La Clinica terapeutica
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La Clinica terapeutica · Jan 2012
ReviewRole of noninvasive ventilation in elderly patients with hypercapnic respiratory failure.
The effectiveness of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in treating patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF) is showed by its ability to diminish the recurrence to endotracheal intubation (ETI), the occurrence of ETI-associated lung infections as well as related mortality. A specific issue is the outcome of NIV in patients referring to Emergency Department for ARF who receive a do-not-intubate (DNI) order because of too critical conditions or advanced age. ⋯ The positive outcome was confirmed by a subsequent 3-year observation, that demonstrated an overall survival rate of 54%. These findings clearly suggest to treat by NIV elderly patients also in presence of a DNI order.
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La Clinica terapeutica · Jan 2012
Information needs of family members of critically ill patients in intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS. The experience in intensive care unit (ICU) has created an intense emotional situation both to patients and their family members. The aim of this study was to determine the family members information needs of critically ill patients in ICU. ⋯ The results suggest that family members perceived support and proximity as the most crucial need. Comfort need was viewed as least important. Although this study was conducted in a tertiary hospital, the findings could still provide insight for nurses to improve the delivery of care to patients and family members.
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La Clinica terapeutica · Jan 2012
Case ReportsIsolated pancreatic tuberculosis: a diagnostic challenge.
Abdominal tuberculosis is quite commonly found in miliary tuberculosis, especially in countries where TB is endemic, however the abdominal localization of tuberculosis in absence of disseminated disease is a rare condition and the involvement of the pancreas alone is extremely rare. Epidemiology of TB is changing in the latest years, often this illness is found in non-endemic regions and physicians are asked to interpret what happen when an old disease meets new diagnostic technologies. We describe the case of a young male admitted in our hospital for abdominal pain. Echotomography, CT scan and MRI showed a pancreatic mass suspected to be cancer and susceptible to surgical treatment, Endoscopic Ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) showed isolated pancreatic tuberculosis.
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La Clinica terapeutica · Jan 2012
Study on advanced life support devices in the ambulances for emergency cases in Klang Valley, Malaysia.
In an effort to improve pre-hospital care, the authors assessed the availability and utility of ambulance devices. The study aimed to identify commonly used devices for managing emergency cases in Klang Valley of Malaysia. ⋯ In conclusion, ambulances in Klang Valley had a large variation in the availability of life support devices. This emphasizes a need for standardization of equipment.