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Biomedical subjects

E Norris

Publications and source records attributed to E Norris.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Respiratory depression in children receiving diazepam for acute seizures: a prospective study.

The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of respiratory depression following the use of diazepam in children presenting with seizures. All children presenting with seizures to a children's A & E department over a period of 9 months were studied prospectively. Respiratory depression was defined as a fall in respiratory rate or oxygen saturation, or apnoea resulting in ventilation or resuscitation with bag-and-mask oxygen. There were 130 patient episodes involving 97 children who received treatment for their seizures before admission and/or in the A & E department. Administration of diazepam resulted in 122 patient episodes. The route of administration was rectal in 91 episodes, intravenous in 12 episodes, and both rectal and intravenous in 19 episodes. Eleven children had respiratory depression in relation to diazepam administration. Eight of these children required ventilation. The overall incidence of respiratory depression following the use of diazepam was 9%. The incidence of respiratory depression following diazepam given intravenously or rectally is high. The use of diazepam as first-line therapy for children with acute seizures needs to be reviewed.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1997

Perioperative ischemia and cardiac complications in major vascular surgery: importance of the preoperative twelve-lead electrocardiogram.

PURPOSE: To investigate the associations between specific preoperative 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities, perioperative ischemia, and postoperative myocardial infarction or cardiac death in major vascular surgery. METHODS: Two prospective studies on perioperative myocardial ischemia performed in two tertiary university hospitals were combined to include 405 patients. All preoperative ECGs were analyzed according to the Sokolow-Lyon criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy by investigators who were blinded to the patients' perioperative clinical course. Perioperative myocardial ischemia was detected by continuous ECG recording, and postoperative cardiac complications included myocardial infarction and cardiac death. RESULTS: A total of 19 postoperative cardiac complications occurred (two cardiac deaths and 17 myocardial infarctions). Voltage criteria for left ventricular hypertrophy (78 patients, 19%) and ST segment depression greater than 0.5 mm (98 patients, 24.2%) on preoperative ECGs were both significantly associated with postoperative myocardial infarction or cardiac death (odds ratio, 4.2 and 4.7; p = 0.001 and 0.0005, respectively) and with longer intraoperative and postoperative myocardial ischemia. In each of the two study groups, a preoperative ECG abnormality that involved voltage criteria, ST segment depression, or both (134 patients, 33.1%) was more predictive of postoperative cardiac complications than any other preoperative clinical variable, including a history of myocardial infarction or angina pectoris, diabetes mellitus, pathologic Q-wave by ECG, or preoperative myocardial ischemia. The combined duration of intraoperative and postoperative ischemia and the preoperative ECG with either voltage criteria or ST segment depression were the only independent factors associated with adverse cardiac events by multivariate analysis (p < or = 0.0001 and p = 0.02, respectively). CONCLUSION: Left ventricular hypertrophy and ST segment depression on preoperative 12-lead ECGs are important markers of increased risk for myocardial infarction or cardiac death after major vascular surgery.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Achieving professional autonomy for nursing.

A profession's specific skills are supported by an organised and internally consistent body of knowledge. Through the introduction of the nursing process and 'holism', nursing is striving to gain professional autonomy and an identity independent of medicine. The status of nursing cannot be raised without tackling the issue of gender.

Holistic Nursing↗
PubMed1992

The identification of the Bs breakpoint and of two possible Bar genes.

Two coding regions were identified within a 110 kb region which includes all mapped Bar breakpoints. Both lie proximal to the identified Bar breakpoints. The first coding region, designated BarA, is 5 kb from the most proximal Bar mutation, B581, and 66 kb from the Bs breakpoint. It encodes a 1.3 kb transcript, which is found in late third instar larvae but is absent in 1-3-day-old pupae. Bi, R(B)hd3, B85c15, and Bs result in overproduction of this transcript in late third instar larvae. A second coding region, which was previously identified as BarH1, maps 18 kb from B581 and 79 kb from the Bs breakpoint. In third instar larvae, the abundance of the BarH1 transcript is very low in both wild type and various Bar mutatants, with the exception of R(B)hd3. In 1-3-day-old pupae, the level of the BarH1 transcript is higher. BarH1 was previously identified as the Bar gene. However, this report raises the possibility that BarA rather than BarH1 is the Bar gene or that more than one gene may be involved in Bar position effects.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Piroxicam: new dosage forms.

Patient acceptance of medications often depends upon individual and cultural preferences for particular dosage forms. A variety of dosage forms also provides the patient and the physician with greater convenience and flexibility. Thus, multiple formulations increase the clinical utility of a drug. In addition to the capsule, dosage forms of piroxicam now available or in an advanced stage of clinical development include a suppository, dispersible tablet, topical gel, and parenteral formulation. (Ed.: The parenteral and topical formulations were launched after the symposium was held, and are now available). The piroxicam suppository offers an alternative to the oral route of administration. Pharmacokinetic studies demonstrate that the 20-mg suppository is bioequivalent to the 20-mg capsule, and clinical studies have shown that it is equal to the capsule in efficacy and toleration. Piroxicam is the only non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is available as a dispersible tablet. This dosage form is also well tolerated by patients and equally effective as the capsule. Intramuscular administration of piroxicam is in development. All these dosage forms offer the convenience of once-a day administration. Piroxicam topical gel (0.5%) has been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory activity in several animal models. In double-blind clinical trials involving patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, the topical gel was found to be significantly more effective than placebo and well tolerated.

Administration, Topical↗