Current opinion in anaesthesiology
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Apr 2023
ReviewThe uprise of gun violence in the United States: consequences of a dual pandemic.
The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) viral outbreak and the rise of the anti-Black racism movement have produced a dual pandemic over the past few years, which has been associated with a dramatic rise in gun violence across the United States. This comprehensive review was performed to examine the current levels of gun violence in the context of these dual pandemics, delineate factors which have synergistically produced this surge in interpersonal violence, and propose future directions. ⋯ Consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the anti-Black racism movement have produced a social environment in the United States in recent years where interpersonal violence, especially firearm injuries, have surged. Particularly, during a time of challenged patient care delivery, the medical system struggles to support the increase in trauma volume. A broad approach to improving social determinants of health should be pursued in order to decrease the risk of gun violence from the recent near-historical high levels.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Apr 2023
ReviewErrors in medicine: punishment versus learning medical adverse events revisited - expanding the frame.
Despite healthcare workers' best intentions, some patients will suffer harm and even death during their journey through the healthcare system. This represents a major challenge, and many solutions have been proposed during the last decades. How to reduce risk and use adverse events for improvement? ⋯ Focus must shift from an individual perspective to the system, promoting learning rather than punishment and disciplinary sanctions, and the recent opioid epidemic is an example of bad guidelines.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Apr 2023
ReviewLung ultrasound monitoring: impact on economics and outcomes.
This review aims to summarize the impact of lung ultrasonography (LUS) on economics and possible impact on patients' outcomes, proven its diagnostic accuracy in patients with acute respiratory failure. ⋯ LUS should be implemented not only in Intensive Care Units, but also in other setting like emergency departments. Since most data comes from the recent coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, further investigations are required in Acute Respiratory Failure of different etiologies.
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Curr Opin Anaesthesiol · Apr 2023
Review Meta AnalysisDelirium in trauma ICUs: a review of incidence, risk factors, outcomes, and management.
This article reviews the impact and importance of delirium on patients admitted to the ICU after trauma, including the latest work on prevention and treatment of this condition. As the population ages, the incidence of geriatric trauma will continue to increase with a concomitant rise in the patient and healthcare costs of delirium in this population. ⋯ Trauma patients requiring admission to the ICU are at significant risk of developing delirium, an acute neuropsychiatric disorder associated with increased healthcare costs and worse outcomes including increased mortality. Ideal methods for prevention and treatment of delirium are not well established, especially in this population, but recent research helps to clarify optimal prevention and treatment strategies.