scholarly journals Polypharmacy and rationalisation of medications

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-93
Author(s):  
David M. Smith ◽  
Charlotte Friend ◽  
Joanne Reeve
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Significant Challenge ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Impossible Task ◽  
Task Guidance ◽  
Extensive List

Growing numbers of people live with multi-morbidity. As patients’ lists of co-morbidities grow, so do the lists of their medications. Polypharmacy presents a significant challenge for both patients and clinicians. Polypharmacy can be appropriate, improving quality of life and life expectancy, but problematic, especially for patients living with frailty, and a growing burden. The task of trying to rationalise an extensive list of medications in a 10-minute appointment can seem like an impossible task. Guidance and support specifically aimed at trainees is limited. This article offers a starting point for GP trainees to stimulate their own exploration of this rapidly evolving subject.

Cancer pain management

2014 ◽  
Vol 155 (3) ◽  
pp. 93-99
Author(s):  
Péter Heigl
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Pain Management ◽  
Pain Relief ◽  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Cancer Pain ◽  
Cancer Pain Management ◽  
Medical Activity ◽  
Short Summary ◽  
Adequate Quality

Pain is a significant and alarming symptom of cancer seriously affecting the activity and quality of life of patients. Recent research proved that inadequate analgesia shortens life expectancy. Therefore, pain relief is not only a possibility but a professional, ethical and moral commitment to relieve patients from suffering, as well as ensure their adequate quality of life and human dignity. Proper pain relief can be achieved with medical therapy in most of the cases and the pharmacological alternatives are available in Hungary. Yet medical activity regarding pain relief is far from the desired. This paper gives a short summary of the guidelines on medical pain management focusing particularly on the use of opioids. Orv. Hetil., 2014, 155(3), 93–99.

“Position Paper” Timely Insulinisation in Type 2 Diabetes Patients

2012 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 441-444
Author(s):  
László Barkai ◽  
Nicolae Hâncu ◽  
György Jermendy ◽  
Maya Konstantinova ◽  
Radu Lichiardopol ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Insulin Therapy ◽  
Metabolic Control ◽  
Current Medical ◽  
Position Paper ◽  
Medical Evidence

AbstractThe objective of this position paper is to review the current medical evidence andguidelines regarding the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and to issue medicalrecommendations strengthening the timely use of insulin in patients with T2DMuncontrolled on noninsulin therapy. When noninsulin therapy fails to achieve or tomaintain HbA1c targets, insulin therapy is required. Timely insulin therapy couldprovide proper metabolic control that might prevent complications, lead toimprovement of life expectancy and quality of life.

scholarly journals Thermal Physics and Glaucoma II: Preliminary Evidences for a Thermophysical Design of a Possible Visible-Light-Photons Therapy

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (14) ◽  
pp. 6301
Author(s):  
Giulia Grisolia ◽  
Mariarosa Astori ◽  
Antonio Ponzetto ◽  
Antonio Vercesi ◽  
Umberto Lucia
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Thermodynamic Approach ◽  
Equilibrium Thermodynamic ◽  
Pharmacological Treatments ◽  
Light Stimulation ◽  
Cell Behaviour ◽  
Thermal Physics ◽  
Starting Point

Recently, a non-equilibrium thermodynamic approach has been developed in order to model the fundamental role of the membrane electric potential in the cell behaviour. A related new viewpoint is introduced, with a design of a photobiomodulation treatment in order to restore part of the visual field. Here, a first step in experimental evidence of the validity of the thermodynamic approach is developed. This result represents the starting point for future experimental improvements for light stimulation in order to improve the quality of life of the patients. The future possible therapy will be in addition to the pharmacological treatments.

scholarly journals Prediction of all-cause mortality from 24 month trajectories in patient-reported psychological, clinical and quality of life outcomes in uveal melanoma patients

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen L. Brown ◽  
Peter L. Fisher ◽  
Laura Hope-Stone ◽  
Heinrich Heimann ◽  
Rumana Hussain ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Uveal Melanoma ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Multivariate Analyses ◽  
Tumor Diameter ◽  
Control Variables ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
All Cause Mortality

AbstractA number of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) predict increased mortality after primary cancer treatment. Studies, though, are sometimes affected by methodological limitations. They often use control variables that poorly predict life expectancy, examine only one or two PROs thus not controlling potential confounding by unmeasured PROs, and observe PROs at only a single point in time. To predict all-cause mortality, this study used control variables affording good estimates of life expectancy, conducted multivariate analyses of multiple PROs to identify independent predictors, and monitored PROs two years after diagnosis. We recruited a consecutive sample of 824 patients with uveal melanoma between April 2008 and December 2014. PROs were variables shown to predict mortality in previous studies; anxiety, depression, visual and ocular symptoms, visual function impairment, worry about cancer recurrence, and physical, emotional, social and functional quality of life (QoL), measured 6, 12 and 24 months after diagnosis. We conducted Cox regression analyses with a census date of December 2018. Covariates were age, gender, marital and employment status, self-reported co-morbidities, tumor diameter and thickness, treatment modality and chromosome 3 mutation status, the latter a genetic mutation strongly associated with mortality. Single predictor analyses (with covariates), showed 6-month depression and poorer functional QoL predicting mortality, as did 6–12 month increases in anxiety and 6–12 month decreases in physical and functional QoL. Multivariate analyses using all PROs showed independent prediction by 6-month depression and decreasing QoL over 6–12 months and 12–24 months. Elevated depression scores six months post-diagnosis constituted an increased mortality risk. Early intervention for depressive symptoms may reduce mortality.

Who is a “Senior”? Looking for a definition in the healthcare system

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Consolandi
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Social Role ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Core ◽  
Starting Point

Purpose Seniors are nowadays at the core of important reflections to understand both how to ensure them a proper quality of life and better recognize their social role, providing them services and proper health care to value them as persons and resources. This paper aims to find a through definition about who is a senior, in the author’s opinion the starting point to help them flourishing. Design/methodology/approach As an example of definitions, an online dictionary and two geriatric text-books are quoted, highlighting qualities and rights referred to seniors especially in the delicate context of the health-care system. Findings The lack of a commonly shared perspective on this delicate kind of patient entails the difficulty to reach a coherent and satisfying definition about who a senior is. Originality/value The lack of a commonly shared definition leads to inevitable misunderstandings and could explain the arduousness of considering seniors in all their aspects. Further investigations are suggested.

Addison’s Disease Presenting with Abdominal Pain

2006 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 102-103
Author(s):  
Tejal Desai ◽  
◽  
Tristan Richardson ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Abdominal Pain ◽  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Adrenal Insufficiency ◽  
Unusual Case ◽  
Primary Adrenal Insufficiency ◽  
Prompt Treatment ◽  
Bilateral Destruction ◽  
Important Disease

Primary Adrenal Insufficiency is due to bilateral destruction of the adrenal cortex and has a prevalence of approximately 40-60 per million adults. 1 The commonest cause is autoimmune. 1 Prompt treatment not only restores quality of life but also a normal life expectancy. 2 Here we present an unusual case of primary adrenal insufficiency, which illustrates how such an important disease often provides a diagnostic conundrum.

scholarly journals Influence of eye diseases on the mortality rate of the population

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-53
Author(s):  
Andrey V Zolotarev ◽  
Elena V Karlova ◽  
Elena V Miroshnichenko
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Visual Acuity ◽  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Eye Diseases ◽  
Review Of Literature ◽  
The Impact

Evaluating of the correlation between quality of life, life expectancy and mortality rate is an important problem of modern ophthalmology. Many researchers note that eye pathology, which leads to a visual acuity decrease and blindness, has a significant impact on the mortality rate of the population. This review of literature is dedicated to studies examining the impact of eye diseases on the mortality rate of the population. (For citation: Zolotarev AV, Karlova EV, Miroshnichenko EV. Influence of eye diseases on the mortality rate of the population. ­Oph­thal­mology Journal. 2018;11(1):47-53. doi: 10.17816/OV11147-53).

Towards an HCI-Based Symbiotic Environment for Alzheimer's Support

2019 ◽  
pp. 14-42
Author(s):  
Leontios J. Hadjileontiadis ◽  
Dimitrios Mandiliotis ◽  
Konstantinos Toumpas ◽  
Aikaterini Kyprioti
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Innovative Design ◽  
Outdoor Activities ◽  
Global Epidemic ◽  
Alternative Approach ◽  
Ad Prevention ◽  
User Interfacing

Alzheimer's Disease (AD), being the most common form of dementia diagnosed in people over 65 years of age, is a global problem with dramatic impact, as there is no cure for it and worsens as it progresses, eventually leading to death. As the sufferer declines s/he often withdraws from family and society, leading to a marginalized way of living. Considering the life expectancy rise, a looming global epidemic of AD is foreseen; hence, new approaches need to be considered regarding AD prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and confrontation. In this vein, an alternative approach (namely Symbiosis) towards a symbiotic Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) environment is presented in this chapter, as a means to facilitate, understand and incorporate the needs of the whole AD community (i.e., patients, caregivers and doctors), involving cutting-edge technology, special serious games and natural-user interfacing, embedded within an innovative design framework. Overall, Symbiosis acts as a technology-based mediator for AD's indoor and outdoor activities, fostering their social inclusion and increasing their quality of life in a symbiotic context.

scholarly journals Public Spaces Protection Orders: a critical policy analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 182-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vicky Heap ◽  
Jill Dickinson
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Social Behaviour ◽  
Homeless People ◽  
Original Data ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Local Council ◽  
Protection Orders ◽  
Starting Point

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to critically appraise the Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) policy that was introduced by the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act (2014). Within a designated area assigned by the local council, PSPOs can prohibit or require specific behaviours to improve the quality of life for people inhabiting that space. Those who do not comply face a fixed penalty notice of £100 or a fine of £1,000 on summary conviction. However, the practical and theoretical impact associated with the development of these powers has yet to be fully explored. Design/methodology/approach Using Bannister and O’Sullivan’s (2013) discussion of civility and anti-social behaviour policy as a starting point, the authors show how PSPOs could create new frontiers in exclusion, intolerance and criminalisation, as PSPOs enable the prohibition of any type of behaviour perceived to negatively affect the quality of life. Findings Local councils in England and Wales now have unlimited and unregulated powers to control public spaces. The authors suggest that this has the potential to produce localised tolerance thresholds and civility agendas that currently target and further marginalise vulnerable people, and the authors highlight street sleeping homeless people as one such group. Originality/value There has been little academic debate on this topic. This paper raises a number of original, conceptual questions that provide an analytical framework for future empirical research. The authors also use original data from Freedom of Information requests to contextualise the discussions.

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