Internal medicine journal
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Internal medicine journal · Jun 2022
Timely goals of care documentation in frail patients in the COVID era: A retrospective multi-site study.
Older frail patients are more likely to have timely goals of care (GOC) documentation than non-frail patients. ⋯ Timely GOC documentation occurred less frequently in frail patients during the COVID-19 pandemic than in the pre-COVID-19 era.
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Internal medicine journal · Jun 2022
Prevalence of gestational diabetes in the Waikato region of New Zealand.
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) during pregnancy is associated with health complications for both mother and infant, but patient numbers in the Waikato District Health Board region of New Zealand have not been well characterised. This study reviewed the full 2018 cohort of Waikato District Health Board hospital births (n = 4970) to report on GDM prevalence by ethnicity and age. The overall prevalence of GDM was 5.7% and is more likely to affect Asian, Pacific and Māori women as well as those of advanced maternal age.
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Internal medicine journal · Jun 2022
Diabetic ketoacidosis: a canary in the mine for mental health disorders?
Recurrent diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) has been linked to mental health disorders, but less is known about single DKA episodes. Most studies are retrospective, lacking control groups. ⋯ Mental health disorders and adverse socioeconomic factors appear to be common in patients with DKA. The diagnosis of DKA presents an excellent opportunity to screen for depression and offer appropriate intervention.
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Internal medicine journal · Jun 2022
Voluntary assisted dying: peak bodies must provide practical guidance.
Despite widespread reform in Australia, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) remains ethically opposed to voluntary assisted dying (VAD). This article argues that the AMA should abandon its opposition to VAD to fulfil better its mandate of providing the best outcomes for doctors, patients and the community. A neutral stance enables peak bodies to engage more fully in implementation and support diverse perspectives.
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Internal medicine journal · Jun 2022
ICU trainee perception of end of life care provided during medical emergency team activation events.
Hospital medical emergency team (MET) activation events involving end-of-life care (EOLC) are common. The issues faced by medical staff attending these events are incompletely described. ⋯ Victorian intensive care trainees were confident managing EOLC MET activation events. However, distress was reported commonly and strategies are required to address the areas of concern.