J Formos Med Assoc
-
Hypertension increases the risk of cardiovascular disease in the elderly. Although treating hypertension can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and its related mortality, it is also challenging because these patients could have frailty, orthostatic hypotension (OH) and resistant hypertension (RHTN), which makes them more susceptible to treatment-related adverse events. Identifying such patients and tailoring the choice of drugs and blood pressure targets is crucial to balance the harms and benefits. ⋯ For very frail patients, unnecessary medications should be deprescribed to avoid adverse events. Hypertension and OH frequently co-occur in the elderly, and recognizing and managing OH is essential to prevent falls and adverse events. The management of blood pressure in elderly patients with frailty, OH, and RHTN is complex, requiring the patients, their family and caregivers to be involved in decision-making to ensure that treatment plans are well-informed and aligned with the patient's needs.
-
This paper examines the resilience of Taiwan's oral healthcare system in response to COVID-19, focusing on pre-pandemic conditions, pandemic impacts, and policy recommendations for future resilience. In Taiwan, oral diseases were prevalent, with 80.48% of adults affected by periodontitis in 2016, and 65.43% of 5-year-old children experiencing dental caries. Taiwan's National Health Insurance (NHI) covers over 99% of the population, providing comprehensive dental care. ⋯ Strengthen hierarchy of oral healthcare system: Balance dental resources across regions, and improve referrals between hospital and clinics; 2. Provide integrated patient-centered care: Integrate oral health into disease prevention and offer comprehensive services across all stages of life; 3. Integrate digital technology: Promote teledentistry and leverage Taiwan's strengths in information and communication technology (ICT).
-
The effectiveness of Ranolazine on chronic angina had been proved and launched in the United States. This study aimed to determine whether add-on Ranolazine could also be effective in Taiwanese population with persisting angina symptoms despite taking conventional antianginal agents. ⋯ The add-on ranolazine therapy shows the potential to raise the exercise performance and tolerance of patients with chronic angina.