Clin Med
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The incidence of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH) is seen to be relatively rare, ie about two per million inhabitants per year. Five studies on the prevalence of INPH in elderly patients, from three countries, have been published between 1985 and 2009.1-5 Prevalence ranged from 0.41% to 2.94% (mean 0.8%), ie slightly less than one per 100 based on samples ranging from 170 to 982 subjects. ⋯ Attempts to identify all patients with INPH overlook many cases. INPH is actually a very common disease and its prevalence increases with age.
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Frequently patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) present with chest pain. Anginal equivalents such as dyspnoea and fatigue, or radiation of pain to the neck, jaw and arm, are also well described. Absence of chest pain with chronic left arm and neck pain is more unusual but demonstrates the heterogeneity of presentation. CAD should be considered in those anginal equivalents in the absence of 'strangling and anxiety of the breast'.
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In April 2009 a 'considerative checklist' was developed to ensure that all important aspects of care on a team's routine and post-take general internal medicine ward rounds had been addressed and in order to answer the question: How long should a ward round take, when conducted to high standards of quality and safety at the point of care? The checklist has been used on 120 ward rounds: 90 routine ward rounds and 30 post-take ward rounds. Overall, the average time per patient was 12 minutes (10 minutes on routine rounds and 14 minutes on post-take rounds). The considerative checklist has encouraged and enabled documented evidence of high quality and safe medical care, and anecdotally improved team working, communication with patients, and team and patient satisfaction.