Brit J Hosp Med
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Patient education is an important part of obtaining informed consent, but can also be used to educate patients about how to prepare for surgery and help them take responsibility for improving their own health to reduce their risk of perioperative complications.
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Patients with a fractured neck of femur require effective analgesia to improve positioning before the administration of spinal anaesthetic. This article discusses the evidence to show whether fascia iliaca compartment block or intravenous opioid analgesia is preferable in this situation.
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Atrial fibrillation is the most frequently occurring supraventricular arrhythmia in patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction. It is associated with worse outcomes when it coexists with acute myocardial infarction and results in increased morbidity and mortality. ⋯ The management of atrial fibrillation in patients with acute myocardial infarction is challenging since triple antithrombotic therapy is indicated, but this results in a markedly increased risk of bleeding events and mortality. This review addresses the interactions between both conditions including common risk factors, possible mechanisms through which acute myocardial infarction contributes to development of atrial fibrillation and vice versa, and the problem of using anticoagulation in the management of these patients.
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Selective internal radiation therapy is a type of brachytherapy used to provide targeted radiotherapy, most commonly to treat primary or metastatic disease within the liver. This review outlines current clinical practice, dosimetric considerations, the pre-treatment workup and safety considerations before treatment. It also examines the clinical evidence for its use in patients with both primary and metastatic disease within the liver.