Aproximación diagnóstica y terapéutica ante la fibrilación auricular / Diagnostic and therapeutic approaching to the auricular fibrillation

La fibrilación auricular es la arritmia más sobresaliente a la que se enfrenta el médico general. Fuertemente asociada al envejecimiento y a la vasculopatía crónica, su presencia se relaciona con el riesgo de aumentar la morbimortalidad tromboembólica. Como objetivo se planteó actualizar pertinentemente el abordaje clínico terapéutico ante la fibrilación auricular. Se realizó una búsqueda en las bases de datos SciELO Cuba, SciELO Regional, Pubmed, Cumed y Clinical Key, de todo lo relacionado con el tema en el período comprendido entre los años 2012-2015. Se utilizaron las palabras las siguientes palabras clave: fibrilación auricular, diagnóstico, terapéutica y atención integral. El abordaje en la fibrilación auricular es integral, multidisciplinario e individualizado. El método clínico juega un papel trascendental a la hora de reconocer y registrar sus principales manifestaciones clínicas, su fisiopatología y etiología, y los exámenes complementarios que confirman su presencia o sus complicaciones. Se clasificaron formas variadas para protocolizar la conducta médica y garantizar la seguridad del paciente, en cuanto a: control de frecuencia, cardioversión, prevención de recurrencias y de la tromboembolia sistémica. El arma más poderosa ante el reto de la fibrilación auricular es la visión integradora y con enfoque individual y social, enarbolada por el médico en el largo y difícil camino que impone esta disritmia cardíaca (AU).

The auricular fibrillation is the most outstanding arrhythmia the general physician affronts. Tightly associated to ageing and chronic vascular disease, its presence is related to the risk of increasing the thromboembolic morbimortality. The objective of the work is consequently updating the clinic-therapeutic approach to auricular fibrillation. A bibliographic search was carried out in SciELO-Cuba, SciELO-regional, PubMed, CUMED and Clinical Key, looking for everything related to the theme in the period 2012-2015. The following key words were used: auricular fibrillation, diagnosis, therapeutics and integral care. The approach in auricular fibrillation is integral, multidisciplinary and individualized. The clinical method plays an important role at the moment of recognizing and recording the disease´s main clinical manifestations, physiopathology and etiology, and complementary tests confirm its presence or complications. Several forms were classified for standardizing medical behavior and ensuring the patient´s safety, in relation with frequency control, cardioversion, recurrence prevention and systemic thromboembolism. The most powerful weapon against the challenge of the auricular fibrillation is the integrative vision, with a social and individual view, hoisted by the physician in the long and difficult way this heart dysrhythmia imposes (AU).

Assessing the quality of referral letters written by general practitioners: a cross-sectional study in rural Iran / Avaliação da qualidade de cartas de encaminhamento escritas por clínicos gerais: um estudo transversal numa área rural do Irã / Evaluación de la calidad de cartas de derivación escritas por médicos generales: un estudio transversal en un área rural de Irán

Abstract: Establishing effective communication between general practitioners (GPs) and medical specialists is a key component of the referral system. Written communication between GPs and medical specialists is the most common communication tool. This study was conducted to evaluate quality (information content) of the referral letters written by GPs and addressed to gynecologists and cardiologists. We evaluated quality of the referral letters through a cross-sectional study in the villages of Sarab city, located in East Azerbaijan Province, Northwest Iran. The study was conducted during August and September 2015 in which a total of 400 referral letters were evaluated according to specific quality criteria. Cluster sampling was implemented and data were collected using an instrument designed by the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Manitoba, Canada. A specifically designed referral form was used to refer pregnant women to gynecologists. Referrals addressed to gynecologists showed better quality in comparison to cases referred to cardiologists. Legibility of referral letters was 73%. It is recommended that agreed-upon referral letters be designed cooperatively for different groups of diseases. Furthermore, primary health care providers should be trained to write proper referral letters.

Resumo: Um componente essencial do sistema de encaminhamento de pacientes é a comunicação efetiva entre clínicos gerais e especialistas. A comunicação escrita é a ferramenta de comunicação mais comum entre clínicos gerais e especialistas. O estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a qualidade (conteúdo da informação) de cartas de encaminhamento escritas por clínicos gerais e dirigidas a ginecologistas e cardiologistas. Os autores avaliaram a qualidade das cartas de encaminhamento através de um estudo transversal em aldeias em torno da cidade de Sarab, localizada na Província de Azerbaijão Oriental, no Noroeste do Irã. O estudo foi realizado em agosto e setembro de 2015, quando 400 cartas de encaminhamento foram avaliadas com base em critérios específicos de qualidade. O estudo adotou a amostragem por aglomerados, e os dados foram coletados através de um instrumento desenvolvido pelo Departamento de Medicina Familiar da Universidade de Manitoba, Canadá. Um formulário foi projetado especificamente para encaminhar as mulheres à ginecologia. As cartas de encaminhamento para a ginecologia mostraram qualidade superior quando comparadas aos casos encaminhados à cardiologia. A proporção de cartas legíveis foi 73%. Recomenda-se que cartas de encaminhamento sejam desenvolvidas em cooperação entre os departamentos, para diferentes grupos de doenças. Além disso, os médicos de atenção primária devem ser capacitados para redigir cartas de encaminhamento adequadas.

Resumen: Un componente esencial del sistema de derivación de pacientes es la comunicación efectiva entre médicos generales y especialistas. La comunicación escrita es la herramienta de comunicación más común entre médicos generales y especialistas. El estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar la calidad (contenido de la información) de cartas de derivación escritas por médicos generales y dirigidas a ginecólogos y cardiólogos. Los autores evaluaron la calidad de las cartas de derivación, a través de un estudio transversal en aldeas en torno a la ciudad de Sarab, localizada en la provincia de Azerbaiyán Oriental, en el noroeste de Irán. El estudio se realizó entre agosto y setiembre de 2015, cuando 400 cartas de derivación se evaluaron en base a criterios específicos de calidad. El estudio adoptó la muestra por aglomerados y los datos se recogieron a través de un instrumento desarrollado por el Departamento de Medicina Familiar de la Universidad de Manitoba, Canadá. Se proyectó un formulario específicamente para derivar a las mujeres a ginecología. Las cartas de derivación para ginecología mostraron calidad superior, cuando se comparan a los casos derivados a cardiología. La proporción de cartas legibles fue de un 73%. Se recomienda que las cartas de derivación sean desarrolladas en cooperación entre los departamentos, para diferentes grupos de enfermedades. Asimismo, los médicos de atención primaria deben estar capacitados para reenviar cartas de derivación adecuadas.

Habilidades clínicas para el manejo de trastornos depresivos en médicos generales en Santiago de Chile / Clinical skills of Chilean general practitioners for the management of depressive disorders

Background: Diverse and sustained efforts have been developed to improve the management of depression by general practitioners (GPs), but they have not improved treatment coverage and quality of services. Aim: To explore the level of knowledge and clinical skills to diagnose and treat depression by GPs in Primary Health Care (PHC) in the Metropolitan Area of Santiago de Chile (RM). Material and Methods: Theoretical knowledge (TK), diagnostic skills (DS) and treatment skills (TS) were evaluated in 56 GPs of the RM with a battery of specially designed instruments. Results: In TK there were significant differences between GPs aged 31 years or less and their older counterparts and between Chilean and foreign doctors. Five percent of observed differences in TK were explained by age and nationality, respectively. Chilean GPs achieved higher scores in recognition of symptoms (RS), one of the dimensions of DS. No significant differences by age or nationality were observed for DS and TS. Conclusions: Achievement of GPs on tests measuring TK, DS, and TS was generally below 50%. This deficiency should be improved.