Articles: adult.
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Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults can resemble, and often co-occurs with, bipolar disorder (BD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD). This can lead to mistaken diagnoses and ineffective treatment, resulting in potentially serious adverse consequences. All three conditions can substantially impair well-being and functioning, while BD and BPD are associated with suicidality. ⋯ It is important to accurately diagnose ADHD, BD, and BPD to ensure correct targeting of treatments and improvements in patient outcomes. However, there is a shortage of data about treatment of adults with ADHD and comorbid BD or BPD.
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Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, and tobacco use rates are known to be higher among emergency department (ED) patients than in the general population. Despite recommendations from the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine and the American College of Emergency Physicians, many emergency clinicians remain uncertain about the benefits of providing ED-based smoking cessation interventions. To address this gap in knowledge, we performed a systematic review of cessation interventions initiated in the adult or pediatric ED setting. ⋯ Findings indicate that ED visits in combination with ED-initiated tobacco cessation interventions are correlated with higher cessation rates than those reported in the National Health Interview Survey. Clear data supporting the superiority of one intervention type were not identified. Lack of a standardized control group prevented quantitative evaluation of pooled data, and future research is indicated to definitively evaluate intervention efficacy.
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When a previously healthy adult experiences atraumatic cardiac arrest, providers must quickly identify the etiology and implement potentially lifesaving interventions such as advanced cardiac life support. A subset of these patients develop cardiac arrest or periarrest due to pulmonary embolism (PE). For these patients, an early, presumptive diagnosis of PE is critical in this patient population because administration of thrombolytic therapy may significantly improve outcomes. ⋯ Despite potentially improved outcomes with thrombolytic therapy, this intervention is not without risks. Patients exposed to thrombolytics may experience major bleeding events, with the most devastating complication usually being intracranial hemorrhage. To optimize the risk-benefit ratio of thrombolytics for treatment of cardiac arrest due to PE, the clinician must correctly identify patients with a high likelihood of PE and must also select an appropriate thrombolytic agent and dosing protocol.
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Electrical cardioversion is commonly used to treat patients with atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter to restore normal sinus rhythm. There has been considerable debate as to whether the electrode placement affects the efficacy of electrical cardioversion. The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of anteroposterior (A-P) versus anterolateral (A-L) electrode placement to restore normal sinus rhythm. ⋯ The published literature is restricted to persistent atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, pad placement varied, and energy levels used were lower than currently recommended; however, the accumulated evidence suggests that electrical pad placement is not a critically important factor in successful cardioversion in atrial fibrillation and flutter (AF/AFL). A trial is urgently needed in recent-onset atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter patients using biphasic devices and high energy levels to resolve the debate.
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Jpen Parenter Enter · Jul 2014
ReviewElderly persons with ICU-acquired weakness: the potential role for β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation?
Intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired weakness is common and characterized by muscle loss, weakness, and paralysis. It is associated with poor short-term outcomes, including increased mortality, but the consequences of reduced long-term outcomes, including decreased physical function and quality of life, can be just as devastating. ICU-acquired weakness is particularly relevant to elderly patients who are increasingly consuming ICU resources and are at increased risk for ICU-acquired weakness and complications, including mortality. ⋯ Increasingly, intensivists and researchers are focusing on strategies and therapies aimed at improving long-term neuromuscular function. β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB), an ergogenic supplement, has shown efficacy in elderly patients and certain clinical populations in counteracting muscle loss. The present review discusses ICU-acquired weakness, as well as the unique physiology of muscle loss and skeletal muscle function in elderly patients, and then summarizes the evidence for HMB in elderly patients and in clinical populations. We subsequently postulate on the potential role and strategies in studying HMB in elderly ICU patients to improve muscle mass and function.