Ética y prevención de la medicalización / Ethics and prevention of medicalization

La sociedad ha desplazado al campo médico problemas de la realidad subjetiva y social de las personas, y la obsesión por una salud perfecta se ha convertido en un factor patógeno predominante existiendo un aumento del número de enfermedades y enfermos, a la vez que mejora el nivel de salud de la población. El poder de la medicina ha hecho atractiva la idea de «medicalizar» aspectos de la vida que se pueden percibir como problemas médicos aun sin serlo. Vivir conlleva momentos de infelicidad y de angustia, pero ¿deberíamos tratar dichos momentos? Estamos en la cultura sanitaria del «todo, aquí y ahora». En este artículo se analizan las implicaciones éticas de las intervenciones innecesarias y se plantean distintas alternativas que pueden realizar los profesionales implicados para reconducir dicha situación; reflexionamos si queremos un mundo donde todos llevemos etiquetas de riesgo de presentar esta o aquella enfermedad (AU)

Society has shifted issues of subjective and social reality of the population into the medical field, with the obsession with perfect health becoming a predominant pathogenic factor in the increase in the number of diseases and patients, while the level of health in the population is improving. The power of medicine has made the idea of «medicalising» various aspects of life that can be perceived as medical problems as attractive even when it is not the case. Living entails times of unhappiness and anguish but, should we treat these episodes? We are in the health culture of «everything, here and now». In this article, the ethical implications of unnecessary interventions are analysed, along with the different alternatives that the professionals involved may perform to redirect this situation. It is reflected if we want a world where we all risk wearing labels for this or that disease (AU)

[Ethics and prevention of medicalization]. / Ética y prevención de la medicalización.

Society has shifted issues of subjective and social reality of the population into the medical field, with the obsession with perfect health becoming a predominant pathogenic factor in the increase in the number of diseases and patients, while the level of health in the population is improving. The power of medicine has made the idea of «medicalising¼ various aspects of life that can be perceived as medical problems as attractive even when it is not the case. Living entails times of unhappiness and anguish but, should we treat these episodes? We are in the health culture of «everything, here and now¼. In this article, the ethical implications of unnecessary interventions are analysed, along with the different alternatives that the professionals involved may perform to redirect this situation. It is reflected if we want a world where we all risk wearing labels for this or that disease.

Actualización de la enfermedad de Behçet. A propósito de 2 casos en atención primaria / Update of Behçet disease. A presentation of 2 cases in Primary Care

La enfermedad de Behçet es una enfermedad inflamatoria multisistémica crónica que evoluciona por brotes. Es más común en Asia y en los países de la cuenca mediterránea oriental (Ruta de la Seda). En España la prevalencia es de 5 a 10 casos por 100.000 habitantes. Es una enfermedad de difícil diagnóstico por las numerosas y variadas manifestaciones clínicas y porque no se dispone de pruebas de laboratorio patognomónicas. El retraso en el diagnóstico, frecuente en países de baja prevalencia como España, aumenta la morbilidad y la mortalidad de los pacientes con enfermedad de Behçet (AU)

Behçet's disease is an inflammatory multisystemic chronic disease that progresses by outbreaks. It is more common in Asia and countries in the eastern Mediterranean basin (Silk Route). In Spain the prevalence is between 5 and 10 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. It is a difficult disease to diagnose because of the multiple and varied clinical manifestations, and because there are not pathognomonic laboratory tests available. The delay in the diagnosis, which is frequent in countries of low prevalence like Spain, increases the morbidity and the mortality of patients with Behçetìs disease (AU)

[Update of Behçet disease. A presentation of 2 cases in primary care]. / Actualización de la enfermedad de Behçet. A propósito de 2 casos en atención primaria.

Behçet's disease is an inflammatory multisystemic chronic disease that progresses by outbreaks. It is more common in Asia and countries in the eastern Mediterranean basin (Silk Route). In Spain the prevalence is between 5 and 10 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. It is a difficult disease to diagnose because of the multiple and varied clinical manifestations, and because there are not pathognomonic laboratory tests available. The delay in the diagnosis, which is frequent in countries of low prevalence like Spain, increases the morbidity and the mortality of patients with Behçtis disease.