Polskie Archiwum Medycyny Wewnętrznej
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Pol. Arch. Med. Wewn. · Apr 2023
ReviewReflections on internal medicine in Poland on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Polish Archives of Internal Medicine.
Dynamic development of medicine in the 20th and 21st centuries has only been possible due to its split into narrow specialties. The increasingly complicated and costly technologies used in clinical practice can only be mastered by small groups of highly‑ qualified specialists; however, diagnosis and treatment are not about matching a patient with the latest and most sophisticated technologies but about finding an optimal patient‑ oriented solution, as it is the human being as a whole that needs help. To achieve this goal, a close collaboration of different specialists is required, but the key role rests with a physician with good general internal medicine skills and the right motivation to act. ⋯ The task is further complicated by chronic underfunding of these wards. The aim of the present review is to reflect on the current state and prospects of Polish internal medicine as well as to attempt a definition of an internist and their role in the integration of different medical specialties. It also stresses the importance of a master in the teaching and practice of medicine and presents profiles of 4 eminent Polish internists.
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Pol. Arch. Med. Wewn. · Apr 2023
ReviewExtracellular vesicles in vascular pathophysiology: beyond their molecular content.
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are released by all cells, both in physiological and pathological conditions. Their molecular charge and composition emerge as possible biomarkers, but EVs may also be considered for other clinical applications. This review discusses the role of other features of EVs, such as their lipid components or composition of glycans that form the EV corona and regulate EV biodistribution and uptake by target cells. The importance of EV electric charge has been discussed as a new insight into EV fate and destination.
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Pol. Arch. Med. Wewn. · Apr 2023
Helping without harm: providing emotional support to health care workers in 2023.
Reflecting on the efforts to provide acute emotional support to health care workers (HCWs) before and after the COVID‑ 19 pandemic, 3 guiding principles are proposed for health care organizations, with the aim to support their workers by an efficient combination of disciplines and resources: 1) normalize the use of support resources for HCWs; 2) assess actual needs rather than act on assumptions; 3) reduce barriers for HCWs to get the support they need. Each of these principles is described in terms of their usefulness and potential for further developments that might provide better emotional support for HCW in the future.