Irish journal of medical science
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The incidence of hip fractures is expected to increase over the coming years, placing a greater burden on limited resources. A high volume of patients is brought to hospitals that do not have the resources necessary to provide definitive care. Optimal care involves a coordinated and integrated system of trauma care. The hip fracture care pathway introduced between a referring peripheral hospital and our institution represents a coordinated multidisciplinary approach to patient care. ⋯ The fragmented approach to the management of trauma patients both in a pre-hospital and hospital care setting is a cause for concern. Our integrated hip fracture referral pathway, incorporating bypass of the referring hospital, represents a multidisciplinary care pathway for the management of patients with fractured neck of femur and can have potential benefits including improved patient outcomes, allowing the optimal allocation of resources and providing training opportunities.
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The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation after cardiac surgery in our institution and investigate risk factors for PPM dependency to provide patients with accurate incidence figures at the time of consent for surgery. ⋯ As clinicians, it can be challenging to provide our patients with accurate information on the risk of PPM implantation relative to their operation. A unit-specific data may be a more accurate method of informing our patients on this risk.
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Adipose tissue is producing adipokines that play different roles in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease. ⋯ Leptin concentrations were inversely proportional to LVMI and PWV in patients with BMI < 25 kg/m2.
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The aim of this study was to evaluate intradialytic hypotension (IDH) prevalence, influencing factors, and nursing interventions in hemodialysis (HD) patients. ⋯ Nursing staff awareness regarding the frequency of IDH in hemodialysis patients and the related symptoms needs to be increased.
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Asthma is the commonest chronic condition in childhood but mortality from asthma during childhood is a rare occurrence. No national review into asthma deaths in children in Ireland has been performed to date. ⋯ Our data suggests that most patients present in extremis and have little warning signs of severity of the attack. Better education on recognition of symptoms and initiation of action plans is required.