Dtsch Arztebl Int
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In 2004, the German federal state of Baden-Württemberg implemented a quality management system for pre-hospital emergency care. Since then, there has been a semi-annual assessment of the frequency of different types of emergency medical interventions and the quality of care. ⋯ Even in the face of increasing utilization, the quality of emergency medical care in Baden-Württemberg has remained high. Since a quality management system was introduced in 2004, the physicians in charge of emergency medical teams have had access to the data that they need in order to evaluate and further develop the services that they provide.
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Stress incontinence in men is a rare, usually iatrogenic condition. Its prevalence can be expected to rise in the future because of the increasingly common performance of radical prostatectomy. Most men who have undergone prostatectomy experience a transient disturbance of urinary continence. Such disturbances are only rarely due to structural damage to the sphincter apparatus and therefore have a good prognosis for spontaneous recovery. ⋯ Post-prostatectomy incontinence has a good prognosis and should thus be treated conservatively at first. If it nonetheless persists, surgical treatment is indicated for patients who choose it after being fully informed about their options.
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The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist dextromethorphan has been available in pharmacies without a prescription since 1954 as an antitussive agent. There is an alarming increase in reports of its abuse. Dextromethorphan is avidly taken, mainly by young people, as a psychoactive drug. The currently available data yield incomplete information about the extent of the problem and its significance for addiction medicine in Germany. ⋯ Dextromethorphan is a psychotropic substance that carries a potential for abuse and dependence. On the basis of the currently available data, its reclassification as a prescription drug should be considered.
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Recurrent angioedema may affect the skin or, less commonly, the tongue, gastrointestinal tract, and larynx. Angioedema is a clinical sign that can be produced by a variety of diseases. Asphyxiation due to edematous obstruction of the upper airway is rare, but, for the affected patients, it is a permanent risk. ⋯ In patients with recurrent angioedema, the diagnostic classification of the underlying disorder as a particular type of hereditary or acquired angioedema is a prerequisite for appropriate treatment.