Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift
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Obesity is a highly prevalent, chronically progressing disease. Obesity represents a challenge for people living with obesity, health care professionals and the society, because it is also associated with several comorbid diseases. ⋯ The treatment access gap is mainly caused by a lack of legal frameworks for the guideline-driven obesity management. A currently developed disease management program for obesity has the potential to fill the gap in obesity management in the future.
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Diabetes is one of the most common chronical diseases in old age. More than 50 % of the patients are older than 65 years. Elderly with diabetes often suffer from functional or cognitive deficits that should be registered in therapy. ⋯ Simple therapy regimens should be preferred to avoid polypharmacia and to preserve patient's independence. Specific risks of old age under new antidiabetic drugs should be noted. Check-ups and treatment of diabetic complications, especially the diabetic foot should be consequently induced considerating age-specific features.
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Therapeutic fasting has found its way into modern medicine in the last decade through a multitude of experimental work and animal studies as well as increasing clinical research. It is a procedure with a tradition dating back thousands of years and thus comes with a variety of different practices. What they all have in common, is the reduction of daily food intake for a limited period of time. This has a variety of effects on metabolism, cells and organ systems, which can make it a potent tool in medical practice.