Polski merkuriusz lekarski : organ Polskiego Towarzystwa Lekarskiego
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Pol. Merkur. Lekarski · Aug 2009
Review[Pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary embolism in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease associated with high increasing worldwide mortality. COPD-related mortality is probably underestimated because of difficulties associated with identifying the precise cause of death. ⋯ The links between COPD and these conditions are not fully understood. However a link through the inflammation pathway has been suggested.
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Pol. Merkur. Lekarski · Aug 2009
Review[Therapeutic intervention in diseases with advanced glycation end products in their pathogenesis].
Nonenzymatic modification of proteins by reducing sugars, a process that is also known as the Maillard reaction, leads to the formation of advanced glycation end products (advanced glycation end-products--AGEs) in vivo. There is a growing body of evidence that formation and accumulation of AGEs progress during normal aging, and at an extremely accelerated rate under diabetes, and are thus involved in the pathogenesis of various diseases such as diabetic vascular complications, neurodegenerative diseases, renal failure, and liver cirrhosis. ⋯ In the former part of this paper, we discuss several types of AGEs inhibitors and their therapeutic implications in diseases. Then we summarize in the latter part of this review recent findings regarding pathophysiological roles in diseases of RAGE and soluble RAGE and discuss their potential usefulness as therapeutic targets.
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Pol. Merkur. Lekarski · Aug 2009
[Prevalence and difficulties in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease diagnosis in patients suffering from severe peripheral arterial disease].
Cigarette smoking is the most prominent risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Prevalence of COPD among cigarette smokers is about 23% in Poland. Effort dyspnea which develops in advanced stage of COPD is the leading cause of seeking medical advice. Physical activity among patients with PAD is reduced due to intermittent claudication. It may cause delayed COPD diagnosis in this group of patients. ⋯ COPD diagnosis among patients suffering from severe PAD involves several difficulties such as uselessness of MRC dyspnea scale and frequent heart diseases which delay the COPD diagnosis being considered as primary dyspnea reason. Many factors which have been proven to be responsible for worse prognosis due to COPD were observed in patients with PAD and coexistent COPD. High prevalence of COPD among patients suffering from PAD suggests the spirometry as a COPD screening would be justified in that group.
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Pol. Merkur. Lekarski · Aug 2009
Editorial[Thromboelastometry--a new method supporting the therapeutical decisions in the coagulopathy based on the Hartet's thromboelastography].
Thromboelastometry is a diagnostic method presenting in graphs and numbers the dynamics of hemostasis and physical properties of the clot forming. Thromboelastometry allows quick and complete assessment of clotting and fibrinolysis mechanism respecting share of coagulation and fibrinolytic factors and also platelets. Interpretation is based on comparative analysis of model data from computer memory with graphs and numeric data that present clot formation and fibrinolysis in time periods. ⋯ These can indicate type and quantity of blood products and medicines that are necessary to administer. Thromboelastometry is applied in many medical disciplines like cardiothoracic surgery, transplant surgery, obstetrics, multiorgan failures, vascular surgery and intensive care. In this method specialistic laboratory education is unnecessary.