Internal medicine journal
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Internal medicine journal · May 2023
The impact of posttraumatic stress disorder on upper gastrointestinal investigations in Australian Defence Force veterans: a retrospective review.
Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) commonly exhibit associated gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. We compared upper GI endoscopy and abdominal ultrasound rates in veterans with and without PTSD. Veterans with PTSD were 77-81% more likely to undergo these procedures than those without PTSD. PTSD symptomatology influences GI investigation rate and more emphasis on clinician and patient education is recommended regarding stress-related gut symptoms.
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Internal medicine journal · May 2023
Audit of clinical follow-up and complications after acute pulmonary embolism in an Australian Metropolitan Health Service.
We explored post-pulmonary embolism (post-PE) follow-up at a large Australian regional city hospital health service. Over a 12-month period, we identified 195 (49% male) patients with a median age of 62 years. ⋯ Follow-up imaging was arranged in 28% of patients. To deliver high-quality care, we recommend implementing a local post-PE follow-up pathway, which balances individual physician preference with available resources and expert recommendations.