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Aysha Mendes provides a synopsis and brief review of a selection of recently published research articles that are of interest to neuroscience nurses, highlighting key points to keep you up to date; a full reference is provided for those who wish to read the research in more detail [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aysha Mendes provides a synopsis and brief review of a selection of recently published research articles that are of interest to community nurses [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the article, the author discusses how community nurses in the United Kingdom (UK) can empower people with lymphoedema based on the concept of patient accountability and empowerment. Also cited are the features of lymphoedema like chronic swelling, pain and heaviness in the tissues, and the focus of treatment like lymphatic drainage, exercise, and skincare.

The article advocates for supporting patients to prevent urinary tract infection (UTI) by utilizing a self-assessment tool for intermittent catheter users and self-catheterization. It offers an overview of guidance from the ANtional Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) of Great Britain on long-term urinary catheterization and use of hydrophilic or coated catheters. It cautions about risk of complications that comes with treatment choice such as infection and urological cancer.

Aysha Mendes discusses the ongoing crisis in the social care sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overprescribing is a common problem among all age groups in modern Western society. However, it is particularly dangerous in older people, especially in those with cognitive problems who cannot voice the effects they are experiencing. A person living with dementia may rely on strong behavioural or emotional expression to indicate their physical symptoms or they may display symptoms of delirium. A multitude of symptoms can be evoked by a toxic cocktail of medications, and it can be difficult to get the attention of care professionals if the person experiencing this has no cognitive awareness of what is happening. This is why staff are so important when it comes to understanding patient behaviour, as well as prescribers who are integral in knowing how to rethink their prescription for someone experiencing more harm than good from their medications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes ways on how to prevent bacterial infection when using intermittent self-catheterization for the management of long-term urinary retention. Topics mentioned include the three types of intermittent self-catheters, the effectiveness of antibiotic prophylaxis, and the use of methenamine hippurate to prevent recurrent urinary tract infections.

Pain can often go unnoticed owing to a person with dementia having difficulty communicating it. At times, pain is treated with unnecessarily strong medication that cause harmful side effects, impacting the patient's wellbeing. This article provides information on how to effectively assess pain in someone with dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses studies about lymphoedema, a disease which causes swelling in the tissue of any part of the body. Topics include body parts that are usually most affected, the need to know how to approach the patient's condition, and the first-line of treatment which involves using compression of some kind. Also mentioned is a study on the use of compression garments in a conventional lymphoedema prevention programme for breast cancer patients.

The article discusses the need to address malnutrition particularly among the elderly that reside in community settings in the United Kingdom. Topics explored include the importance of good nutrition in disease prevention and overall health, the age-related factors such as mobility limitations and loss of appetite which make the access of older people to nutrient-dense foods challenging, and the social factors that affect the quality of nutrition of individuals.

The article discusses the diagnosis and treatment of urge incontinence in women. Other topics include the common symptoms of the condition like frequent and sudden urge to urinate, its diagnostic factors like involuntary urine leakage on effort, sneezing or coughing, and frequent urination, and the British National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines on treatment like pharmacotherapy, behavioural therapy, and physiotherapy.

The article discusses a systematic review and meta-analysis involving searches of databases and grey literature resources up to August 2020 to determine the impact of diet on diabetes remission. Topics covered include the effect and safety of low-carbohydrates diets (LCD) and very low-carbohydrate diets (VLCD) for people with type 2 diabetes, three factors that were considered in defining diabetes remission, and the long-term sustainability of the diets.

The article discusses the psychosocial aspects of dermatological care in the community that nurses and patients should be aware of. Other topics include the psychological effects of skin diseases like itching or pruritis, erythema, and scaling to a person's sexuality, body image and self-esteem, and the use of emollients as effective skin barrier mechanisms to prevent skin diseases.

The article discusses research which aimed identify the optimal lifestyle profile associated with retaining good cognition into older age. It references a study by J. Jia et al, published in a 2023 issue of the "British Medical Journal." Cited are the main messages of the dietary guidelines produced by the Chinese Nutrition Society, and the recommendations of the American guidelines for physical activity in adults that were used as a benchmark for physical activity in this study.

The article discusses studies which examined the impact of lifestyle and the role of diet on cognitive decline. It includes a study which found that dietary flavanols can restore hippocampal-dependent memory in older adults and another which highlighted the lasting effects of caloric intake and diet composition on the brain as well as the impact that emotions have on cognition.

The article takes a look into the hidden risks of the antibiotic fluoroquinolones. It discusses a study which examined the association between initiation of fluoroquinolones and hospital or emergency department admission due to the onset of suicidal ideation, as well as the potential mechanisms that may cause central nervous system events including suicidality. Another research reported increased risk of suicidal behaviors linked to use of fluoroquinolone.

An introduction is presented in which the author discusses articles within the issue on topics including whole-person care of people cardiovascular disease, effect of beta-blockers on people withe erection difficulties, challenges facing people with heart failure with warmer weather, holidaying and in relationships.

The article focuses on the study "Optimizing prediction of response to antidepressant medications using machine learning and integrated genetic, clinical, and demographic data" by D. Taliaz and colleagues which explored the use of machine learning for the optimisation of patient treatment. Topics discussed include response patterns of patients to three different antidepressant medications in the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression study, and significance of the study.

The author reflects on the need for the government of Great Britain and the private sector to prioritize healthcare professionals like nurses over their profits to prevent them from leaving their professions that resulted in chronic staffing shortages.

The article explores the use of machine learning to identify cohorts of a population that may benefit from specific medications. Topics discussed include findings of the study "Medications for specific phenotypes of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction classified by a machine learning-based clustering model" by Y. Sotomi and colleagues, and information on the four phenotypes included in the study of Sotomi and colleagues.

The author stresses the need to look at happiness and levels of enjoyment in addition to looking at health behaviors among ourselves and patient populations, alongside social and economic factors.