Mean plasma LH concentration in postmenopausal women suffering unipolar depressive illness was 33% less than that of normal postmenopausal women (P less than 0.05). Since LH secretion after menopause is probably noradrenergically regulated, the finding provides support for the hypothesis of a functional noradrenaline deficit in depression.

Aged↗

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How safe are child safety seats?

Car seats are effective when used consistently as directed by the manufacturer. The best seat should fit the child and the vehicle and be simple to operate. The Department of Transportation has provided the first step in standardizing safety seats, but the responsibility for their safe use rests with the consumer. In addition to providing classes on how to use seats, medical personnel can help to promote child safety by disseminating safety notices and providing access to reference sources.

Automobiles↗

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Bicycle helmets for children.

Children riding bicycles are at significant risk for head injuries. Although we can attempt to reduce the likelihood of an accident by teaching and enforcing safe riding skills, this will do little to reduce the incidence of a head injury if an accident occurs. Wearing a properly fitted and maintained helmet that has been certified is the best method for reducing a tragic injury. Choosing to have a child wear a helmet may cause adjustments, but it hardly compares to those imposed by any type of head injury.

Adolescent↗

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Chronic occult carbon monoxide poisoning.

Chronic occult carbon monoxide poisoning can be a lethal complication of being in a confined environment. The subtlety of the symptoms and the need for immediate care make the role of the emergency department triage nurse essential in helping to facilitate the diagnosis. Posttreatment nursing care also involves instructing the victim and cohabitants on prevention, recognition of signs and symptoms, and the need to monitor for aftereffects.

Brain↗

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Upper extremity peripheral nerve assessment.

Peripheral nerve injuries are an unfortunate and serious complication of trauma and medical interventions. By anticipating which patients are more likely to experience such problems, emergency care personnel can carefully assess and document a person's nerve function. This should be done on contact with the patient, preceding and after any interventions that may aggravate the problem. This allows the nurse to provide a baseline of information that can be used to initiate immediate care if necessary or to document the onset of problems.

Arm Injuries↗

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Lower extremity peripheral nerve assessment.

Lower extremity peripheral nerve function is essential for normal mobility and protection of the feet and legs from further trauma. The common causes of such injuries predispose the patient to a more serious injury and prolonged morbidity. It is therefore essential that a careful assessment be done as often as necessary to protect the patient from complications that may cause long-term disability.

Emergency Medical Services↗

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Mechanisms and patterns of trauma.

Awareness of the mechanism of injury allows trauma care providers to practice a higher level of care, anticipating the presence and severity of injuries, modifying standardized approaches to prevent iatrogenic complications, assessing the history to determine whether an accurate account of the events is being given, and comparing the history with the injuries and vice versa.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied