[Communicating Prognosis and Expectations in Advanced Disease - A Balancing Act in Practice].

Communicating Prognosis and Expectations in Advanced Disease - A Balancing Act in Practice To prepare the end of life, to plan important things, to spend the remaining time of life not only with medical treatments, but to live - these are frequently expressed wishes of people with progressive diseases. Prognostic statements are feared by professionals. At the same time, when talking about what lies ahead for those affected, professionals very often make over-optimistic promises.

[Telemedicine in Palliative Care: Digital Communication in a Relationship-Based Speciality - Does It Make Sense?].

Telemedicine in Palliative Care: Digital Communication in a Relationship-Based Speciality - Does It Make Sense? Telemedicine in palliative care is established especially in countries with large geographical distances. Digital forms of communication (virtual consultations) are most frequently used and well-accepted by patients and caregivers. The main benefit lies in the reduction of the access barrier in the outpatient setting.

Plasma Concentrations and Cardiovascular Effects of Citalopram Enantiomers After Oral Versus Infusion Citalopram Therapy in Dextromethorphan-Mephenytoin-Phenotyped Patients With Major Depression.

Background: Authors compared plasma concentrations of citalopram (CIT) enantiomers and their metabolites in patients with depression administered either intravenously (IV) or as oral racemic CIT. Then, plasma concentrations were related to the metabolism of probes used for phenotyping patients with depression for CYP2C19 and CYP2D6 activity and cardiovascular functions.

Methods: Dextromethorphan-mephenytoin-phenotyped patients with depression were administered racemic CIT (days 1 and 2: 20 mg/d; days 3-10: 40 mg/d) either orally or as a slow-drop infusion for 10 days and were then orally administered the drug for another 32 days.

[Electroconvulsive therapy as a "last resort" in the treatment of depression?].

Objective: The use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in treatment-resistant depressed patients is supported by numerous international guidelines. This study aims to describe what type of patients are actually referred to treatment with ECT.

Methods: We included all patients referred to two main ECT-treatment centers in Switzerland during the period of August 2008 to February 2011.