Problemy pielęgnacyjne pacjentów z chorobą Alzheimera — opis przypadku

Introduction. Alzheimer’s disease is a syndrome caused by brain disease, usually chronic or of progressive course characterised by clinically numerous disorders of higher cortical functions. It is an incurable disease leading to a complete disability in the advanced stage. An latent initial phase of Alzheimer’s disease results in the disease being diagnosed in a more advanced stage.Case Report. The case study refers to a 67 woman diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. The disease was diagnosed 1.5 years ago. The paper presents selected needs and problems observed in a patient diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. The work is a description of a case of a hypothetical patient.Discussion. Care and looking after the patient with Alzheimer’s disease is a complex process. It is characterised by total engagement and the necessary specialistic knowledge on the part of all members of the care team taking care of the patient. Taking care of a patient with cognitive impairment is a difficult challenge for his family and relatives. It requires patience, calm and dedication. Nursing interventions are focused on the performance of professional diagnostic procedures, as well as assisting in everyday activities, supporting and educating the patients and their family.Conclusions. Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic disease that leads to disturbances of functional and cognitive functions. In the presented case the patient is aware of the essence of her disease, which significantly reduces her current quality of life. With a decline in physical performance there can be observed deterioration of patient’s physical condition. A significant role in the care of a patient with AD is fulfilled by assistance in everyday activities. (JNNN 2016;5(3):117–122)Wstęp. Choroba Alzheimera jest zespołem objawów wywołanych chorobą mózgu, zwykle przewlekłą lub o postępującym przebiegu, charakteryzująca się klinicznie licznymi zaburzeniami wyższych funkcji korowych. Stanowi ona nieuleczalne schorzenie prowadzące do pełnej niesprawności w stadium zaawansowanym. Utajony charakter początkowej fazy choroby Alzheimera powoduje, że schorzenie to rozpoznaje się dopiero w stadium bardziej zaawansowanym.Opis przypadku. Studium przypadku odnosi się do 67 kobiety z rozpoznaniem choroby Alzheimera. Schorzenie to zdiagnozowano 1,5 roku temu. W pracy ukazano wybrane potrzeby i problemy zaobserwowane u pacjentki z rozpoznaną chorobą Alzheimera. Praca stanowi opis przypadku pacjenta teoretycznego.Dyskusja. Opieka oraz pielęgnacja pacjenta z chorobą Alzheimera jest złożonym procesem. Charakteryzuje się pełnym zaangażowaniem oraz niezbędną i specjalistyczną wiedzą ze strony wszystkich członków zespołu terapeutycznego zajmujących się pacjentem. Sprawowanie opieki nad pacjentem z zaburzeniami funkcji poznawczych stanowi trudne wyzwanie dla jego rodziny i bliskich. Wymaga cierpliwości, spokoju i poświęcenia. Działania pielęgniarskie skupiają się na wykonywaniu profesjonalnych zabiegów diagnostycznych, ale także asystowaniu w czynnościach dnia codziennego, wspieraniu i edukowaniu pacjenta i jego rodziny.Wnioski. Choroba Alzheimera jest przewlekłą chorobą, która prowadzi do zaburzeń funkcji poznawczych i funkcjonalnych. W przedstawionym przypadku pacjentka jest świadoma istoty swojej choroby, co znacznie obniża jej dotychczasową jakość życia. Wraz ze spadkiem wydolności fizycznej obserwujemy pogarszający się stan fizyczny. Znaczącą rolę w pielęgnacji chorego z AD stanowi pomoc w czynnościach dnia codziennego. (PNN 2016;5(3):117–122

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quantity and quality of sleep in medical university students

Introduction: In order to overpower COVID-19 pandemic a number of security measures have been taken, including limiting of leaving people's place of residence, which is associated with increased social isolation. For students an additional change resulting from the current epidemiological situation is the transition to remote learning which is related with increased time spent in front of a computer or smartphone screen. The aim of the study: The aim of the study was to determine whether the COVID-19 pandemic affects the quality and quantity of sleep in a group of medical students. Materials and methods: Survey search using author-made questionnaire was conducted. Questionnaire included questions about quality and quantity of sleep before and after COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. Collected data was then transformed for statistical purposes and the correlations were examined using Wilcoxon test (before vs after pandemic) or Mann-Whitney U-test (men vs women). Results: Comparing the situation before the pandemic to the present one, statistically significant increase in difficulty in falling asleep in the study group was observed (p=0,008). A statistically significant sleep duration was observed (the mean increased from 7,09 to 7,53, p<<0.05). Students also go to bed later (p<<0.05) and wake up later (p<<0.05). Students also complained about waking up more frequently at night (p=0,006). The respondents rate their current sleep quality worse than before the pandemic (p=0,039). Conclusions: Sleep quality in the group of medical students deteriorated during the pandemic, while the amount of sleep increased. Since the introduction of remote learning, the time of using electronic devices has significantly increased. The obtained results may be used for further research on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and remote learning on the quality and quantity of slee

Diabetes - diagnosis, treatment, complications and rehabilitation.

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a disease that cannot be completely cured, but by following the recommendations of Healthcare professionals, it is possible to maintain good health for a long time. The most important thing during treatment is to normalize the glucose level and maintain a balanced diet. The aim of the study is to present the problem of diabetes, to present the causes and effects of the disease, and to describe rehabilitation after its complications.Results:In Poland, more than 2.9 million people are ill and the disease curve is constantly growing. Scientists predict that in a few dozen years there may be half a billion people in the world. Many people are not aware that this civilization disease also affects them. The reasons may be an inappropriate lifestyle, smoking, obesity, lack of physical activity. Early treatment initiation can prevent serious complications such as retinopathy, nephropathy, and peripheral neuropathy that result in DFU and, consequently, lead to limb amputation. Despite accompanying diabetes for several years, some patients report insufficient knowledge about their disease. Educating patients by doctors about the course of the disease and its treatment is an indispensable element during treatment. This improves the patients' quality of life.Conclusion: Diabetes mellitus is a disease that affects a large part of the population and the incidence continues to increase.To counteract disease, you need to measure your blood sugar regularly. Exercise and an appropriate diet will help prevent the disease.Diabetes mellitus is a disease that cannot be completely cured, but by following the recommendations of Healthcare professionals, it is possible to maintain good health for a long time. The most important thing during treatment is to normalize the glucose level and maintain a balanced diet. The aim of the study is to present the problem of diabetes, to present the causes and effects of the disease, and to describe rehabilitation after its complications.In Poland, more than 2.9 million people are ill and the disease curve is constantly growing. Scientists predict that in a few dozen years there may be half a billion people in the world. Many people are not aware that this civilization disease also affects them. The reasons may be an inappropriate lifestyle, smoking, obesity, lack of physical activity. Early treatment initiation can prevent serious complications such as retinopathy, nephropathy, and peripheral neuropathy that result in DFU and, consequently, lead to limb amputation. Despite accompanying diabetes for several years, some patients report insufficient knowledge about their disease. Educating patients by doctors about the course of the disease and its treatment is an indispensable element during treatment. This improves the patients' quality of life. Diabetes mellitus is a disease that affects a large part of the population and the incidence continues to increase.To counteract disease, you need to measure your blood sugar regularly. Exercise and an appropriate diet will help prevent the disease

Health consequences of using special diets with restricted carbohydrate consumption

Introduction and purpose: There are many reasons why patients with specific health disorders, as well as people in good health, decide to follow special diets. Often their choice falls on dietary models that include limited carbohydrate intake. The most popular in this area are low-carbohydrate and high-protein diets, which have a significant impact on metabolism, making them of particular interest to people with excessive body weight.  State of knowledge: Low-carbohydrate diets include many dietary models of varying restrictiveness, with or without achieving a state of ketosis. The ketogenic diet has the most promising clinical results in terms of effects on carbohydrate and fat metabolism. Long-term studies are still too few and inconsistent, also regarding the effects on weight loss compared to traditional approach. High-protein diets also include a reduction in carbohydrate intake, but with a higher protein content. Observations on the effect of weight reduction and metabolic modification are inconsistent. The possible multi-directional negative health effects seem to be a strong argument against recommending this approach. Conclusion: The basis of any reduction diet must be a reduced energy supply. This can be achieved in a variety of ways, which are designed to facilitate its implementation by patients, as well as to have the most beneficial effect on their impaired metabolism. Diversions from the traditional approach may have beneficial effects, but may also contribute to other health problems. It is important to consider the patients' health status as a whole, and to ensure specialist follow-up when using described special diets, because of possible side effects and difficulties in properly balancing the diet. They can only be recommended in specific cases. The standard in the management of excessive body weight remains the traditional approach, the effects of which are well documented and do not represent risk factors for other conditions

Fibromyalgia in the light of different methods of treatment

Introduction and purpose: Fibromyalgia is a disease with many symptoms that are difficult to treat. The most troublesome element is muscle, bone or joint pain. Importantly, the diagnosis of this disease is based on the physical examination and the subjective examination, which shows that there are no laboratory tests to confirm its presence. Public awareness of fibromyalgia is negligible, while more research is needed on the treatment of this disease and the possible alternatives associated with it. The aim of this study was to analyze the available literature on the basis of the PubMed scientific database, considering only scientific articles that were published within the last 5 years. The following keywords were used: fibromyalgia and physiotherapy, fibromyalgia and cannabis, fibromyalgia and cytokines. Description of the state of knowledge: Treatments related to cannabinoids and physiotherapy are still developing fields of knowledge. More than 40 papers related to the topic of the study were used for the review. The need for further research is apparent, especially randomized studies in which allocation to an experimental or control group is completely random. The question of investigating the long-term effectiveness of a given treatment is also not negligible, as many studies do not have a so-called follow-up. Conclusion: Cannabinoids are effective in the treatment of complaints associated with fibromyalgia. Exercise, laser therapy and acupuncture reduce pain and improve quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia. More research on this disease is needed, especially with larger patient groups

Objawy zbieractwa patologicznego w wybranych zaburzeniach psychicznych. Przegląd możliwości terapeutycznych.

Introduction and objectives. Hoarding disorder belongs to the class of obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. This disorder is characterised by difficulty in discarding possessions by the patient accompanied by distress and anxiety in case of their loss. The prevalence of hoarding disorder among the community of Europe and United States of America is estimated to be 2 to 6%. The basic management method of hoarding disorder is psychotherapy, mainly in form of cognitive-behavioral model. The efficiency of pharmacotherapy is debatable. The objective of this study is to present connections between certain mental diseases and hoarding disorder and treatment possibilities in case of their comorbidity. The following study is based on the review of scientific literature for the years 2013-2021. State of knowledge. The review of literature allows to acknowledge various psychopathological connections between certain mental sicknesses and hoarding disorder. Hoarding symptoms may be present in such mental disorders as depression, autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, psychotic disorders and dementia. Presence of hoarding symptoms affects both course and treatment of these diseases. Conclusion. Hoarding disorder is a rare and treatment resistant disease, especially if accompanied by other mental disorders. Despite of there being positive reports about management methods in situations of comorbidity, further researches with more participants must be conducted in order to prove their effectiveness.Wstęp i cele. Zbieractwo patologiczne należy do kategorii zaburzeń obsesyjno-kompulsywnych i pochodnych. Choroba charakteryzuje się trudnością w wyrzucaniu przedmiotów przez chorego oraz silnym stresem i lękiem w sytuacji ich utraty. Rozpowszechnienie zbieractwa patologicznego wśród społeczeństw Europy oraz Stanów Zjednoczonych Ameryki oceniane jest na 2-6%. Podstawą leczenia zbieractwa patologicznego jest psychoterapia, głównie w postaci terapii poznawczo-behawioralnej. Farmakoterapia ma natomiast dyskusyjną skuteczność. Celem pracy jest przedstawienie powiązań między wybranymi schorzenia psychicznymi oraz zbieractwem patologicznym, a także możliwości terapeutycznych w przypadku ich współistnienia. Niniejsza praca stanowi przegląd literatury z lat 2013-2021. Opis stanu wiedzy. Przegląd piśmiennictwa pozwala na zauważenie wielu powiązań psychopatologicznych pomiędzy wybranymi schorzeniami psychicznymi a zbieractwem patologicznym. Objawy zbieractwa czasami występują w towarzystwie takich zaburzeń psychicznych jak depresja, zaburzenia ze spektrum autyzmu, zespół nadpobudliwości psychoruchowej z deficytem uwagi, zaburzenia psychotyczne oraz otępienia. Obecność objawów zbieractwa wpływa na przebieg tych schorzeń oraz ich leczenie. Podsumowanie. Zbieractwo patologiczne należy do jednostek rzadkich oraz opornych na leczenie, zwłaszcza jeżeli towarzyszy innym chorobom psychicznym. Pomimo istnienia pozytywnych doniesień w literaturze o sposobach leczenia w stanach ich współistnienia, wymagane są kolejne badania z większą ilością uczestników aby potwierdzić ich skuteczność

Obesity treatment - overview of pharmacological and surgical methods

Introduction and purpose of the work: Obesity is a chronic disease that leads to many complications. Almost a third of the world's population is now classified as overweight or obese. This is a huge global problem. The base of treatment is diet and physical activity, but fortunately nowadays we also have pharmacological and surgical treatment - which are increasingly used. The aim of this study is to draw attention to obesity disease which may lead to serious complications and compare available pharmacological and surgical treatment. State of knowledge (brief description): Treating obesity is a difficult and often multidisciplinary challenge. Currently many drugs with different mechanisms and different efficiencies has been approved for treatment. All of them show efficiency, but the available studies show that surgical treatment produces better results than pharmacological treatment.  Summary: We currently have a huge range of obesity treatment options available. Surgical treatment produces better results than pharmacological treatment. Nevertheless, not every patient qualifies for bariatric surgery. Pharmacological methods are also effective. The treatment method should be individually selected for the patient

Urinary incontinence in women - the overview of pharmacological and surgical methods

Introduction and purpose of the work: Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common problem among women and the incidence increases with age. It is estimated that about 50% of women will be affected by this problem. There are 5 types of urinary incontinence: exercise, pressure, mixed, overflow and functional. Stress UI is the most common cause among young women, while stress UI is the second most common cause among older women. The widespread use of this phenomenon makes it a significant economic burden. State of knowledge (brief description): Due to the different types of UI and its many causes, treating this disorder becomes a significant challenge. It is important to use combination therapy, starting with pelvic floor muscle strengthening exercise, lifestyle modification, weight loss, and smoking cessation, followed by drug therapy and surgery as necessary. Summary: Currently, many drugs are used in the treatment of urinary incontinence, with different mechanisms of action, which allow the treatment of various types of UI, but pharmacotherapy often does not bring the expected benefits. Surgical treatment appears to be a promising form of treatment, but more research is needed on the long-term effects

Causes of hoarseness - systematic review

Introduction and purpose of the work: Hoarseness is a symptom of a disease characterized by a hoarse, tense or hoarse voice resulting from disturbance of the vibration of the vocal folds. It is a common symptom of the disease in patients during medical consultations in primary health care, and the causes of its occurrence can be varied. State of knowledge (brief description): Treating hoarseness depends on what causes it. For this reason, during the diagnosis, various causes that may be the cause of hoarseness should be taken into account, such as infections, structural changes caused by the use of the voice organ, psychogenic causes, autoimmune diseases, systemic diseases or neoplastic diseases. Summary: In-depth diagnosis and an interdisciplinary approach are necessary to identify the cause of chronic hoarseness and initiate effective treatment

Brain Tumour Related Headache: Features, Pathophysiology and Management Strategies

Introduction. Brain tumours constitute approximately 1% of all newly diagnosed cancers. Their manifestation typically involves headache, neurological impairment, focal onset seizures and syndromes related to tumour location. Severe headache presents as a prevailing symptom and occurs in over 50% of patients. Brain tumour associated headache exerts significant effect on quality of life in cancer patients. The following article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of most common and promising brain tumour related headache treatment strategies. State of knowledge. Headache in brain tumour patients arises from traction or displacement of intracranial pain-sensitive structures, such as vascular tissue, dura mater or periosteum. This can be caused by tumour’s mass itself, by tumour associated oedema or as a sequela of anti-tumour treatment. Most common therapeutic modalities include tumour surgical resection, cerebral oedema management, radiotherapeutic interventions and administration of analgesic agents. Complete removal of the tumour stands as the most effective approach, often bringing substantial alleviation in majority of cases. Conclusion. Headache affects the majority of individuals afflicted by brain tumours. Not all patients are suitable candidates for the resection of the underlying neoplasm. In such instances, the application of alternative approaches might be beneficial. Ongoing and future investigations may enhance the development of novel treatment strategies, possibly influencing the well-being of cancer patients, especially within palliative care area