Dtsch Arztebl Int
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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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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.
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Physicians and pharmaceutical sales representatives (PSR) are in regular contact. The goal of the present study is systematically to assess the kind of contacts that take place and their quality with a survey of physicians in private practice. A further goal is to determine whether alternatives to current practices can be envisioned. ⋯ PSR visits and attempts to influence physicians' prescribing behavior are a part of everyday life in private medical practice, yet only a few physicians consider themselves to be susceptible to this kind of influence. A more critical attitude among physicians, and the creation of alternative educational events without drug company sponsoring, might lead to more independence and perhaps to more rational and less costly drug-prescribing practices.