[Acute angle closure : An ophthalmological emergency in the emergency room]. / Akuter Winkelblock : Ein ophthalmologischer Notfall in der medizinischen Notaufnahme.

BACKGROUND: The symptoms of acute angle closure, an emergency event that can lead to irreversible blindness without timely treatment, are diverse. Initially, these can be interpreted as internal or neurological diseases if headaches, pupil rigidity or nausea are in the foreground. The aim of our study was to assess the rate of harming and invasive diagnostics after primary presentation of patients with acute primary angle closure to nonophthalmologists. METHODS: Retrospective single center study of patients with acute primary angle closure. To analyze these patients, all patients who were treated by surgical iridectomy (5-133.0) or iridotomy by laser (5-136.1) in the period 2014-2018 at the Eye Center at Medical Center, University of Freiburg (Germany), were identified. Subsequently, data analysis was carried out through file inspection to check the inclusion and exclusion criteria and the course of the disease. RESULTS: In total, 91 patients with acute primary angle closure were included. Of these, 28% (n = 25) initially presented to nonophthalmological disciplines. In this patient group 56% (n = 11) received nontargeted diagnostics, with cranial imaging in 32% (n = 8) and lumbar puncture in 8% (n = 2). CONCLUSION: Acute primary angle closure is associated with a high rate of nontargeted diagnostics by nonophthalmologists. Therefore, the clinical picture of acute angle closure should be in mind across all disciplines. With unspecific symptoms such as headaches, nausea and vomiting as well as pupil rigidity, the possibility of an acute increase in intraocular pressure caused by acute angle closure must be considered and early consultation with an ophthalmologist is recommended.

In vitro antiviral susceptibilities of isolates from cytomegalovirus retinitis patients receiving first- or second-line cidofovir therapy: relationship to clinical outcome.

Blood culture isolates from patients receiving first- (peripheral retinitis) or second-line (relapsing retinitis) therapy with intravenous cidofovir were obtained from three clinical trials for in vitro antiviral susceptibility analyses. Isolates from 6 patients obtained after 14.3 weeks (mean) of first-line cidofovir therapy showed complete susceptibility to cidofovir, ganciclovir, and foscarnet. Isolates from 20 patients were obtained after 17.3 weeks (mean) of second-line cidofovir therapy. Ten showed complete susceptibility to all inhibitors, 3 showed low-level ganciclovir resistance (<6-fold) but were sensitive to cidofovir and foscarnet, and 7 showed moderately reduced susceptibility (<8-fold) to cidofovir and high-level resistance (8- to 23-fold) to ganciclovir in vitro. Four of these 7 isolates showed reduced susceptibility (4-fold) to foscarnet. Notably, there was no difference in time to retinitis progression in patients that were on cidofovir therapy when sensitive isolates were compared with those showing reduced susceptibility to cidofovir in vitro.

Improving utilization of intravenous immune globulin through concurrent use of an indication form.

OBJECTIVE: Based on the guidelines of the United States Joint Commission for Accreditation of Health Care Organizations for conducting a drug utilization evaluation, we evaluated the usage of intravenous immune globulin at our tertiary care hospital. METHODS: An initial concurrent evaluation of IVIG use showed deficiencies in both dosing and compliance with hospital policy, with regards to its use for unlabeled indications. Two follow-up evaluations were performed after the institution of an IVIG indication form, which was designed to accompany each order. RESULTS: We demonstrated consistent improvements in both dosing criteria, labeled IVIG use, and compliance with hospital policy its use in unlabeled indications. An ongoing prospective program targeting IVIG use, combined with the introduction of a simple indication form improved its utilization at our hospital.

Pain control with morphine: Evaluation of prescriptions for oral morphine for outpatients at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre.

With the rapid improvement in living standards and health care delivery in Saudi Arabia, people are expected to live longer, patterns of illness will change, and the chronic illnesses which now dominate medical care in the West will develop here. Among these is cancer, which is already the third most common cause of death in Bahrain and Kuwait. Many cancer patients experience considerable distress, particularly pain. Management of symptoms in advanced cancer is now a medical and nursing specialty called palliative care. The most common and most feared symptom in advanced cancer is pain, which can only be effectively relieved with morphine in 60% of such patients. Prescribing narcotics such as morphine for cancer pain in Saudi Arabia has been severely restricted legally because of the fear of addiction, but there is no evidence that the medicinal use of morphine for treating cancer pain causes addiction. This paper describes a review carried out at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, one of the few centers in the Kingdom that can prescribe morphine to outpatients, to review the appropriateness and effectiveness of morphine usage, and to monitor any misuse. The review confirms that morphine usage was appropriate and effective, but that procurement of adequate narcotic supplies from year to year causes severe problems due to the stringency of both national and international regulations. Also, better monitoring of patients on morphine and recording of their level of pain control is required. In general, this survey shows that morphine usage in this hospital is appropriate and that limitations on supplies could be improved by changes to the Ministry of Health regulations.

Drug prescribing for ambulatory patients 85 years of age and older.

Drug prescribing for ambulatory patients greater than or equal to 85 years of age was studied using data from the 1980 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) on office visits to physicians. NAMCS is a survey by the US National Center for Health Statistics, which collected information on office visits and extrapolated the results to the US population. Of the 575.7 million office visits by all ages, 6.8 million (1 per cent) were by persons greater than or equal to 85 years of age, and 64 per cent involved females. Ninety per cent of the total office visits of those greater than or equal to 85 years were with a physician who had seen them before; 94 per cent were with MDs as compared with DOs; 56 per cent were with general practitioners or internists; and 95 per cent had some type of follow-up planned. The most frequent duration of the office visit was 11-15 minutes (36 per cent). The most frequent diagnostic class was diseases of the circulatory system. The survey physicians were asked to list all drugs, new or already in use by the patient, that were ordered, administered, or prescribed during the visit. The authors converted the drug brand names to their nonproprietary or generic name component(s); each active ingredient of combination products was treated as a separate drug entity. All drug analyses used generic names. Thirty-two per cent of visits did not involve the use of any drug, 21 per cent involved one drug; 12 per cent, two drugs; and 16 per cent, three drugs. Cardiovascular-renal drugs were the most frequently mentioned. One-third of the visits involved the use of one or more drugs that have psychologic effects, either intended or as side effects. Three per cent of the office visits involved the use of two or more drugs that had the potential for clinically important interactions.