Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift
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It has been shown that the consumption of cocoa has a positive influence on a number of cardiovascular surrogate parameters such as arterial vasodilatation and a moderate decrease in blood pressure in humans. In the blood, a decrease in platelet aggregation and an increase in angiogenetic progenitor cells was noted. Furthermore, anti-inflammatory effects, an amelioration of the lipid profile and glucose metabolism was described. An increase of endothelial NO production following the ingestion of the antioxidant cocoa flavanols catechin and epicatechin seems to be the leading mechanism causing these effects. ⋯ In this moderate dosage, the potentially harmful effects due to weight gain and cadmium intake will be minimal. However, controlled randomized trials with well defined clinical endpoints are needed to prove the positive effects described so far. At this point, in time based on the information described in this article, a moderate consumption of flavanol rich cocoa products seems to be effective in the prevention of coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction.
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Dec 2011
Review[Autonomic dysfunction and cardiac arrhythmia in patients with obstructive and central sleep apnea].
Obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea with Cheyne-Stokes respiration are associated with an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmia. Apnea- associated arrhythmia may contribute to sudden cardiac death and premature mortality in those patients. ⋯ Profound vagal activity is leading to bradyarrhythmias, and sypathico-excitation to tachyarrhythmias. Atrial fibrillation and ventricular arrhythmias in obstructive and central sleep apnea patients are mainly found in combination with cardiovascular comorbidity (coronary heart disease, hypertensive heart disease, chronic heart failure). Bradyarrhythmias in OSA are induced by a cardioinhibitory vagal reflex due to obstructed airway. CPAP-therapy has been demonstrated to reduce arrhythmias.
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The prognostic impact of inadequate energy and protein supply in malnourished intensive care patients has been recently reemphasized. Consent exists about the beneficial effects of early enteral nutrition in the critically ill. However, gastrointestinal intolerance of the critically ill may be a major problem for the feasibility of enteral nutrition bearing additional risks. ⋯ Due to potential adverse effects immune-enhancing substrates have to be cautiously administered. For standardization implementation of a guideline based nutritional protocol is recommended. The review refers to the recent guidelines of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (2009), the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) (2009) and the German Sepsis Society (DSG) (2010).
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Oct 2011
Review[Health promotion, prevention, and rehabilitation in the elderly].
Considering the increasing disability with higher age and the demographic changes health promotion, prevention and rehabilitation are of high relevance for the maintenance and restoration of activity and participation of the elderly. Among the most important goals of prevention are mobility including physical activity and prevention of falls, adequate nutrition, maintenance of mental health, social integration and function. Different conditions of geriatric rehabilitation in Germany focussing either on acute care hospitals with early rehabilitation (inpatient or outpatient) or on rehabilitation in specialized centres lead to regional disparities. ⋯ Standardised geriatric assessments should be applied. Geriatric rehabilitation including the interdisciplinary team increases function and reduces the risks of nursing home admissions and mortality. Therefore, the access to and the capacities of geriatric rehabilitation should be further improved.
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Pancreatic cancer is still associated with a poor prognosis and remains the fourth leading cause of cancer related mortality. Overall, long-term survival is about 5 %. However, when pancreatic cancer can be resected, five-year survival rates increase to approximately 25 %. ⋯ Often, these tumors are diagnosed in premalignant or early invasive stages. While the outcome of late tumor stages of cystic and ductal pancreatic carcinomas is identical to ductal adenocarcinomas, the long-term outcome of prophylactic resection of premalignant or resection of early tumor stages of cystic tumors is excellent. Thus, early surgical treatment must be considered in cystic pancreatic tumors.