Acta clinica Croatica
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Acta clinica Croatica · Dec 2019
Case ReportsHERBALIFE® ASSOCIATED SEVERE HEPATOTOXICITY IN A PREVIOUSLY HEALTHY WOMAN.
Lately there has been an increased consumption of herbal preparations, distributed as nutritional supplements, often claimed to be 'natural' and harmless. However, as their use is not subjected to strict pre-marketing testing and regulations, their ingredients are not clearly defined and there is no quality control or proof of their effectiveness and safety. A growing body of references accentuate their harmful effects, in particular hepatotoxicity, which varies from minimal hepatogram changes to fulminant hepatitis requiring liver transplantation. ⋯ The exact mechanism of liver damage in our patient was not determined. After removing the Herbalife® products, liver damage resolved and there was no need to perform liver biopsy. Taking into consideration the growing consumption of herbal products and their potential harmfulness, we consider that more strict regulations of their production process and sale are necessary, including exact identification of active substances with a list of ingredients, toxicologic testing and obligatory side effect report.
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Acta clinica Croatica · Dec 2019
Case ReportsCOMPLEX TREATMENT OF AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS PATIENT.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive and fatal degenerative neuromuscular disease with few if any treatment options and physical rehabilitation addressing specific deficits is the most frequent form of therapy. Patients also suffer from depression and increased anxiety. Our purpose was to assess the neurorehabilitation effectiveness in a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis who underwent stem cell transplantation but refused physiotherapy due to depression. ⋯ Increased motivation and marked decrease in the pain level was associated with the patient's willingness to complete physiotherapy, which resulted in improvements in most neuromuscular deficits and in increased respiratory capacity. During the 12 post-rehabilitation months, progression of the disease decelerated, and a positive behavioral change was noted. The study suggested that neurofeedback could be used as a neurorehabilitation component of the personalized complex rehabilitation protocol in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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Acta clinica Croatica · Dec 2019
Review Biography Historical ArticleART IN MEDICINE: A RETROSPECTIVE ON THE ANATOMICAL DRAWINGS OF CHARLES BELL.
Perhaps best known for his discovery of the eponymous syndrome 'Bell's Palsy', Charles Bell (1774-1842) made significant contributions to neuroscience, medical education and philosophy. Our aim was to examine his neuroanatomical drawings in the context of the era in which they were produced and their influence on future scholars. Emphasis is placed on analysing the artistic techniques employed and Bell's unique manner of conveying both structure and function. ⋯ His mastery of artistic technique complements his insightful descriptions of this prodigiously complex organ. The result is a more engaging account of neuroanatomy and an impressive display of his skill as an artist, anatomist and physician. Examining these expressive portrait-like diagrams provides greater insight into the mind of the pioneer of modern neuroscience.
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Acta clinica Croatica · Dec 2019
ReviewPROOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF ANTIOXIDANTS AND THEIR IMPACT ON HEALTH.
This review article is focused on the impact of antioxidants and prooxidants on health with emphasis on the type of antioxidants that should be taken. Medical researchers suggest that diet may be the solution for the control of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular complications, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and different cancers. ⋯ This is often the case of specific population groups such as postmenopausal women, the elderly, infants, workers exposed to environmental pollutants, and the obese. Before starting any supplementation, it is necessary to measure oxidative stress and to identify and eliminate the possible sources of free radicals and thus increased oxidative stress.
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Acta clinica Croatica · Dec 2019
INADEQUACY OF VITAMIN K ANTAGONIST USE IN PATIENTS WITH ATRIAL FIBRILLATION - OVERVIEW OF EVERYDAY CLINICAL PRACTICE AT THE MERKUR UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IN ZAGREB, CROATIA.
Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. It increases the risk of death and thromboembolic events. Vitamin K antagonists reduce these risks. ⋯ Only 34 (31.2%) patients aged over 75 had been receiving vitamin K antagonist therapy and 6 (17.6%) had the International Normalized Ratio values within the proposed therapeutic interval. We found a significantly higher rate of anticoagulant therapy introduction in patients under 75 years (p=0.03), but there were no significant differences in the adequacy of anticoagulant therapy (p=0.89) between these two populations. Our results showed clear inadequacies of vitamin K antagonist treatment with a growing need for a wider use of novel oral anticoagulants.