Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Nov 2019
[Palliative Care Teams in the German Comprehensive Cancer Centers].
A palliative care team is recognized as a quality indicator in the consultation and care of patients with a tumor disease and is used nationally (92 %) in the National Cancer Institutes, model of the German Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC). This begs the question of how palliative care teams are presently integrated into the CCCs. ⋯ Services for palliative patients exist generally in the German CCCs, but only half of them satisfy the condition of multi-professionality required for the fulfillment of the german guidelines. The new surcharge introduced in 2017, which can be charged on an hourly basis, could create improvements in this regard and contribute to cost recovery. Thus, contrary to the previous arrangement, essential and reasonable performances with a time of treatment of less than seven days can be charged.
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Nov 2019
[Anticoagulation in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (nvAF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD)].
Due to the associated risk of stroke, non-valvular atrial fibrillation (nvAF) is a major indication for oral anticoagulation. Many patients suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD), which increases the risk for stroke and for bleeding. ⋯ Novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have been investigated and are approved in CKD patients with a creatinine clearance (CrCl) ≥ 25 or 30 ml/min, factor Xa inhibitors can be used also if CrCl is > 15 ml/min. NOACs show an advantageous benefit-risk profile compared to VKA in reducing stroke, other thromboembolic events and death on the one hand and occurrence of bleedings on the other, and are recommended by the current ESC guidelines.
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Nov 2019
[Detection of delirium in three steps - From Screening to Verification to Etiology].
Clinicians are commonly confronted with the differential diagnosis of altered mental status, impaired cognition and altered level of consciousness in hospitalized patients including those admitted to medical, geriatric, emergency, intensive and post-operative care units. Although delirium is the most common acute neuropsychiatric condition in the acute hospital setting this diagnosis is commonly delayed, made too late or missed altogether. ⋯ The causes of delirious states are manifold. Both, direct damage to the brain tissue as well as encephalopathy as a result of other medical diseases, can be the cause of delirium. Depending on the predisposition delirious syndromes can be provoked by minor medical interventions. Clinical presentation is very variable, but remains largely independent of the triggering mechanisms. Purely catatonic, hypoactive, hyperactive and excitatory types as well as mixed forms can be distinguished.Immediate diagnosis of a delirious syndrome and rapid elucidation of its causes are keys for the implementation of curative therapy. There is a need to act fast because delirious phases are associated with significantly longer hospital stay and increased morbidity as a result of long-term cognitive deficits as well as increased mortality. As negative outcome is closely linked to the duration of a delirious episode, early diagnosis and rapid termination of the delirium constitute a significant positive predictor of outcome. In this respect, delirium represents an emergency, with or without concomitant cerebral or extracerebral symptoms.