Patient preferences and clinical guidelines
Article Abstract:
New approaches are needed to gather information and facilitate discussions about patients' values and preferences. Research published in 1995 indicates that patients with the same degree of chest pain differ in the amount of distress they experience. The physical limitations caused by disease are compounded by emotions, expectations, values, life experiences, and personality. Thus, physicians must consider the severity of the disease and the effect of the symptoms on the patient. Patients may be willing to make trade-offs between life extension and symptom relief which must be a part of treatment decisions. Patient education techniques do not inform physicians about patients' feelings regarding alternative therapy and outcomes. Flexible clinical guidelines are necessary to allow individualized therapy for patients that reflects their preferences.
Publication Name: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0098-7484
Year: 1995
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
The role of coronary angiography and coronary revascularization before noncardiac vascular surgery
Article Abstract:
The use of coronary angiography and revascularization procedures before vascular surgery appears to increase mortality, morbidity, and costs. Coronary angiography is used to diagnose coronary artery disease and is sometimes followed by revascularization procedures to open clogged arteries. Many doctors believe this will reduce the risk of heart attacks in patients who have surgery for other vascular diseases. However, these procedures are relatively risky. Researchers used a decision model to evaluate the strategy of using coronary angiography and coronary revascularization in patients scheduled for vascular surgery. The model revealed that the optimum approach was to proceed directly with vascular surgery without doing these procedures because of the risk involved in undergoing more than one procedure.
Publication Name: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0098-7484
Year: 1995
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Meta-analysis of Trials Comparing [beta]-Blockers, Calcium Antagonists, and Nitrates for Stable Angina
Article Abstract:
Beta blockers appear to be as effective as calcium channel blockers in treating stable angina and have fewer side effects. Stable angina is chest pain that has not gotten significantly worse over time. Researchers analyzed 90 research studies that compared two or more different classes of heart medications, including beta blockers, calcium channel blockers and nitrates. Patients taking beta blockers had slightly fewer episodes of chest pain per week than those taking calcium channel blockers and were less likely to stop taking the medication because of side effects. The calcium channel blocker nifedipine was most likely to cause side effects.
Publication Name: JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0098-7484
Year: 1999
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
- Abstracts: Awareness and prevention error in clinical decision-making. The nurse's role in promoting breast awareness to women
- Abstracts: Limited clinical utility of midtrimester fetal morphometric percentile rankings in screening for birth weight abnormalities
- Abstracts: Freedom to meet local clinical needs. The burden of chronic wounds in the UK. People should pay for a percentage of their healthcare
- Abstracts: Differences in earnings between male and female physicians. The effects of patient volume and level of care at the hospital of birth on neonatal mortality
- Abstracts: HIV/HTLV-1 coinfection and clinical grade at diagnosis. Effect of GB virus C/hepatitis G virus coinfection on the course of HIV infection in hemophilia patients in Japan