Dtsch Arztebl Int
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Delirium is a common complication in elderly hospitalized patients. It prolongs the length of hospital stay, raises costs, increases the workload of the nursing staff, and may necessitate transfer of the patient to a nursing home. The risk of postoperative delirium is particularly high in elderly patients with pre-existing cognitive deficits. ⋯ The frequency of postoperative delirium in elderly patients with cognitive deficits can be lowered with nursing measures carried out by a specially trained nurse, close postoperative supervision, and cognitive activation.
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Heart failure is one of the most common diseases of adults in Europe, with an overall prevalence of 1-2%. Among persons aged 60 and above, its prevalence is above 10% in men and 8% in women. Acute heart failure has a poor prognosis; it is associated with a high rate of rehospitalization and a 1-year mortality of 20-30%. ⋯ The treatment of acute heart failure is markedly less evidence-based than that of chronic heart failure. Newer treatment approaches that are intended to improve outcomes still need to be tested in multicenter trials.
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Review Meta Analysis
Risks associated with the non-medicinal use of cannabis.
Cannabis is the most commonly consumed illicit drug around the world; in Germany, about 4.5% of all adults use it each year. Intense cannabis use is associated with health risks. Evidence-based treatments are available for health problems caused by cannabis use. ⋯ Further research is needed to elucidate the causal relationships between intense cannabis use and potential damage to physical and mental health. Health problems due to cannabis use can be effectively treated.
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Because of their easy accessibility and versatile biological properties, mesenchymal stem cells taken from fatty tissue (adipose-derived stem cells, ADSC) are attractive for various potential clinical uses. For example, ADSC can be added to fatty tissue before transplantation in the hope of improving the outcome of autologous lipotransfer: the modified procedure is called cell-assisted lipotransfer. The clinical use and commercial promotion of this novel stem-cell treatment (and others) are spreading rapidly, even though there is not yet any clear clinical evidence for its safety and efficacy. ⋯ The studies published to date have not shown that cell-assisted lipotransfer is generally superior to conventional autologous lipotransfer. They dealt with safety aspects inappropriately or not at all. The case of cell-assisted lipotransfer illustrates the indispensability of high-quality clinical evidence before the introduction of novel stem-cell-based treatments.