Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Colombian guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension

La hipertensión arterial es un problema de salud de particular importancia dadas su prevalencia e impacto en la población general. El acercamiento diagnóstico y en especial el tratamiento de la misma, cambian con la aparición de nuevos métodos diagnósticos y nuevos medicamentos, a medida que se reconocen efectos diferentes sobre los órganos blanco, producidos por fármacos de uso corriente. Por la complejidad y la extensión del tema, se hace difícil para muchos médicos tener una idea clara y precisa acerca de la aproximación más recomendable hacia un paciente o situación en particular. Es arduo seguirle la pista a tantas publicaciones que aportan a la resolución de una duda en particular, a veces con resultados contradictorios. Estas guías pretenden ayudar a solucionar esas dificultades.Q4Artículo original187-31