Original Research
Cachexia is a condition characterized as a loss in body mass or metabolic dysfunction and it is associated with several prevalent chronic health conditions including many cancers, COPD, HIV, and kidney disease. Currently there is little research into cachexia and the objective of this article is to characterize cachexia patients, their healthcare utilisation, and associated hospitalization costs.
Review
Type 2 diabetes is increasing in prevalence worldwide, and hyperglycemia is often poorly controlled despite a number of therapeutic options.
Unlike previously available agents, sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors offer an insulin-independent mechanism for improving blood glucose levels, since they promote urinary glucose excretion by inhibiting glucose reabsorption in the kidney.
In this article, the author discusses empagliflozin and based on available data, it appears that this drug may be a useful option in a range of patients; however, clinical decisions will be better informed by the results of ongoing studies, in particular, a large cardiovascular outcome study (EMPA-REG OUTCOME™).
Case Report
Up to 75% of patients with COPD do not use a correct inhaler technique. In this article, the authors provide details of a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of two educational interventions aimed at improving inhalation techniques in a cohort of patients in southern Spain.
Case Report
Tardive dyskinesia (TD) can be a disfiguring side-effect of antipsychotic medications. In this article the authors review the risk of TD, the potential etiologic mechanisms and present some interesting cases of patients taking atypical antipsychotics who developed TD.
Original Research
Atrial fibrillation (AF) management represents a significant burden on the UK NHS. In this article the authors review data from 825 patients in routine UK clinical practice and describe the non-anticoagulation costs associated with AF management. Understanding these costs better may help inform future health care planning and policy development.