Dtsch Arztebl Int
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Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. There are at least 150 000 persons with MS in Germany. Recent years have seen the approval of new drugs against. ⋯ Newer drugs for MS have enabled more effective treatment, but are also associated with a higher risk of side effects. Interdisciplinary risk management is needed.
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Dyspnea is a common symptom affecting as many as 25% of patients seen in the ambulatory setting. It can arise from many different underlying conditions and is sometimes a manifestation of a life-threatening disease. ⋯ The many causes of dyspnea make it a diagnostic challenge. Its rapid evaluation and diagnosis are crucial for reducing mortality and the burden of disease.
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Amantadine, oseltamivir, and zanamivir are currently available in Germany for the prevention and treatment of influenza. We review their efficacy and side-effect profiles. ⋯ The benefits of antiviral drugs, particularly neuraminidase inhibitors, outweigh their risks. In deciding whether to use them, physicians should consider the properties of the currently circulating viruses and the patient's individual risk constellation, as directed in clinical treatment recommendations.
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Conflicting information about the proper treatment of head lice has given rise to uncertainty among patients and treating personnel. For example, the reported efficacy of permethrin fell from 97% in the 1990s to 30% in 2010. ⋯ Outbreaks of head lice can be successfully terminated by synchronous treatment with ovicidal dimethicones.
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All over the world, refractive errors are among the most frequently occuring treatable distur - bances of visual function. Ametropias have a prevalence of nearly 70% among adults in Germany and are thus of great epidemiologic and socio-economic relevance. ⋯ Simple functional tests can be used in everyday clinical practice to determine quickly, easily, and safely whether the patient is suffering from a benign and easily correctable type of visual impairment, or whether there are other, more serious underlying causes.