Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a cause for growing concern in hospitals, has great impact on morbidity and mortality in clinical and surgical patients, and is the leading cause of preventable hospital deaths. Although there are risk assessment models for hospital inpatients, prophylaxis is still underused or is administered incorrectly. Objectives: To assess the risk profile for VTE in recently hospitalized clinical and surgical patients and evaluate the thromboprophylactic measures implemented in the first 24 hours of hospitalization. Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted in a large general hospital in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, between March and July 2015. Padua and Caprini scores were used for risk stratification of clinical and surgical patients, respectively, while thromboprophylactic measures were analyzed for compliance with the recommendations contained in the 8th and 9th Consensus of the American College of Chest Physicians. Results: A total of 592 patients (62% clinical and 38% surgical) were assessed. Risk stratification revealed a need for chemoprophylaxis in 42% of clinical patients and 81% of surgical patients (51% high risk and 30% moderate risk). However, 54% of high-risk clinical patients, 85% of high-risk surgical patients, and 4% of moderate-risk surgical patients, who were free from contraindications, were actually given the correct prophylaxis in the first 24 hours of hospitalization. Conclusions: There is a need to improve patient safety in relation to VTE in the first hours of hospitalization, since there is underutilization of chemoprophylaxis, especially in high-risk clinical patients and moderate-risk surgical patients. ResumoContexto: O tromboembolismo venoso (TEV) representa uma preocupação crescente nas instituições hospitalares, tem grande impacto sobre a morbimortalidade em pacientes clínicos e cirúrgicos, e é a principal causa de morte evitável hospitalar. Embora existam modelos de avaliação de risco para pacientes hospitalizados, a profilaxia ainda é subutilizada ou é feita de forma incorreta. Objetivos: Avaliar o perfil de risco para TEV de pacientes clínicos e cirúrgicos recém-internados, bem como as medidas tromboprofiláticas aplicadas nas primeiras 24 horas de internação. Métodos: Este estudo transversal foi realizado em um hospital geral de grande porte do interior do estado de São Paulo entre março e julho de 2015. Os escores de Pádua e Caprini foram utilizados para estratificação de risco dos pacientes clínicos e cirúrgicos, respectivamente, enquanto a análise das medidas tromboprofiláticas baseou-se nas recomendações do 8º e 9º Consenso do American College of Chest Physicians. Resultados: Foram analisados 592 pacientes (62% clínicos e 38% cirúrgicos). A estratificação de risco revelou necessidade de quimioprofilaxia em 42% dos pacientes clínicos e 81% dos cirúrgicos (51% de alto risco e 30% de moderado risco). Por outro lado, receberam profilaxia adequada nas primeiras 24 horas de internação 54% dos pacientes clínicos de alto risco, 85% dos cirúrgicos ...

The total proportional geriatric population in Brazil is projected to increase from 9.05% in 19999.05% in to approximately 13% in 2020

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Background: Although scientific studies have confirmed the action of homeopathic high dilutions in living organisms an endless debate on the choice of the most fitting dilution, the frequency of administration and the dose (amount of medicine) still remains. Aims: This study sought to assess the in vivo effect of 2 different concentrations of Arsenicum album 30cH in order to elucidate some problems in the homeopathic notion of dose. Methods: Male Wistar rats previously intoxicated with sodium arsenate by peritoneal injection were treated with undiluted Ars 30cH and Ars 30cH in 1% solution administered by oral route. Atomic absorption spectroscopy was employed to measure the levels of arsenic retained in the animals as well as the amounts eliminated through urine. Urine samples were collected before and after and during treatment. A positive control group (intoxicated animals) and negative control group (non-intoxicated animals) were administered only the vehicle used to prepare the medicine (ethanol). Results: The groups treated with undiluted Ars 30cH and Ars 30cH in 1% solution eliminated significant amounts of arsenic through urine when compared to the control groups. The group treated with undiluted Ars 30cH eliminated significantly higher amounts of arsenic than the group treated with the same medicine in 1% solution. Conclusion: These results suggest that undiluted Ars 30cH was more effective than in 1% solution in this experimental model.