Praxis
-
Food allergy (hypersensitivity) is a form of adverse food reaction in which the reaction is caused by an immunological response to a food. Most immediate allergic reactions to food are IgE-mediated. The prevalence of food allergy in the general population without the oral allergy syndrome is about 1-2%. ⋯ The only proven form of management in food allergy is strict elimination of the offending food. Food-allergic patients must be provided with emergency medications. Identification of allergens and their characterization finally will improve our understanding for pathophysiologic mechanisms of food allergy.
-
Overall, pain is one of the most common symptoms associated with cancer and often produces greater anticipatory distress than other features of the disease. Drug selection depends on the intensity of pain rather than on the specific pathophysiology. Mild to moderate pain can often be treated effectively by so-called "weak" opioids. ⋯ Antidepressants, anticonvulsants and some antiarrhytmics are used as co-analgesics. Oral medication alone can guarantee pain relief in about 95% of the patients. The WHO analgesic ladder has proven effective in all settings of patients care.