Postgraduate medicine
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Postgraduate medicine · Nov 1996
Review Case ReportsIron deficiency anemia. When is parenteral therapy warranted?
Iron deficiency anemia is a common problem encountered in primary care practice. Once the diagnosis is confirmed and the possible causes are identified, replacement of iron stores is indicated. Most patients respond favorably to oral iron preparations. ⋯ Test doses of undiluted iron dextran occasionally elicit anaphylactic reactions. However, affected patients still may be successfully treated intravenously with the use of prophylactic antihistamines, corticosteroids, and histamine2 blockers. Treatment of iron deficiency anemia almost always brings symptomatic improvement.
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Postgraduate medicine · Nov 1996
ReviewPreoperative pulmonary evaluation. Identifying patients at increased risk for complications.
During surgical procedures, multiple physiologic changes affect the pulmonary system and its defense mechanisms. The presence of basic risk factors (eg, smoking, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, severe obesity) can affect whether these physiologic changes result in pulmonary complications or even death. ⋯ The presence of risk factors and the type of operation to be performed should guide decisions about whether to perform a procedure or to use prophylactic measures before and after surgery. New operative techniques may allow some procedures that were prohibited in the past to be performed in high-risk patients.