Search

For many years vitamin K has been considered to be associated only with blood clotting processes. Thanks to the research of last thirty years its other equally important role has been discovered. Vitamin K acts as a cofactor for the posttranslational γ-carboxylation of glutamate residues in proteins such as osteocalcin or matrix Gla protein (MGP). Thus the diet reach in vitamin K or supplementation of this vitamin on early stages of development may decrease risk of diseases such as rickets, osteoporosis or cardiovascular diseases.

Liverpool Care of Dying Pathway (LCP) is a protocol that standardizes the quality of care for dying patients and their families as well as helping to discontinue inappropriate medical interventions, particularly in hospitals and hospices. Developed in the UK, it was originally designed for cancer patients, but was quickly adapted for other groups of patients. LCP is designed to provide high quality medical, psychological and spiritual care to the dying patient. It is one of several such protocols commonly used throughout the world. This article presents a description of the pathway, its origin and use as well as the proposal to include it in the Polish standards.