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Biomedical subjects

D Wheatley

Publications and source records attributed to D Wheatley.

101 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1969

Sleep disturbances in general practice.

DR DAVID WHEATLEY DISCUSSES THE VARIATIONS OF INDIVIDUAL SLEEP REQUIREMENTS, AND CLASSIFIES FIVE MAIN CAUSES OF INSOMNIA: physical, physiological, psychological, iatrical and idiopathic. The various aspects of treatment are discussed and the use of sedative drugs illustrated.Dr Ian Oswald describes the two types of sleep, paradoxical and orthodox, and the effects of drugs upon them. He emphasizes the fact that all the common drugs of dependence suppress paradoxical sleep.Professor H Hediger considers the sleep patterns in the animal world and shows how these are adapted to the survival of individual species. Appreciation of the past and the future, which animals do not possess, may be a factor in human sleep disturbances.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Prescribing short-acting hypnosedatives. Current recommendations from a safety perspective.

The duration of action of hypnosedative drugs is mainly determined by their pharmacokinetic properties. The ideal drug should induce sleep within 30 min and maintain a normal pattern of sleep for 6 to 8h, with little or no residual effects the next morning. Clinically, 4 types of insomnia can be distinguished: prolonged latency, 1 to 2 long periods of wakefulness, frequent short awakenings and early morning awakening. An ultra-short-acting drug (2 to 3h), such as triazolam, is useful for prolonged latency. Temazepam, lormetazepam and loprazolam provide more prolonged effects (8 to 10h). These benzodiazepines are not free of daytime adverse effects, particularly drowsiness, dependency potential, rebound insomnia and habituation to the drug effect. Zopiclone and zolpidem are new nonbenzodiazepine hypnotics that are as effective as benzodiazepines but without the problems associated with the latter. They produce a more normal electroencephalogram sleep pattern and so would seem to approach to the ideal hypnosedative for the future. However only further clinical trials and widespread use in practice will determine whether they will live up to this potential.

Azabicyclo Compounds↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Implementing research in nurse-led care.

In response to research showing that people waiting for cardiac surgery had a high prevalence of uncorrected coronary heart disease risk factors, a nurse-led shared care scheme was developed. A randomised controlled trial of the service demonstrated significant improvements in risk factors among the intervention group. The study is used as an example of how research findings have been used to identify an area for practice development.

Cardiac Surgical Procedures↗
PubMedDate not supplied

St. John's Wort extract: efficacy for menopausal symptoms of psychological origin.

Herbal remedies such as St. John's Wort preparations can be used successfully to relieve the psychological and vegetative symptoms of menopause. This drug-monitoring study investigated 12 weeks of treatment with St. John's Wort, one tablet three times daily (900 mg Hypericum, Kira), in 111 women from a general medical practice. The patients, who were between 43 and 65 years old, had climacteric symptoms characteristic of the pre- and postmenopausal state. Treatment outcome was evaluated by the Menopause Rating Scale, a self-designed questionnaire for assessing sexuality, and the Clinical Global Impression scale. The incidence and severity of typical psychological, psychosomatic, and vasomotor symptoms were recorded at baseline and after 5, 8, and 12 weeks of treatment. Substantial improvement in psychological and psychosomatic symptoms was observed. Climacteric complaints diminished or disappeared completely in the majority of women (76.4% by patient evaluation and 79.2% by physician evaluation). Of note, sexual well-being also improved after treatment with St. John's Wort extract.

Adult↗