Der Anaesthesist
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In late summer 2014, the joint working group of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Society of Anaesthesiology (ESA) presented new guidelines for the evaluation and treatment of cardiovascular risk patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. In addition to the preoperative collation of patient and intervention-specific risks, the guidelines deal with anaesthesiological and cardiological aspects of the perioperative management of patients with diseases of the heart and common comorbidities. This article summarizes the essential aspects of the guidelines in a clearly arranged form.
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Because of an ageing population and a relative lack of professionals, the German health system is under great pressure. In rural regions in particular, anesthesiology is also affected - nursing staff, anesthetists, intensive care physicians, and emergency physicians often have to be supported by freelancers from other regions and from abroad - at least periodically. In addition to the increasing number of treatments, the potential quality of therapy is also increasing owing to progress in medical research. ⋯ In the various anesthesiological sub-sections the number of scientific papers published to date varies. For anesthesia and pain therapy only a few telemedical applications or concepts have been reported in the literature. However, in tele-intensive care medicine and tele-emergency medicine several national and international research projects have successfully been carried out, leading to established routine systems in some cases.
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Pediatric patients represent a special challenge both for the management of anesthesia and for communication, especially the anxious and screaming child. Children have specific features of fears, cognition, comprehension and skills depending on the stage of development. In addition, behavior and anxiety are strongly shaped by the parents who have to be incorporated. ⋯ Meeting at eye level, talking to the child instead of just about it, a language appropriate for children but not childish, comprehensible information and explanations, return of control and care more than pure technical distance, all play an important role. A serious look into such communication strategies can help the anesthetist to overcome uncertainties that a child can easily sense.