Respiratory care
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Despite the established causal relationship between tobacco smoking and cancer, many cancer patients continue to smoke after diagnosis. This partly reflects ignorance of the beneficial effects of smoking cessation, even after diagnosis. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the effects of continuing or quitting smoking in patients with diagnosed cancer. ⋯ Continued smoking after cancer diagnosis is related to reduced treatment efficacy and reduced survival, increased risk for second primary malignancies, and deterioration of quality of life.
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Review Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Thrombolysis Versus Anticoagulation for the Initial Treatment of Moderate Pulmonary Embolism: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Randomized trials and meta-analyses have reached conflicting conclusions regarding the risk benefit ratio of thrombolytic therapy or anticoagulant therapy in patients with moderate pulmonary embolism. To investigate the effect of initial thrombolysis and anticoagulant therapy in patients with moderate pulmonary embolism, we performed an updated meta-analysis. ⋯ Both mortality and pulmonary embolism recurrence are decreased with thrombolysis compared with heparin treatment in patients with moderate pulmonary embolism. The risk of non-major bleeding is increased, but the risk of major bleeding is not.
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Review
Cardiorespiratory Interactions: The Relationship Between Mechanical Ventilation and Hemodynamics.
The overall goal of the cardiorespiratory system is to provide the organs and tissues of the body with an adequate supply of oxygen in relation to oxygen consumption. An understanding of the complex physiologic interactions between the respiratory and cardiac systems is essential to optimal patient management. ⋯ Oxygen delivery to all organs and tissues of the body should be optimized, but not necessarily maximized. The heart and lungs are, obviously, connected anatomically but also physiologically in a complex relationship.