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Biomedical subjects

T Ahrens

Publications and source records attributed to T Ahrens.

52 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Prevalence of tardive dyskinesia among three ethnic groups of chronic psychiatric patients.

The relationship between prevalence of tardive dyskinesia and ethnicity (black, white, or Hispanic) was examined in a group of 491 chronic psychiatric patients at a large state psychiatric hospital in California. Overall, the prevalence of tardive dyskinesia was 17.7 percent. No significant differences in the prevalence of tardive dyskinesia or in neuroleptic dosage levels were found among the three groups. A relationship was found between lower prevalence of tardive dyskinesia and higher current neuroleptic dosage, suggesting that higher dosage masks symptoms of tardive dyskinesia.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Auto-PEEP: an impediment to weaning in the chronically ventilated patient.

Auto-positive end expiratory pressure (auto-PEEP) is a physiologic event that is a recently recognized phenomenon common to mechanically ventilated patients. Auto-PEEP occurs when forces exist that limit expiration and the subsequent elimination of positive pressure from the lungs. If positive pressure is retained, a potential reduction in cardiac output and increase in complications from barotrauma arise. Because of possible physiologic problems associated with it, auto-PEEP can potentially interfere with weaning from mechanical ventilation. Nursing measures that can reduce the effect of auto-PEEP during weaning are centered on improving the inspiratory/expiratory flow patterns. These efforts include manipulating mechanical ventilator settings and reducing causes of increased respiratory rates (e.g., pain and anxiety). Since auto-PEEP was only recently identified as a potential impediment to weaning from mechanical ventilation, the nurse must be aware of the need to assess for the presence of auto-PEEP in these patients.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Blood gas assessment of intrapulmonary shunting and deadspace.

Interpretation of blood gases is one of the most common clinical responsibilities of critical care nurses. Correct interpretation of blood gases is dependent on understanding the reasons for the gases to change. The two changes in pulmonary function that are most likely to affect blood gases are intrapulmonary shunting and deadspace alterations. The application of the principles of intrapulmonary shunting and deadspace to blood gas interpretation expands the ability to identify changes in pulmonary dysfunction. With the identification of changes in lung function, treatment modalities can be better assessed for effectiveness.

Blood Gas Analysis↗
PubMed1989

Extravascular lung water. Concepts in clinical application.

EVLW holds the potential to serve as a better clinical end point to clinical decision than current cardiopulmonary parameters. Evidence is present that the use of EVLW data may improve patient outcome, particularly in the population of high EVLW and low PCWP. The key area of clinical value with EVLW is the importance of understanding that EVLW may not be readily predicted by current methods. Nursing assessment needs to incorporate the limitations of current methods to estimate EVLW. Use of EVLW values in clinical settings is dependent on improved technological devices that would allow for easier measurement. The current methods consume substantial nursing time to perform, limiting practicality in clinical settings. The ideal device will not only be easy to use but will be noninvasive. This device has not yet been developed.

Cardiac Output↗
PubMed1982

[Cefroxadine and cephalexin in urinary tract infections. Kinetics of germ elimination].

Cefroxadine and cephalexin were compared in a double-blind study in patients with complicated urinary tract infections. Patients were treated orally with 1 g t.i.d. for five days. Bacterial counts in the urine were determined 1, 3 and 8 hours after the first dose and on the second, third and fifth day of treatment. A decrease in the bacterial population below 10(4) organisms/ml of urine was taken as being indicative of chemotherapeutic effect. Urine specimens were inactivated enzymatically before culture to eliminate any residual cephalosporin. A significant reduction in the bacterial count was seen one and three hours after the first dose, and, to a much greater extent, after eight hours. Reduction in the bacterial count was more frequent in the group treated with cefroxadine. The results during the first eight hours indicate that cefroxadine kills more rapidly than cephalexin, which is in agreement with the experimental findings. Whether the transient differences observed in the rates of inhibition are of clinical relevance remains uncertain.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

[Clinical significance of bacterial beta-lactamase production in the treatment of urinary tract infections with oral beta-lactam-antibiotics].

In 649 urological patients with urinary tract infections (UTI) a total of 1114 bacterial strains were isolated and their beta-lactamase production was investigated by a qualitative, micro-iodometric method. Approximately 40% of all strains, 33% of E. coli species and 8% of Proteus mirabilis species were enzyme producers. All of the isolates of E. coli and Proteus mirabilis defined as non-producers were sensitive to ampicillin and cephalothin in the agar diffusion test. The beta-lactamase producers of these two species did not show the same pattern: almost all of them were ampicillin-resistant, but most were cephalothin-sensitive. The other species were all found to be either producers or non-producers. Therapeutic comparisons in altogether 138 UTI patients treated with ampicillin or cephalexin, two antibiotics with different beta-lactamase stability, confirmed the positive correlation between enzyme production and therapeutic failure in both groups. Cephalexin, however, tended to be more effective than ampicillin against enzyme-producing species.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Activity of cefroxadine and cephalexin in urinary tract infections: a double-blind comparative study.

Cefroxadine and cephalexin were compared in a double-blind study in patients with established, complicated urinary tract infections. The patients were treated orally with 1 g t.i.d. for five days. Bacterial counts in the urine were determined one, three and eight hours after the first dose and on the second, third and fifth days of treatment. A significant reduction in the bacterial count was seen one and three hours after the first dose and to a much greater extent eight hours after the dose. Reductions in the bacterial count were more frequent in the group treated with cefroxadine. The results during the first eight hours indicate that cefroxadine kills more rapidly than cephalexin; this is in agreement with the experimental findings. It is still uncertain whether the transient differences observed in the rates of inhibition are of clinical relevance.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Differences in pain perception associated with intravenous catheter insertion.

Seven intravenous catheter brands were compared for differences in pain perception associated with catheter insertion. A sample population included 210 healthy volunteers. Three key elements emerged from data analysis: 1) first insertions were viewed as less painful than second insertions; 2) thin-walled catheters were viewed as less painful than thick-walled catheters; 3) differences between brands exist. Catheters viewed as more painful were Travenol (Quik-Cath, Travenol Laboratories, Inc., Deerfield, Illinois) and Terumo (Surflo, Terumo Corporation, Tokyo, Japan). No catheter was viewed as less painful, but Insyte (Deseret Medical, Inc., Sandy, Utah) did approach statistical significance.

Adolescent↗