Hospital practice (1995)
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Hospital practice (1995) · Dec 2009
Comparative StudyAcute ischemic stroke and thrombolysis location: comparing telemedicine and stroke center treatment outcomes.
Telemedicine has been increasingly used as an option for acute ischemic stroke treatment at hospitals where neurological expertise is not available. The aim of this study was to compare the outcome of stroke patients treated with systemic thrombolysis at our academic hub regional stroke centers (hub) versus our spoke hospital telemedicine locations (spoke) ⋯ The hub-and-spoke telemedicine model for acute ischemic stroke treatment seems to carry similar efficacy and safety outcomes at the regional academic hub and spoke centers.
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Over 2.5 million accidental and intentional drug-related poisonings are reported annually in the United States. Early diagnosis and management of patients who present with acute intoxication can significantly reduce both morbidity and mortality. The initial evaluation of patients with suspected or proven intoxications should focus on hemodynamic stability, mental status, and respiratory function. ⋯ Important historical clues are often found in a social history that considers intravenous drug use, alcohol use, and any access or exposure to illicit substances. A patient's medication list should also be scrutinized for psychoactive or sedative medications, such as tricyclic antidepressants or opioids. In this article we present case-based discussions of the specific diagnosis and management of 5 commonly occurring acute intoxication syndromes.
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Disturbed regional oxygenation is believed to contribute to organ dysfunction, organ failure, and death. Recent techniques such as orthogonal polarization spectral/sidestream darkfield imaging and near infrared spectroscopy have provided insight into the microcirculatory alterations present in critically ill patients. ⋯ Data on the effects of therapeutic interventions on the microcirculation are also being gathered and may help in developing strategies that can influence regional oxygenation and cellular metabolism, and thereby prevent or reverse organ failure. Whether monitoring the microcirculation can be used to guide therapy remains unclear and requires further study, and this is an exciting field of ongoing research.
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Hospital practice (1995) · Dec 2009
Practical implementation of therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest.
Survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains unacceptably low. Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is the most efficacious treatment option available for comatose survivors of cardiac arrest. However, clearly delineated instructions for how to induce, maintain, and conclude TH have not been published in a codified format. ⋯ We present a step-by-step management plan for incorporation of TH in the care of the comatose survivor of OHCA, which can be adapted to a variety of clinical settings with diverse resources. This article is intended to supplement current care provided by health care providers and should be adopted in concert with current standards of post-arrest and intensive care unit care.
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Hospital practice (1995) · Dec 2009
ReviewIncretin-based therapies: review of the outpatient literature with implications for use in the hospital and after discharge.
A large percentage of critically ill adult inpatients have type 2 diabetes, which may be undiagnosed or uncontrolled during hospitalization. Hyperglycemia complicates the therapeutic management of inpatients and leads to adverse outcomes, and intensive glycemic control with insulin reduces morbidity and mortality. Insulin therapy, however, is labor-intensive and time-consuming. ⋯ Incretin-based therapies offer a potentially useful option for post-discharge therapy, and possibly for inpatient diabetes treatment. Incretins are effective, safe, and well-tolerated; they are easier for patients to use compared with insulin injections (eg, continual glucose monitoring is not required); and they may provide long-term improvement of cardiovascular parameters and beta-cell function. This review examines the challenges to achieving glycemic control in the hospital setting and summarizes clinical data on the efficacy and safety of incretin-based therapies in their use in the hospital and after discharge.