[Masterplan 2025 of the Austrian Society of Pneumology (ASP)-the expected burden and management of respiratory diseases in Austria]. / Masterplan 2025 der Österreichischen Gesellschaft für Pneumologie (ÖGP) ­ die erwartete Entwicklung und Versorgung respiratorischer Erkrankungen in Österreich.

Scientific Members of the Austrian Society of Pneumology describe the expected development in respiratory health and provide guidance towards patient-oriented and cost-efficient respiratory care in Austria.Methods: In November 2017, respiratory care providers (physicians, nurses, physiotherapists) together with patient's advocacy groups and experts in health development, collaborated in workshops on: respiratory health and the environment, bronchial asthma and allergy, COPD, pediatric respiratory disease, respiratory infections, sleep disorders, interventional pneumology, thoracic oncology and orphan diseases.Results: Respiratory disease is extremely prevalent and driven by ill-health behavior, i.e. cigarette smoking, over-eating and physical inactivity. For the majority of respiratory diseases increased prevalence, but decreased hospitalizations are expected.The following measures should be implemented to deal with future challenges:1. Screening and case-finding should be implemented for lung cancer and COPD.2. E-health solutions (telemedicine, personal apps) should be used to facilitate patient management.3. Regional differences in respiratory care should be reduced through E­health and harmonization of health insurance benefits across Austria.4. Patient education and awareness, to reduce respiratory health illiteracy should be increased, which is essential for sleep disorders but relevant also for other respiratory diseases.5. Respiratory care should be inter-professional, provided via disease-specific boards beyond lung cancer (for ILDs, sleep, allergy)6. Programs for outpatient's pulmonary rehabilitation can have a major impact on respiratory health.7. Increased understanding of molecular pathways will drive personalized medicine, targeted therapy (for asthma, lung cancer) and subsequently health care costs.

[Aromatherapy - From Traditional and Scientific Evidence into Clinical Practice]. / Aromatherapie: wann können ätherische Öle medizinisch eingesetzt werden?

Essential oils (EOs), also known as volatile oils, are concentrated natural plant products which contain volatile aroma compounds. Most EOs are derived by steam distillation, a tradition which can be traced back as many as 5000 years. They possess unique properties which result in various possibilities for application, also in modern medical contexts. Areas for medical aromatherapy include respiratory diseases, pain management or stress alleviation, amongst many others. Different modes of application exist: The rich ingredients can be absorbed by the body by anointment, gentle massage, inhalation, or oral intake of capsules. Also the risks of EO application in medical contexts should be considered, such as rare allergic reactions, overdosing, poor substance quality or overestimation of the effectiveness.

[Health Promotion through Prevention of Stress and Burnout with Essential Oils for All Professionals at the Otto Wagner Spital in Vienna]. / Gesundheitsförderung durch Stress- und Burnout-Prophylaxe mit ätherischen Ölen für alle Berufsgruppen im Wiener Otto-Wagner-Spital.

BACKGROUND: More than 50% of all persons suffer from occupational and domestic stress. High stress levels may cause physical, mental,or social impairment, culminating in burnout syndrome. Regular use of premium-quality essential oils is able to markedly reduce the individual's stress level. A health promotion project for prevention of stress and burnout was undertaken to confirm the reduction of stress by the use of essential oils. METHODS: The study was performed at the Otto Wagner Spital in Vienna. Eighty-eight staff members of the hospital with evaluable enrollment questionnaires and 55 staff members with evaluable completion questionnaires were included in the study. The study participants were given the SOS stress roll-on consisting of 12 essential oils. The roll-on was applied at least 3 times a day for one month on the pulse zones on the wrists. RESULTS: At survey time point 1 on the day of enrollment in the study, the probands' stress rating on a scale from 1 (no stress) to 10 (very high stress) was on average 6.28. At the end of the observation period it was 5.24. The analysis of physical impairment due to stress (stress scale 1-8) demonstrated the significant benefit of aromatherapy among nursing staff (p = 0,036) and in persons older than 50 years of age (p = 0.012 and 0.025, respectively). The stress levels due to physical, psychological, and social stress between survey time point 1 and 2 showed marked, and partly significant, positive changes after the use of essential oils. For 27 participants, the questionnaires obtained at time point 1 and 2 could be assigned to the respective individuals. In this group, the overall stress levels as well as those in the sub-aspects showed the significant positive results of aromatherapy. CONCLUSION: A large majority of the study participants were able to markedly reduce their stress associated impairment by the use of essential oils in the SOS stress roll-on. No allergic reactions or incompatibilities were observed.Selected essential oils of high quality may be recommended for the prevention and treatment of stress and burnout.

[Wound care with essential oils after enucleation of a chronic abscess]. / Wundbehandlung mit ätherischen Olen nach operativer Sanierung eines chronischen Abszesses.

INTRODUCTION: Advances in wound care over the past years have led to a growing number of products, techniques and interventions which are extremely costly and tend to neglect the individual patient and their specific needs. OBJECTIVE: The present case report describes the post-operative care of a chronically infected wound by use of essential oils. CASE REPORT: In October 2007, a 41- year-old woman suffered a minor, non-bleeding lesion between toes IV and V of her right foot during gardening. Within a few hours, an extensive phlegmona of the right forefoot developed extending almost up to the ankle. In April 2008, Corynebacterium diphteriae was identified in the pus. In May 2008, it was decided to enucleate the chronic abscess that had developed despite several oral antimicrobial therapies. Wound care with essential oils was started 5 days after enucleation of the chronic abscess and continued until July 2008. RESULTS: Granulation tissue and epithelisation were growing quickly and without complications, and scar formation was fine. The scar is bland, slim and at skin level. CONCLUSION: The essential oils applied were selected according to their antiinflammatory, analgesic, and antimicrobial properties as well as their capacity to promote wound healing. Applied medical aroma therapy makes use of these properties to support wound healing.