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News Beta-blockers in the treatment of chronic heart failure: How did the analysis of the effects of 4 drugs in 26 studies turn out?
As a cornerstone of therapy for chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), it is recommended to start treatment with a very low dose of beta-blockers (BB) and titrate it to the maximum tolerated dose. However, it remains unclear whether one BB is superior to others. For this reason, a comprehensive pooled analysis of the efficacy and safety of bisoprolol, carvedilol, nebivolol, and metoprolol in 26 studies, including 14 randomized controlled and 12 observational, was recently published.
News Current Legislative Changes Relating to Medical Devices – Overview Summary in a Nutshell
In 2022, several legislative changes were introduced in the area of medical devices (MD) for moist wound care. We are summarizing the news from three sectors, as presented by Mgr. Jan Zahálka at the Interdisciplinary Cooperation in the Treatment of Wounds and Skin Defects congress in 2022: prescribing MD by nurses, European Union Medical Device Regulation (MDR), and the issue of MD as potential hazardous waste.
News INFOGRAPHIC: Diagnostic Algorithm for Cardiac Amyloidosis
What examinations are needed when cardiac amyloidosis is suspected? Which tests can distinguish transthyretin amyloidosis from systemic disease caused by immunoglobulin light chains? We bring you a clear diagnostic scheme according to the recommendations of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
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News Trazodone with Extended Release Improves Patient Compliance
Since 2015, the antidepressant trazodone is available in the Czech Republic in a controlled-release formulation. A sufficiently high plasma level for 24 hours without fluctuation allows for administration only once a day, while eliminating side effects.
News Importance of Testing for Iron Deficiency in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure and Treatment Options
Intravenous iron application in patients with heart failure and iron deficiency is now part of ESC guidelines aimed at improving symptoms, increasing exercise tolerance and quality of life in these patients, and simultaneously reducing the risk of hospitalization or death from cardiovascular causes.
News Prolonged Course of Metastatic Stomach Cancer with Long-term Stabilization – Case Report
In the following case report, we present the case of a patient with a prolonged oncological disease – stomach cancer. The patient has been asymptomatic for a long time and in good performance status despite multiple lung metastases, thanks to stabilization with trifluridine/tipiracil treatment.
News Odor in Incontinence is a Common Concern of Patients
Urinary incontinence represents a significant stigma, which usually deprives the affected person of all social contact, work and leisure activities, as well as intimate life. According to statistics, fears of odor contribute significantly to this isolation, almost in 40% of cases.
News Impact of ACEi and ARBs on Lung Function in Patients with Hypertension
Worsening respiratory functions can significantly influence the choice of antihypertensive medication. A recently published study explored whether angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) can worsen lung function and whether this effect also appears with angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs, i.e., sartans). These findings are crucial for clinical practice, especially in treating patients at high risk for respiratory adverse effects.
News Combination of SGLT2 inhibitors with metformin in terms of mechanism of action
In the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D), metformin is recommended as the first-line drug alongside lifestyle modification. However, with disease progression, monotherapy is often insufficient. SGLT2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are recommended in combination with metformin in light of recent findings, as their mechanism of action is independent of insulin effect. They have shown a reduction in cardiovascular (CV) risk in diabetics with CV disease.
News Artificial Intelligence Helps in Selecting Influenza Strains for Vaccine Production
Vaccination is one of the most important and effective preventive measures in the fight against seasonal epidemics caused by influenza viruses each year. For vaccines to work, they must match the currently circulating influenza strains. The timely selection of appropriate influenza strains, which will be the most widespread in the population in the upcoming period, and their yield are crucial for vaccine development. The new MAIVeSS (Machine-learning Assisted Influenza Vaccine Strain Selection) method, which uses artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms for direct analysis of clinical samples, could help with this process.
News Insufficiently Controlled Epilepsy Reduces Quality and Length of Life
The effects of uncontrolled epilepsy far exceed the moment of a seizure, having a substantial impact on the psychological and physical well-being of patients. These individuals often sustain injuries during seizures, leading to reduced mobility, a higher risk of associated diseases, and premature death.
News Is It Necessary to Discontinue Dupilumab in Patients with Atopic Dermatitis During the COVID-19 Pandemic?
Italian authors described their experiences with remote treatment of 200 atopic dermatitis (AD) patients using dupilumab during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in spring 2020. Observations from clinical practice, published data, and pathophysiological considerations do not suggest an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in AD patients receiving this biological treatment.
News Ligamentous Changes as a Harbinger of Cardiac Amyloidosis – Histopathological and Clinical Study
Amyloid deposits can be present in various types of tissue. Their accumulation in connective tissue can lead to pathological changes resulting in the rupture of stressed structures (e.g., the Achilles tendon) or stenosis in areas where blood vessels and nerves pass through (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome). Swedish doctors focused on patients with lumbar spinal stenosis to analyze how often this diagnosis is associated with amyloid deposits.
News Screenings of Lung Cancer and COPD are Significant. What Do the Latest Data from Czechia Say?
At the end of January, an expert seminar was held, focusing on updates in the treatment of respiratory diseases. During this event, the head of the Pulmonary Clinic at LF UK and FN Hradec Králové, Associate Professor MUDr. Vladimír Koblížek, Ph.D., gave a lecture on the current Czech findings from lung cancer screenings and a project aimed at the early detection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
News Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia and Their Assessment
Schizophrenia is a serious psychiatric disorder with a prevalence of up to 1%. It can manifest with both negative and positive symptoms. We briefly summarize the clinical assessment and rating scales of negative symptoms in the following text.
News Adverse effects of antipsychotics in the treatment of schizophrenia negatively affect cognitive functions
Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disorder characterized by a wide range of symptoms, with cognitive dysfunctions being one of its domains. Antipsychotics (APs) are used for treatment, but their effectiveness in improving cognitive functions is unclear, and they can simultaneously worsen cognition through their adverse metabolic effects, leading to a reduced lifespan for patients with schizophrenia.
News Nutritional Therapy for Critically Ill Patients in the ICU – Current Recommendations
Critically ill patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) require nutritional support to maintain adequate energy intake. Only by doing so can their clinical condition be prevented from worsening. Therefore, we summarize the current recommendations regarding nutritional therapy as part of care in the ICU in the following text.
News Enoxaparin in the Treatment of Pulmonary Embolism in a Morbidly Obese Patient – Case Report
The number of patients suffering from overweight and obesity has been steadily increasing in recent years. Obesity is one of the independent risk factors for thromboembolic disease. Treating thrombotic complications in obese patients poses a challenge not only because of the adjustments in anticoagulant dosing but also due to the lack of evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of higher doses of anticoagulants in this growing group of the population.
News Continuous Infusion of Tiapride in the Treatment of Hyperactive Delirium – Case Study
Spanish authors recently published a case study of a young man with pharmacologically unmanageable agitation delirium following multiple injuries from a traffic accident, which resolved within 3 days with continuous infusion of tiapride.
News Doc. Petr Dulíček: Physical activity in hemophiliacs? Today it is a reality - just don't be afraid!
Thanks to modern treatment, the lives of hemophiliacs are becoming more active. Patients today can engage in most sports activities. On the contrary, avoiding physical activity carries the risk of developing other diseases. A doctor should support their patients so they are not afraid of physical activities and highlight their benefits, says the head of the Center for Hemostasis Disorders at the IV. Internal Hematology Clinic of LF UK and FN Hradec Králové, Doc. MUDr. Petr Dulíček, Ph.D., in an interview on hemophilia and sports.
News What Did 3 Years of Data from the Czech National COPD Database Reveal?
In December of last year, the Czech multicenter research database on COPD was completed. This was an extensive 5-year project in which researchers included 784 patients with significant chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (FEV1 ≤ 60%) from 14 centers. This represents approximately 1% of the total number of patients with this diagnosis in the Czech Republic, making the study sample fairly representative for obtaining data on treatment in Czech real practice. Three-year data are currently available. What have they shown so far? This was summarized during this year's Hradec Pulmonology Days by Dr. Jaromír Zatloukal, Ph.D., from the Clinic of Pulmonary Diseases and TB at the Faculty of Medicine, Palacký University and University Hospital Olomouc.
News Analgesic Effects of Using Ringer's Solution in Wound Healing Management
Pain resulting from skin defects of various etiologies causes significant discomfort for the patient. However, wound care using Ringer's solution and the use of primary dressings, which include this solution to maintain a constant moist environment in the wound, can help address this problem.