Visual decision aids to support communication and shared decision-making: How are they valued and used in practice?

Background: It is unknown how visual decision aids support communication and shared decision-making in everyday clinical practice, and how they are perceived by patients with varying levels of health literacy and their healthcare providers. Recently, three visual decision aids have been developed for renal replacement treatment, osteoarthritis of the knee, and osteoarthritis of the hip. This study aims to explore how patients and healthcare providers use and value these visual decision aids.

The course of neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with dementia in primary care.

Background: During the course of dementia, most people develop some type of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), which result in lower quality of life, high caregiver burden, psychotropic drug use and a major risk of institutionalization. Studies on NPS in people with dementia have been mainly conducted in clinical centres or psychiatric services.

Objectives: To investigate the course of NPS in people with dementia in primary care.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms and psychotropic drug use in patients with dementia in general practices.

Background: Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) frequently occur in community-dwelling patients with dementia and they are also frequently prescribed psychotropic drugs. The prescription of psychotropic drugs has been found to be associated with the level of NPS. Data on NPS in patients with dementia in general practices are scarce.

Psychological distress in informal caregivers of patients with dementia in primary care: course and determinants.

Background: The course of psychological distress in informal caregivers of patients with dementia has been investigated in longitudinal studies with conflicting outcomes.

Objectives: We investigated the course and determinants of psychological distress in informal caregivers of patients with dementia in primary care.

Methods: In this prospective observational cohort study, data were collected at baseline, after 9 and 18 months.

The course of neuropsychiatric symptoms in community-dwelling patients with dementia: a systematic review.

Background: Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) often occur in patients with dementia. Understanding the course of NPS in dementia is important for healthcare professionals for psycho-educational purposes and adequate and timely interventions to prevent or diminish NPS as much as possible.

Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search in several electronic databases.

Neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with dementia in primary care: a study protocol.

Background: Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) frequently occur in patients with dementia. To date, prospective studies on the course of NPS have been conducted in patients with dementia in clinical centers or psychiatric services. The primary goal of this study is to investigate the course of NPS in patients with dementia and caregiver distress in primary care.

Dependence of intramyocardial pressure and coronary flow on ventricular loading and contractility: a model study.

The phasic coronary arterial inflow during the normal cardiac cycle has been explained with simple (waterfall, intramyocardial pump) models, emphasizing the role of ventricular pressure. To explain changes in isovolumic and low afterload beats, these models were extended with the effect of three-dimensional wall stress, nonlinear characteristics of the coronary bed, and extravascular fluid exchange. With the associated increase in the number of model parameters, a detailed parameter sensitivity analysis has become difficult.

Aerosol therapy in cystic fibrosis: a survey of 54 CF centers.

Aerosol therapy has become increasingly important in the treatment of lung disease of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Still, many questions concerning this therapy remain unanswered. It is unclear at what age aerosol therapy should be started; which aerosolized drugs are essential in the treatment of CF lung disease; which delivery system(s) should be used; and how aerosol therapy should be timed in relation to physiotherapy.