[An analysis of avoidable admissions to a neurology service].

Introduction: Inappropriate admissions to a hospital service generate unnecessary costs for our health care service. Most admissions to a hospital service come from the emergency department. The presence of a neurologist to attend hospital emergencies would be an important factor allowing admission criteria to be streamlined.

[A descriptive study of intrahospital consultation to a neurological department].

Introduction: Intrahospital consultation (IC) is a little analyzed activity within daily neurologist hospital care. It entails an extra investment of time and resources. This study aims to describe the number and characteristics of the IC to a neurological department in our setting and to emphasize its importance within daily neurological health care.

Unsuspected rhabdomyolysis associated with phenytoin.

Case Summary: A case of rhabdomyolysis, in which the etiology could be associated with phenytoin administration is presented and guidelines are described which may assist the early recognition, treatment and prevention of renal failure when such patients are treated in intensive care units. A 46-year-old white man experienced a generalized tonic-clonic seizure at home lasting approximately two minutes. The patient presented with similar crises when seen by the emergency services and had a neurological status of seven points on the Glasgow scale.

[Riluzole as a treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis].

Introduction: The Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a disease characterized by the selective degeneracy of the superior motoneurons of the cortex motor and of the inferior motoneurons at level of the encephalic trunk and spinal marrow. Exist sporadic and familiar forms, being estimated an incidence of 1-2 cases by 100,000 inhabitants. The cause of the neuronal degeneracy is yet unknown, being implied, between other mechanisms, the glutamic exotoxicity is the responsible for the death neuronal.