Diagnosis and Pharmacotherapy of Alcohol Use Disorder A ReviewChing-wen Lu
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1) American Psychiatric Association recommends FDA-approved drugs disulfiram, naltrexone, and acamprosate to treat moderate to severe alcohol use disorder. Naltrexone can reduce binge drinking and acamprosate can maintain abstinence.
2) VA/DoD practice guideline recommends disulfiram, acamprosate, naltrexone, and topiramate as first-line treatments.
3) Providing a brief psychosocial intervention along with a first-line medication is recommended, or referring patients for specialized psychotherapy. Combining behavioral intervention and medication is more effective than medication alone.
This patient is a 43-year-old female with a history of type 2 diabetes for 5 years who has poor blood sugar control. She has an HbA1c of 9.5% and takes medications including metformin, sulfonylurea, DPP-4 inhibitor, SGLT2 inhibitor, basal insulin, and bolus insulin. Due to difficulties with lifestyle changes and irregular medical follow ups, her diabetes has been difficult to manage. The doctor discusses next steps, which may include checking her C-peptide, adjusting her oral medications, considering shifting to a GLP-1RA, and addressing her diabetes and obesity through lifestyle modification and medical treatment.
2021.4.29 loneliness and?depression in?the?elderly the?role of?social network...Ching-wen Lu
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1) The COVID-19 quarantine has negatively impacted the mental and physical health of elderly people due to reduced social participation and increased isolation. It has been associated with higher rates of anxiety, depression, and decreased physical activity.
2) Recommendations to support mental health include telephone support lines, cognitive stimulation activities, limiting media exposure, and promoting resilience. For physical health, recommendations include at-home exercise programs involving both cardio and strength training.
3) While quarantine is necessary, its duration should be limited as increased social isolation can significantly impact the health of elderly populations. Alternative approaches like telehealth may help address health needs while reducing isolation.
using narrative analysis to understand the combined use of complementary ther...Ching-wen Lu
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This document summarizes a study that examined one man's experience using complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to treat his wife's cancer alongside biomedical healthcare (BHC). It analyzes the man's narrative of the experience, referred to as "Christian", through his interviews. Christian initially faced opposition from BHC providers regarding a herbal tea CAM treatment but found acceptance from one oncology doctor. This validation facilitated a shift in Christian's perspective of the relationship between CAM and BHC from a hierarchy to a collaborative "we". The analysis suggests communication between informal caregivers and BHC providers about CAM can influence experiences of the healthcare system.
Elder Abuse in the COVID-19 Era. / Informal caregivers’ perspectives on healt...Ching-wen Lu
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Informal caregivers played a limited role in managing medications for relatively independent oldest-old patients without dementia. Caregivers had little knowledge of patients' medications and rarely questioned the appropriateness or necessity of potentially inappropriate medications prescribed by doctors. Communication between caregivers, patients, and doctors was also limited. The study highlights the need for better education of caregivers, evaluation of patients' medication abilities, and more effective communication strategies between all parties involved in medication management of older adults.
Lifestyle medicine ch13 physical fitness evaluationChing-wen Lu
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This document discusses methods for evaluating physical fitness, including cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, and body composition. Cardiorespiratory fitness can be directly measured by maximum oxygen consumption during a graded exercise test, or indirectly estimated using metabolic equivalents or submaximal exercise tests. Muscular strength can be assessed using tests like one repetition maximum, while endurance can be evaluated over longer duration resistance training. Proper protocols and endpoints are described for maximally and submaximally testing different populations.
This document summarizes information about oral frailty and a swallowing provocation test. It discusses how oral frailty is indicative of sarcopenia and related to poor grip strength, walking speed, and head lifting strength. It recommends treatments for oral frailty including dental care, treating dry mouth, increasing protein intake, resistance training, and early activity. It also notes that 60% of hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia should be diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia, which is a risk for the elderly due to silent aspiration at night. The document introduces a simple swallowing provocation test using a thin nasal catheter that can identify aspiration risk, with a latent time of less than 3 seconds to trigger swallowing considered normal
This document summarizes a study on palliative care for patients admitted to Swiss hospitals with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The study analyzed data from over 8,600 patients and found that those who received primary palliative treatment were older, more often female, had more comorbidities, and were less likely to receive interventions like heart resuscitation or stenting. Palliative patients had higher in-hospital mortality and 1-year mortality after discharge compared to those receiving reperfusion or conservative treatment. The study concluded that palliative care may be underused and that prognostic tools could help identify ACS patients who are approaching end of life and may benefit from a palliative approach.
The patient is a 58-year-old man who presented with multiple itchy red plaques and ruptured bullae on his trunk and legs for several months. A biopsy showed perivascular inflammation with lymphocytic and eosinophilic infiltration but was negative for basement membrane zone antibodies. He has a history of diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease, and his rash is thought to be due to uremic pruritus rather than bullous pemphigoid given the negative serology workup.
Ent journal reading: Intratympanic vs Systemic Corticosteroids in First-line ...Ching-wen Lu
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1) The document summarizes studies comparing the effectiveness of intratympanic treatment (IT), systemic treatment (ST), and combined treatment (CT) for sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
2) The analysis found no significant difference in average hearing gain between the IT and ST groups based on 4 studies, and no difference in recovery odds between the groups based on 5 studies.
3) The studies showed high heterogeneity due to differences in factors like initial hearing loss severity, follow-up timelines, and steroid treatments used, limiting conclusions about treatment effectiveness. Future research should better standardize these factors to improve comparability.