Publications by authors named "D Aravantinos"
Article Synopsis
- This study investigated the relationship between sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) and the dosage/timing of opioid substitution treatments (OST) in patients using methadone or buprenorphine for opioid use disorder.
- It included a retrospective analysis of adult patients who received these treatments over several years, assessing their apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) alongside treatment data.
- The findings indicated that higher doses of methadone, particularly taken in the evening, were linked to more severe SAS, while no significant association was found between buprenorphine doses and AHI, suggesting buprenorphine might be a better alternative for patients with SAS.
Background: Mitral regurgitation (MR) in the context of left ventricular systolic dysfunction is often designated as functional, with emphasis on the underlying cardiomyopathy leading to malcoaptation of the 'otherwise normal valve'.
Case Summary: A 63-year-old male with ischaemic cardiomyopathy (left ventricular ejection fraction 20%) presented with intractable heart failure in need of inotropic support and could not be stepped down from an ICU hospital setting. Functional MR, graded as moderate on transthoracic echocardiography, was initially not considered as pertinent to the clinical condition and options discussed included initiation of dialysis for volume management, chronic inotropic support, and palliative measures.
Article Synopsis
- This study explored the relationship between sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) and methadone dose and timing in patients undergoing methadone maintenance treatment for opioid use disorder.
- A total of 40 adult patients were analyzed, revealing that higher methadone doses were linked to elevated apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) scores, indicating more severe sleep apnea, particularly with evening doses.
- The findings suggest that methadone doses of 72.5 mg and 77.5 mg may serve as important cut-off points for identifying patients at risk of significant sleep apnea, highlighting the need for SAS screening in clinical practice.
Objective: Seasonal influenza vaccination is the main method for influenza prevention. The main objective of this study is to estimate the frequency of vaccinations in patients with chronic illnesses presented to a primary health care (PHC) centre.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in patients admitted to the Kapandriti Health Centre.