Achieving compliance in asthma management.

Up to three million asthma patients take their medication using a metered dose inhaler. The drive to reduce the world-wide use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) has resulted in the development of CFC-free metered dose inhalers. Nurses have an important part to play in managing the transition to CFC-free inhaler devices.

Venous leg ulcers: short-stretch bandage compression therapy.

Graduated compression therapy is rapidly becoming the treatment of choice for venous leg ulcers; it is cost-effective and offers faster healing rates than without compression. Holistic assessment of the patient along with education of the practitioner leads to the safe application of compression bandages. This article looks at the assessment of venous ulcers and how application of short-stretch bandages can achieve graduated compression, leading to rapid healing.

A randomized controlled trial of transurethral microwave thermotherapy.

Objective: To establish the short term clinical and urodynamic effect of transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT) in men with symptomatic uncomplicated benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) using a randomized controlled trial comparing the treatment with both 'placebo-like' and untreated control groups.

Patients And Methods: The study comprised 120 symptomatic patients with BPH who were candidates for transurethral resection and TUMT. They were randomized to one of three groups: group 1 underwent a standard TUMT, group 2 underwent a simulated treatment identical to group 1 but with no emission of microwaves and group 3 received no treatment.

Evaluation of the new Cairwave Therapy System in one hospital trust.

The Pegasus Airwave mattress has been used for many years in the Eastbourne NHS Trust and has proven its efficiency in the prevention of pressure sores. Pegasus has now produced a new, improved, model: the Cairwave Therapy System. This article looks at criteria that may be used to determine whether the new model is suitable for patient care.