Clin Med
-
From the report of a working party of the Royal College of Physicians, the Association for Palliative Medicine and National End of Life Care Programme
-
Fluid overload is a common manifestation of decompensated chronic heart failure. This paper reports on a pilot study that investigated whether intravenous (i.v.) furosemide administered on a cardiology day ward for three successive days was effective in improving the symptoms of patients with fluid overload and chronic heart failure. The results showed that 94.1% of patients reported an improvement in their breathlessness, with a marked weight loss in 88.2% of patients. ⋯ Hospital admission was avoided in 94.1% of cases. The study concluded that i.v. diuretic treatment given in a hospital day-care setting is safe and effective, and that it reduces the need for hospital admissions. As a consequence, this reduces the associated financial costs of hospitalisation.
-
This study aimed to investigate relationships between dysglycaemia and length of hospital stay, short-term mortality and readmission in an unselected population in an acute medical unit (AMU). The rate of follow up in non-diabetic individuals with hyperglycaemia was also measured. We analysed data from all 1,502 patients admitted through our AMU in February 2010 to assess blood glucose levels on admission, length of stay, 28-day readmissions and mortality, and to determine whether blood glucose > or = 11.1 mmol/l on admission in non-diabetic individuals was followed up. ⋯ Overall, 51.4% of non-diabetic individuals with blood glucose > 11.1 mmol/l on admission were followed up. The study showed that blood glucose > 6.5 mmol/l on admission is associated with significantly longer length of stay. Hyperglycaemia was associated with increased 28-day mortality and readmissions, and is frequently underinvestigated.