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Biomedical subjects

P J Harper

Publications and source records attributed to P J Harper.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1976

The "unrecognized" spigelian hernia.

The appearance at a community hospital of four cases of spigelian hernia within a 16-month period lends support to the supposition that this lesion is more common than reports would indicate. Main points to consider in establishing the likelihood of this condition primarily include an awareness of its existence and its multiple symptomatology, the anatomic schema of the lateral rectus border, careful abdominal examination and use of radiographic aids.

Abdominal Muscles↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The placebo effect and the hidden benefits of oral medications.

The effectiveness of any drug involves many factors not just the pharmacological ingredients. The hidden benefits of a drug are termed the 'placebo effect', but because many of these factors cannot be explained scientifically they are often dismissed as irrelevant. However, factors including the attributes of the drug itself (shape, colour, taste), the relationship between the nurse dispensing the drug and the patient receiving it, the route of administration, the setting in which the drug is given and wider sociocultural beliefs surrounding the ingestion of medicines can all have a major influence on a drug's efficacy. This article explains the term 'placebo' and explores some of the factors contributing to the placebo effect in relation to oral medications. Nurses need to appreciate the influence of such factors in order to provide appropriate and holistic care to patients with different social and cultural beliefs and expectations.

Administration, Oral↗