Assessment of potentially inappropriate medication use among geriatric outpatients in the Slovak Republic.

Background: Potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use is a highly prevalent problem among older people, making it challenging to improve patient safety. The aim of this study was to assess the use of PIMs among geriatric outpatients (OUTs) in the Slovak Republic according to the EU(7) PIM list and to identify the differences in PIM prescriptions among general practitioners (GPs), internists (INTs) and geriatricians (GERs).

Methods: In total, 449 patients (65 years and older) from 4 medical centres who were in the care of GPs (32.

Intermittent pneumatic compression and deep vein thrombosis prevention. A meta-analysis in postoperative patients.

Our objective was to overview the effectiveness of intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) devices to prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in postoperative patients, using meta-analysis methodology. We searched the Medline, metaRegister of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane database for studies published between 1970 and October 2004. Our inclusion criteria were: 1) randomized controlled trial of IPC versus no prophylaxis, 2) at least 20 patients per group, 3) at least one diagnostic DVT imaging test in all patients, and 4) clinical follow-up for at least the duration of hospitalization.

Activity of thrombocytes as a marker of sufficient intensity of LDL-apheresis in familial hypercholesterolaemia.

Extracorporal elimination is used for selective removal of LDL-cholesterol in severe hypercholesterolaemias. Tests are still going on to find more reliable markers which would sufficiently determine the intensity of the therapy immediately after completion of the procedure, in order to attenuate atherosclerosis activity. According to some literature data such a marker may be platelet aggregability.