Hungary as an aging society.

The authors describe the situation of the aged in Hungary, with a particular focus on the medical and ethical problems that health professionals have to face. The so-called post-communist transitional period is characterised by both economic and moral crisis. The country has a serious foreign debt problem as well as high rate of unemployment and crime, a considerable price inflation, and the pauperisation of the people, particularly among the old. The old are defined as those who have reached retirement age, which is 55 for women and 60 for men. Hungary lacks the kind of incentives that would provide good reasons to live much beyond the age of 60. There is neither a suitable culture for old age nor economic security, and this seriously undermines the independence and autonomy of the old. Neither family nor institutional care for the elderly is adequate. Although over 20 per cent of the population are retired, they are not organized as a political power that would effectively represent them. The health care system is in crises and the elderly suffer the most because of it. Therapeutic nihilism and both over-treatment and under-treatment of the aged is common. Among the old, the suicide rate is high. Because of a lack of funds, an inadequate number of experts, indifference to rehabilitation, and the infrequent use of technological interventions, home and institutional care are inadequate. There are no public debates on setting priorities or allocating limited resources. There are, however, high hopes for the success of a market economy, privatization, and well-functioning democracy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Erythrocyte transketolase activity in patients with chronic renal disease.

B1 vitamin deficiency was studied by the erythrocyte enzyme activation test in patients with chronic uraemia. Transketolase activity was measured in the erythrocyte haemolysates of 14 patients with chronic uraemia and in 16 healthy controls in the presence of TPP and following TPP saturation. The magnitude of activity increases as a result of TPP saturation which is probably indicative of an insignificant thiamine deficiency in patients with chronic uraemia.

[Simultaneous incidence of chronic dissecans aortic aneurysm and bidirectional tachydardia]. / Gemeinsames Vorkommen von chronischem Aortenaneurysma dissecans und bidirektionaler Tachykardie

In a 68-year-old patient during a therapy with digitalis and saluretics with maintenance doses a severe cardiac insufficiency develops. After intravenous injection of K-strophantoside temporarily a bidirectional tachycardia developed which enforced a discontinuation of the K-strophantoside therapy. A deterioration of the cardiac insufficiency caused the resumption of the strophantine treatment under the protection of novocamide (procainamide) and panangine (magnesium asparagin. anhydr. and calcium asparagin. anhydr.) without reappearance of a bidirectional tachycardia. The patient died of a severe cardiovascular insufficiency. If the bidirectional tachycardia appears in severe cardiac insufficiency a continuation of the treatment with K-strophantoside can be tried under the protection of antiarrhythmic drugs.