Revista médica de Chile
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Lithium is a mood stabilizer recommended by most clinical guidelines as the gold standard to prevent relapses in the treatment of Bipolar Affective Disorder. It is highly effective, but unfortunately, it causes adverse effects at several levels, including the skin. ⋯ Lithium produces and/or exacerbates a series of dermatological conditions of different severity, even at therapeutic levels, which are not usually severe but, even so, should not be underestimated since it can affect adherence to the drug.
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Revista médica de Chile · Dec 2023
Review[The Evolution of Hemodialysis in Chile: Is Hemodiafiltration the Next Step?].
Hemodialysis began in Chile during the latter half of the 20th century, primarily targeting individuals with acute renal failure. With time, dialysis facilities emerged across diverse regions of the nation, covering hospitals and private centers. This expansion widened dialysis access to chronic patients, culminating in universal coverage through the AUGE plan. ⋯ Despite advancements, complications linked to dialysis persist, significantly affecting patients' overall quality of life. Heightened rates of hospitalization and mortality are, in part, ascribed to the inherent technical limitations of hemodialysis in efficiently clearing uremic toxins. Therefore, superior purification modalities such as high-volume hemodiafiltration need to be progressively adopted to effectively address the persistent clinical needs in the care of dialysis patients within the Chilean context.
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Revista médica de Chile · Dec 2023
Review[Barriers to access treatment for eating disorders: Literature review].
Eating disorders (EDs) are disabling, potentially fatal, and costly mental disorders. According to recent data, Chile has the highest prevalence of both anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) in Latin America. However, there is no published data regarding the barriers experienced by patients with EDs in Chile until they start treatment. ⋯ The national context calls for discussing access problems in patients with EDs in Chile. The barriers found in this study should be considered when designing public policies, although the role of the cost of treatment should be more emphasized in Chile.