Palliative medicine
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Palliative medicine · Sep 2012
Do beta-blockers alter dyspnea and fatigue in advanced lung cancer? A retrospective analysis.
Dyspnea is common in lung cancer and may be partially attributable to increased ventilatory drive due to muscle weakness. The sympathetic component of this pathway might be mitigated by β-blockers. ⋯ Dyspnea and fatigue are prevalent and increased in the presence of COPD and anemia. No association between β-blocker use and dyspnea or fatigue scores was observed. This may be attributable to inadequate dosing or to retrospective bias.
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Palliative medicine · Sep 2012
Junior doctors' learning and development in foundation year 1 posts in palliative medicine.
The ability to provide good palliative care to patients is increasingly recognised as a core clinical skill that all doctors should possess. Few junior doctors, however, feel competent in breaking bad news, pain relief and the care of dying patients by the time they are fully registered to practice. ⋯ F1 posts in palliative medicine in the UK have positive influences on perceived generic skills development and practice. These findings might encourage the development of more rotations incorporating palliative medicine in the future.
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We present the case of a 30-year-old patient with pontine glioblastoma multiforme, World Health Organisation grade IV (WHO IV). This case is of particular interest in terms of the patient's use of social media as a medium of expression. This popular form of communication raises important clinical, ethical and social issues relating to confidentiality and the nature of the physician-patient relationship in a unique context.