Revista médica de Chile
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Revista médica de Chile · Sep 2003
[Abdominal aortic aneurysms in patients over 80 years of age: conventional surgical treatment in 80 consecutive cases].
Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) may be lethal unless appropriately and timely treated. Since age is a surgical risk, octogenarians are usually not considered as candidates for surgical intervention. ⋯ Elective surgery for asymptomatic AAA can be performed with low operative mortality in octogenarians. However, surgery in emergency cases has an 8 fold increase in risk. Accordingly, octogenarian patients should be considered for elective AAA repair in a selective basis.
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Delirium or acute confusional state is a condition that lies within the boundaries of psychiatry and other medical specialties. It is defined as a syndrome characterized by a fluctuating cognitive impairment of acute onset. The pathogenesis is multifactorial and it frequently appears in elderly patients admitted to general hospitals. ⋯ This article discusses the most efficient procedures to diagnose and treat delirium. The review was based on a systematic search in the literature using the key words delirium, acute mental syndrome, acute confusional state and organic mental syndrome. Articles were selected according to their relevance and methodological accuracy.
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Revista médica de Chile · Sep 2003
Review[Bioethical aspects of the Health Care Reform in Chile. The problems of access and costs of resources ].
During the process of health reforms there is always the concern that patients rights might be harmed. The bill that is being discussed in the Chilean Parliament contains an special issue dedicated to patient's obligations and rights. However, on the author's opinion, the best protection for patient rights rests on adequate financing and access to a reasonably, good and qualified health care. A thorough revision of the proposals contained in the reform will allow an objective assessment of the eventual ethical problems that it might imply.