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Biomedical subjects

S Young-McCaughan

Publications and source records attributed to S Young-McCaughan.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Definition of and mechanism for opioid-induced sedation.

Although sedation is acknowledged to be one of the most common side effects of opioid analgesics, the mechanisms and characteristics of this phenomenon remain elusive, and research in this area is extremely limited. This report integrates research findings on the mechanism of action of opioids with research findings on the phenomenon of consciousness to develop a model of how opioids may act in the central nervous system to produce sedation. Based on this integration, a definition of opioid-induced sedation is proposed to encourage dialogue and research on this perplexing and clinically significant phenomenon.

Analgesics, Opioid↗
PubMed2001

Measurement of opioid-induced sedation.

One of the major side effects of opioid analgesics is sedation. Despite the fact that neither a universal definition nor a gold standard for the measurement of opioid-induced sedation exists, various neurophysiologic and psychomotor measures are used to quantify the sedative effects of opioids. This report reviews the strengths and weaknesses of various approaches that are used to measure opioid-induced sedation. The first section summarizes various neurophysiologic measures (i.e., electroencephalogram, autonomic reflexes, and evoked responses), and the second section reviews psychomotor measures (i.e., visual analog scales, observer assessments, motor performance tests, tests of perceptual processes, tests of information processing, tests of memory, and composite tests) that are used to evaluate the sedative effects of opioids. Implications for future research on opioid-induced sedation are discussed.

Analgesics, Opioid↗
PubMed1999

Development of a decision tree for support surfaces: a tool for nursing.

The use of specialty support surfaces can be clinically beneficial for at-risk patients, but can prove costly if their use is not closely monitored. A decision tree can guide health care providers in selecting the most appropriate support surface based on the patient's condition. The process used by one medical center to develop and test a decision tree for specialty support surfaces selection is described.

Beds↗
PubMed1996

Sexual functioning in women with breast cancer after treatment with adjuvant therapy.

The purpose of this research was to describe current sexual functioning in women with breast cancer comparing women treated with chemotherapy or endocrine therapy to women treated without pharmacological manipulation. Sixty-seven women diagnosed with stage I, II, or III breast cancer responded to a two-part mailed questionnaire. The first part of the questionnaire asked about menopausal symptoms (weight changes, hot flashes, mood swings, and anxiety attacks) the women might currently be experiencing and about various symptoms that might be currently interfering with sexual functioning (vaginal dryness, decreased libido, dyspareunia, and difficulty achieving orgasm). The second part of the questionnaire was the Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory (DSFI) designed to measure current sexual functioning in ten areas. The women who participated in this study were primarily middle class, white, and married. Controlling for endocrine therapy, the 25 women treated with chemotherapy were 6.5 times more likely than women not treated with chemotherapy to report weight changes (p = 0.001), 3.6 times more likely to report hot flashes (p = 0.02), and 6.5 times more likely to report mood swings (p = 0.001). Additionally, still controlling for endocrine therapy, the women treated with chemotherapy were 5.7 times more likely than women not treated with chemotherapy to report vaginal dryness (p = 0.001), 3.0 times more likely to report decreased libido (p = 0.04), 5.5 times more likely to report dyspareunia (p = 0.003), and 7.1 times more likely to report difficulty achieving orgasm (p = 0.004). Controlling for chemotherapy, the 20 women treated with endocrine therapy did not experience either menopausal or sexual dysfunction symptoms significantly differently from women not treated with endocrine therapy. Controlling for endocrine therapy, there was a significant negative effect of chemotherapy on body image (p = 0.01), affects (p = 0.001), psychological symptoms (p = 0.001), and overall sexual functioning (p = 0.02). However, controlling for chemotherapy, there was no significant effect of endocrine therapy on any of the DSFI subscales. This study indicates that women who have received chemotherapy are especially susceptible to adverse changes in their current sexual functioning.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A retrospective investigation of the relationship between aerobic exercise and quality of life in women with breast cancer.

Aerobic exercise rarely has been considered in the rehabilitation of patients with cancer. This retrospective study was undertaken to determine if women with breast cancer who exercise experience a higher quality of life (QOL) than women with breast cancer who do not exercise. A group of 42 women who exercised was compared to a group of 29 women who did not exercise. Compared to the nonexercisers, the women who exercised had a significantly higher QOL (p = 0.03) as measured by the Quality of Life Index for Patients With Cancer (QOL Index). The groups did not differ significantly in age, education, employment, socioeconomic status, stage of disease, time since diagnosis, type of surgery, type of treatment, or presence of pre-existing health conditions precluding exercise. However, the women who exercised perceived significantly fewer barriers to exercise (p = 0.0001) as measured by the Perceived Barriers to Exercise Scale (PBE Scale) and were more likely to be married or living with a significant other (p = 0.02).

Adult↗