South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde
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A representative sample of elderly Coloured persons (over the age of 65 years) in the community underwent a medical and psychosocial assessment of prevalent physical disorders and resultant disability. This revealed that hypertension, visual impairment, osteo-arthritis and chronic lung disease were the most prevalent and disabling conditions, while hearing impairment and major neurological disorders played a lesser role. ⋯ Profiles of the results of biochemical investigations resembled those of other aged populations, serum cholesterol, creatinine and alkaline phosphatase levels being raised. The pattern of medical care was also examined, including medication and the use of local facilities.
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A survey of all paediatricians registered with the South African Medical and Dental Council in July 1981 was conducted and the results were correlated with the child population as determined by the 1980 census. There were 201 active paediatricians, of whom 55% were employed in hospitals and 45% in private practice; 83% were resident in areas in which there were teaching hospitals, while only 23% of the total number of children resided in these areas. ⋯ We are therefore faced with the problem of having a paediatrician corps which although adequate in number is badly distributed, resulting in the rural population being grossly under-serviced. Possible solutions are presented.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Ciramadol--a new synthetic analgesic. A double-blind comparison with oral codeine for postoperative pain relief.
One hundred and eighty patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists rating 1-2) received one of three oral analgesics--ciramadol (Wy. 15705) 20 mg, ciramadol 60 mg or codeine 60 mg--on a double-blind random basis for the relief of pain 24-48 hours after major general surgical, gynaecological or orthopaedic operations. All three analgesics proved equally effective and caused mild sedation only. No patient showed signs of clinical cardiorespiratory depression, and other side-effects were infrequent. Ciramadol may therefore prove a useful clinical alternative to conventional oral analgesics provided its lack of respiratory depressant properties and addiction potential in monkeys can be substantiated in humans.