Revista médica de Chile
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Revista médica de Chile · Aug 2016
Review[Current evidence on health benefits of the mediterranean diet].
The Mediterranean diet is currently considered a functional diet with an increasing amount of scientific evidence that supports its beneficial effects in human health. Several observational cross-sectional and prospective cohort studies show an association between this diet and a lower prevalence and incidence of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases as well as a reduced overall mortality. Additionally, clinical interventional studies, particularly the PREDIMED (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea) initiative, have shown, with high quality scientific evidence, that a Mediterranean diet -supplemented either with olive oil or nuts- can lower by 30% the incidence of cardiovascular disease, reverse the metabolic syndrome, and prevent the development of diabetes and aging-related cognitive decline. Chile has one of the five Mediterranean ecosystems in the world, and therefore the implementation of this food pattern and lifestyle in our country may determine large benefits to the health status and quality of life in the Chilean population.
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The use of thoracic ultrasound as a diagnostic tool in the emergency department, intensive care unit or in patients with pulmonary diseases is increasing steadily. It is used to guide percutaneous tracheostomies, to assess pleural effusions, to rule out pneumothorax, and to guide the placement of endovascular and pleural catheters. It is also useful in the assessment of patients with dyspnea. The aim of this review is to provide the practical and technical basics for the use of this diagnostic tool among internists and specialists in pulmonary diseases.
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Revista médica de Chile · Jul 2016
Observational Study[Quality assessment of clinical practice guidelines of the Chilean explicit guarantees in healthcare program].
High quality practice guidelines are of utmost importance in clinical medicine. ⋯ The CPGs elaborated for the EGH program have high scores in domains such as the Scope and Purpose, Clarity of Presentation and Editorial Independence. Their scores in other dimensions such as Stakeholder Involvement, Rigor of Development and Applicability can be still improved.
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Revista médica de Chile · Jul 2016
Comparative Study[Mental health in Chile and Finland: Challenges and lessons].
This article analyses and compares the epidemiology of mental disorders and relevant public policies in Chile and Finland. In Chile, a specific mental health law is still lacking. While both countries highlight the role of primary care, Finland places more emphasis on participation and recovery of service users. ⋯ In conclusion, both countries have similar challenges but differing realities. This may help to identify gaps and potential solutions for public health challenges in Chile. Finlands experience demonstrates the importance of political will and long-term vision in the construction of mental health policies.