Der Anaesthesist
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German post-mortem organ donation rates have been declining since 2010. Several transplantation scandals led to a negative portrayal of organ donation in the media. Spain, the UK and the Netherlands achieved a rise in organ donation rates while retaining organ donation legislation. ⋯ Donation after cardiac death (DCD), expanded donor criteria, increasing public awareness and introduction of an organ donor register should be discussed as measures to increase organ donation rates in Germany.
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Although pain services have been established in many hospitals, there is considerable heterogeneity among them with respect to organization of service, staff and qualifications of staff, and treatment approaches. With this recommendation, the German Society for Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine defines requirements for pain services in hospitals with respect to organizational standards and staff qualifications. The therapy offered by pain services supplements the treatment provided by the other departments involved, ensuring the high quality of specialized pain management in all areas of the hospital. ⋯ In addition to definition of the space and equipment needed, each service should draft its own budget, and this should be adequate and plannable. Written agreements between the disciplines and transparent documentation, including patient-reported outcomes, are recommended to ensure quality. The provision of specialized pain therapy should have high priority over all disciplines or departments.
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In 2018 the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) published an update of the guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension from 2013. The guidelines feature several altered and partially new recommendations for the diagnostics and treatment of arterial hypertension. ⋯ Anesthesiologists should therefore be aware and informed about important changes in these guidelines. This article highlights the most important innovations in the ESC/ESH guidelines 2018 on management of arterial hypertension.
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The resolution on the restructuring of inpatient emergency treatment was passed by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) on 19 April 2018 based on the Hospital Structure Act and became binding with the publication in the Bundesanzeiger on 18 May 2018. The resolution describes the future structural and qualitative prerequisites for participation of hospitals in the provision of emergency treatment in three levels: basic emergency treatment, extended emergency treatment and comprehensive emergency treatment. ⋯ A transition regulation period of 3-5 years provides hospitals with the possibility to adjust to the new minimum requirements. The German Hospital Federation (DKG) and the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV-SV) will negotiate the assessment of surcharges and deductions subsequent to the resolution.
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Review
[Surviving Sepsis Campaign update 2018: the 1 h bundle : Background to the new recommendations].
A new update of the sepsis bundle was published by the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) in April 2018. The original 3 h and 6 h bundles have been restructured and combined into a 1‑h bundle. The recommendations comprehensively focus on diagnostic and therapeutic measures which should be carried out within 1 h after recognition of sepsis. This article presents the background and discusses criticisms of the new recommendations.