Revue médicale suisse
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Successful pain management represents a daily medical challenge for in- and outpatients. The analysis of Swiss drug unit sales data between year 2000 and 2010 of an array of selected analgesic drugs (non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), paracetamol, metamizole, and opioids) identified current trends. While the overall number of treatment-days with analgesics has markedly and steadily increased and opioid usage may be considered as consistent with recently widened indications to non-tumor pain, the use of NSAIDs (whether COX-2-selective or not) entered stagnation and usage of the least well documented substances (paracetamol and metamizole) has more than decupled. These observations are put into perspective with the findings of a brief literature review aimed at summarizing the latest research developments in the field of analgesic drug therapy.
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Revue médicale suisse · Sep 2013
[Acute abdominal pain of the upper abdomen: which imaging to choose?].
The aim of this article is to review the imaging modalities to be performed in patients with acute diffuse upper abdominal pain. Conventional radiography, ultrasound and computerized tomography (CT) are most often used in this setting. The choice of the initial imaging technique will depend from the localization of the pain and the probability of a particular pathology in the involved area.
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Revue médicale suisse · Sep 2013
Historical Article[HeLa: perpetual legacy of Ms Lacks (1920-1950)].