Connecticut medicine
-
Connecticut medicine · May 2004
Letter Historical ArticleReflections on training at Hartford Hospital.
-
Connecticut medicine · Apr 2004
Informed consent for invasive procedures in a community hospital medical intensive care unit.
To describe the informed consent practices in the medical intensive care unit (MICU) of a university-affiliated, community teaching hospital. ⋯ These results suggest that informed consent can be obtained procedure-by-procedure, as needed, at a high frequency, and with reasonable consenter comprehension.
-
Connecticut medicine · Apr 2004
Review Case ReportsAnaphylaxis to latex in patients without identified risk factors for latex allergy.
We describe a representative patient diagnosed with anaphylaxis to latex occurring during elective surgery in the absence of any previous risk factors for latex allergy. Latex allergy was identified by skin prick testing and confirmed by serological diagnosis testing. ⋯ Our experience suggests that skin prick test screening with serological diagnosis standardized latex extracts can be used to rapidly screen and identify individuals with latex allergy although the cost-effectiveness, sensitivity and safety of screening remains to be determined. Clinicians should consider the diagnosis of latex allergy in all cases of anaphylaxis without identified causes, even in patients without identified risk factors for latex allergy.
-
Connecticut medicine · Feb 2004
Informed consent for invasive medical procedures from the patient's perspective.
Written informed consent is not obtained uniformly for invasive medical procedures in critically ill patients across America. The general consent-to-treat is used by some institutions in lieu of separate, procedure-by-procedure consent. ⋯ The general consent-to-treat is not recalled well by hospitalized patients and is unlikely to suffice as informed consent for invasive medical procedures. A majority of patients do not want to have invasive procedures without first giving their informed consent.
-
Connecticut medicine · Nov 2003
Comparative StudyPatterns of anticoagulation in patients hospitalized with atrial fibrillation: warfarin is underused in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.
Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) has a similar stroke risk when compared with chronic atrial fibrillation (CAF). Our study sought to define the incidence of warfarin use at time of admission and discharge in patients hospitalized with PAF and CAF. Anticoagulation rates upon hospital admission were 89% in the patients with CAF and 38% in patients with PAF, and increased to 100% for patients with CAF and 81% for patients with PAF at the time of hospital discharge. Despite a similar risk of stroke, patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation were less likely to receive long-term oral anticoagulation (AC) compared to patients with chronic atrial fibrillation.