Dtsch Arztebl Int
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Epilepsy is the third most common disease affecting the brain in the elderly. Current demographic trends will lead to an increased prevalence of epilepsy in the general population. ⋯ Epilepsy is often more difficult to recognize in old age. The treatment is hampered by side effects and drug interactions. Thus, certainty about the diagnosis is indispensable, and the treatment often requires the use of newer-generation antiepileptic drugs.
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The German AGnES (community-based, e-health-assisted systemic support for primary care) project allows general practitioners (GPs) to delegate certain elements of medical care, including house calls, to qualified AGnES employees and thereby provide primary care to a larger number of patients. AGnES projects of various types have been carried out in a number of German federal states from 2005 onward. In this article, an evaluation of the AGnES projects to date is presented. ⋯ Structural redundancy is avoided by directly placing the AGnES employees in the general practitioners' practices. Based on the results of the AGnES projects, the law in Germany has now been amended to enable implementation of the AGnES project in the regular health care system from January 2009 onward. The next steps to be taken are the establishment of adequate reimbursement within the catalog of the statutory health insurance scheme and a detailed definition of the required qualifications.
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The long-term outcome of patients requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation depends heavily on swift and appropriate care. The aim of this study was to obtain data on the composition and training of resuscitation teams in specialist departments for internal medicine and anesthesiology. ⋯ The majority of hospitals that participated in this survey have an emergency team in place and organize resuscitation training for their medical personnel. The training varies greatly, however, in frequency, size of group, and qualification of the trainer. Implementation of standardized training for and management of in-hospital resuscitation measures might further hone staff skills and therefore improve the long-term outcome for the patients concerned.