, interference, and medication of chronic pain among the elderly living independently at home. ⋯ Elderly people in our study often suffered from chronic pain, mostly musculoskeletal pain, and the origin of pain was neuropathic in up to 40% of these cases. However, elderly people with chronic pain rarely used the medications specifically for neuropathic pain. Based on increased loneliness, sadness and tiredness, as well as decreased subjective health and mobility, the quality of life was decreased among those with chronic pain compared with those without pain. KEY POINTS It is known that chronic pain is one of the most common reasons for general practice consultations and is more common in women than men. In our study using detailed clinical examinations, up to 40% of patients with chronic pain in cohorts aged 75, 80 and 85 years suffered from neuropathic pain. However, only a few elderly people with chronic pain used medications specifically for chronic pain, which may be due to side effects or non-willingness to experiment with these drugs. Elderly people with chronic pain rated their health and mobility to be worse and felt sadder, lonelier and more tired but were not less satisfied with their lives than those without chronic pain.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Jun 2016
Increased consultation frequency in primary care, a risk marker for cancer: a case-control study.
To identify early diagnostic profiles such as diagnostic codes and consultation patterns of cancer patients in primary care one year prior to cancer diagnosis. ⋯ Eighty-seven percent of patients with the most common cancers consulted a general practitioner (GP) a year before their diagnosis. An increase in consultation frequency and presentation of any symptom should raise the GP's suspicion of cancer. Key points Knowledge about the prevalence of early symptoms and other clinical signs in cancer patients in primary care remains insufficient. • Eighty-seven percent of the patients with the seven most common cancers consulted a general practitioner 12 months prior to cancer diagnosis. • Both the frequency of consultation and the number of symptoms and diseases expressed in diagnostic codes rose in tandem 50-100 days before the cancer diagnosis. • Unless it is caused by a previously known disease, an increased consultation rate for any symptom should result in a swift investigation or referral from primary care to confirm or exclude cancer.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Jun 2016
Review Comparative StudyAtopic dermatitis, asthma and allergic rhinitis in general practice and the open population: a systematic review.
To examine whether significant differences exist between the self-reported prevalence of atopic disorders in the open population compared with physician diagnosed prevalence of atopic disorders in general practice. ⋯ There are significant differences between the self-reported prevalence of atopic disorders in the open population compared with physician diagnosed prevalence of atopic disorders in general practice. Data obtained in the open population cannot simply be extrapolated to the general practice setting. This should be taken into account when considering a research topic or requirements for policy development. GPs should be aware of the possible misclassification of allergic disorders in their practice. Key Points Epidemiological data on atopic disorders in children can be obtained from various sources, each having its own advantages and limitations. On average, the prevalence of atopic disorders is higher in the open population. GPs should take into account the possible misclassification of atopic disorders in their practice population. Policymakers should be aware that data obtained in the open population cannot simply be extrapolated to the general practice setting.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Jun 2016
ReviewThe role of diseases, risk factors and symptoms in the definition of multimorbidity - a systematic review.
Objective is to explore how multimorbidity is defined in the scientific literature, with a focus on the roles of diseases, risk factors, and symptoms in the definitions. ⋯ MEDLINE (PubMed), Embase, and The Cochrane Library were searched for relevant publications up until October 2013. One author extracted the information. Ambiguities were resolved, and consensus reached with one co-author. Outcome measures were: cut-off point for the number of conditions included in the definitions of multimorbidity; setting; data sources; number, kind, duration, and severity of diagnoses, risk factors, and symptoms. We reviewed 163 articles. In 61 articles (37%), the cut-off point for multimorbidity was two or more conditions (diseases, risk factors, or symptoms). The most frequently used setting was the general population (68 articles, 42%), and primary care (41 articles, 25%). Sources of data were primarily self-reports (56 articles, 42%). Out of the 163 articles selected, 115 had individually constructed multimorbidity definitions, and in these articles diseases occurred in all definitions, with diabetes as the most frequent. Risk factors occurred in 98 (85%) and symptoms in 71 (62%) of the definitions. The severity of conditions was used in 26 (23%) of the definitions, but in different ways. The definition of multimorbidity is heterogeneous and risk factors are more often included than symptoms. The severity of conditions is seldom included. Since the number of people living with multimorbidity is increasing there is a need to develop a concept of multimorbidity that is more useful in daily clinical work. Key points The increasing number of multimorbidity patients challenges the healthcare system. The concept of multimorbidity needs further discussion in order to be implemented in daily clinical practice. Many definitions of multimorbidity exist and most often a cut-off point of two or more is applied to a range of 4-147 different conditions. Diseases are included in all definitions of multimorbidity. Risk factors are often included in existing definitions, whereas symptoms and the severity of the conditions are less frequently included.