Dtsch Arztebl Int
-
Many medical laboratory tests can now be done near the patient (point-of-care testing, POCT), ranging from basic blood glucose measurement to complex coagulation testing. Switching from conventional laboratory testing to POCT shortens the time to decision-making about further testing or treatment, as delays are no longer caused by specimen transport and preparation, and the test results are rapidly available at the point of care. Better medical outcomes and lower costs may ensue. ⋯ POCT for certain applications is a useful complement to conventional laboratory testing. The future utilization of POCT will depend not only on technical advances, but also on developments in costs and reimbursement.
-
Current guidelines for assessing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) recommend using the patient's body-mass index (BMI) as a primary measure. Waist circumference measurement is recommended for overweight or obese patients only (BMI > or = 25). ⋯ These findings imply that the waist circumference is an important additional piece of information for assessing the risk of type 2 DM, particularly among persons of low or normal weight.
-
Comprehensive, systematic reviews on the benefit of vision screening in preschool children were published in 2008 by major national organizations in both Germany and the United Kingdom. These reviews raised public interest in the topic. ⋯ The available data do not allow any firm conclusion about the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of preschool vision screening. Further clinical studies are needed to answer these questions.
-
Restricting the dietary intake of sodium chloride is associated with a reduction of the arterial blood pressure by approximately 4/2 mm Hg in hypertensive patients and by approximately 1/0.6 mm Hg in normotensive persons. As the cardiovascular risk is known to rise steadily with systolic blood pressure values starting from 115 mm Hg, lowering the mean blood pressure of the general population by dietary salt restriction would seem to be a practicable form of primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. ⋯ On the basis of the available studies, it seems likely that a moderate lowering of the daily intake of sodium chloride by the general population from 8 to 12 grams per day (the current value) to 5 to 6 grams per day would be a useful public health measure, with economic benefits as well. The potential risks for certain groups of individuals are foreseeable and controllable. A general reduction of dietary salt intake can only be achieved by reducing the sodium chloride content of industrially processed foods, as these account for 75% to 80% of the sodium chloride consumed daily. Aside from a general reduction of dietary salt intake, further important primary prevention measures for the general population include changes in lifestyle and in dietary habits.