CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne
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Comparative Study
Recent trends in the use of inhaled beta 2-adrenergic agonists and inhaled corticosteroids in Saskatchewan.
To examine recent trends in the use of inhaled beta 2-adrenergic agonists and inhaled corticosteroids for the treatment of asthma among Saskatchewan residents and to determine whether these trends are in keeping with widely publicized guidelines recommending a reduction in the use of agents to treat symptoms (i.e., inhaled beta 2-adrenergic agonists) and increased use of prophylactic agents (i.e., inhaled corticosteroids). ⋯ These data demonstrate a substantial change in Saskatchewan in the prescribing of drugs to treat asthma; they suggest that many physicians responded to current guidelines advocating increased attention to prevention of airway inflammation in the treatment of asthma.
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Comparative Study
No magic bullets: a systematic review of 102 trials of interventions to improve professional practice.
To determine the effectiveness of different types of interventions in improving health professional performance and health outcomes. ⋯ There are no "magic bullets" for improving the quality of health care, but there are a wide range of interventions available that, if used appropriately, could lead to important improvements in professional practice and patient outcomes.
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Although Canada's military physicians didn't come to prominence until WW I and WW II, the Canadian Army Medical Corps (CAMC), the forerunner of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps and the current Canadian Forces Medical Service, actually had its origins in the Boer War. During that turn-of-the-century conflict, field hospitals accompanied Canadian troops to South Africa. Ian McCulloch discusses that early type of medical service and the steps that led to the creation of the CAMC.
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Biography Historical Article
Making sense of shadows: Dr. James Third and the introduction of x-rays, 1896 to 1902.
The discovery of x-rays was announced by German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen in December 1895. This review of the introduction of the use of x-rays in Kingston, Ont., shows the rapidity of their adoption in Canadian medicine. By February 1896 "x-ray photographs" were being taken by Captain John Cochrane of the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston. ⋯ He published, in 1902, the first comprehensive review of the diagnostic and therapeutic uses of x-rays by a Canadian physician. Third's writings reveal his technical knowledge, his organized approach to the application of radiography to clinical medicine and his cautious attitude. Like other physicians who have witnessed the introduction of new diagnostic techniques, Third feared that the new technology would usurp the physician's clinical skills.
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Even though an estimated 3.5 million Canadians are affected by hypertension, speakers at a World Conference on Hypertension Control questioned whether it is generally cost effective to treat younger men and women who have mild hypertension. Nonpharmacologic treatment via weight loss and lifestyle modification should be the first-line treatment, speakers stated. They looked at the basic principles for evaluating the economics of hypertension management and made recommendations on the cost effectiveness of treating various patient groups according to age and severity of their hypertension, and on the selection of diagnostic-evaluation procedures and antihypertensive medications.