Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift
-
The pandemic due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus challenges all of us in the many areas of life. Our health systems are tested for their sustainability and load capacity. SARS-CoV-2 virus-infections will become part of our lives, but they mainly threaten vulnerable and multimorbid older adults. ⋯ Adapted caring structures are required and the pandemic will introduce important ethical discussions. As examples, distribution of limited resources, requests for more Advance Care Planning as well as balancing between infection protection versus the drawbacks of long-lasting social isolation should be named. This article therefore focuses on ethical questions for older adults in times of the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic.
-
Evidence of neurological complications and direct affection of neuronal structures in the course of infections with SARS-CoV-2 is actually emerging. Therefore adequate medical care for neurological patients must also be guaranteed as part of the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Multiple, peripheral and central neurological affections have been described, such as particular headache, consciousness disorders, cranial nerve disorders, peripheral nerve damage, epileptic seizures and ischemic events. Since abundant information on COVID-19 is published on a daily basis, this article aims to summarize and evaluate the current literature on this topic.
-
Excess body weight (EBW) is the second most important and potentially modifiable risk factor of cancer in Germany. The longer and the more excess body weight a person has, the higher the cancer risk. About 60 % of adult Germans have EBW (BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m²) and more than 23 % are obese (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m²). ⋯ In recent years, more and more young adults (20-40 years) were diagnosed with EBW-associated tumors. People with EBW should be encouraged to join programs of cancer screening. Keeping a healthy weight is a major public health concern in Germany.