Professional nurse (London, England)
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Statins are a lipid-lowering medication. They are increasingly being used for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, as a growing body of research shows that they reduce mortality rates. Carol McLoughlin explains how they work, discusses contraindications, and offers advice on educating patients in their use.
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Patients may require the insertion of an intravenous line for a range of reasons, from blood sampling to total parenteral nutrition. This review looks at the range of vascular access devices available and examines the criteria that must be considered when selecting devices, to ensure that the therapeutic and personal needs of the patient are fully met.
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Despite the evidence that patients with cancer experience fatigue as a symptom of their condition or as a consequence of treatment, there is no uniform definition of the term, making it difficult to identify the causes. Patients also lack professional support to help them cope. This paper describes the potential causes of fatigue and provides some management solutions.
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Patients requiring i.v. treatment of between six weeks and six months will benefit from having a peripheral or central i.v. line. PICCs have a number of advantages over other peripheral or central devices. There is less risk of complications and infection than with central devices and repeated venepunctures are avoided as one PICC should provide adequate access throughout.