From the specialties

Health checks for adults with intellectual disabilities

26.06.2023: New national guidelines recommend annual health checks for adults with intellectual disabilities. Adults with a diagnosis of intellectual disability die earlier, have poorer health and more difficulty accessing health services than the general population (1) . Annual health checks have been recommended in Norway and internationally for many years because they help identify ill health and serious illnesses (2) . However, 43 % of adult participants in the Norwegian North Health in Intellectual Disability (NOHID) study had not undergone a health check in the past year (3) . In 2021, the...

Bone scintigraphy reduces the need for biopsy in suspected cardiac amyloidosis

From the specialties

12.06.2023: The gold standard to diagnose suspected cardiac amyloidosis is myocardial biopsy. In recent years, bone scintigraphy has partly replaced myocardial biopsy. Cardiac amyloidosis is an important cause of cardiac failure with preserved ejection fraction. Autopsy studies have shown presence of myocardial amyloid deposits in approximately 25 % of the population over the age of 80 years with a median survival of five years (1) . Symptoms of cardiac amyloidosis include dyspnoea, oedema, fatigue, arrhythmia and syncope. Patients may also have extra-cardiac manifestations such as carpal tunnel syndrome...

Tailored exercise ensures a healthier workforce

From the specialties

08.05.2023: People who exercise at or after work will improve their health. Employers should invest more in their employees, and a new tool can offer employees a free research-based exercise programme adapted to their everyday working life. Many people are too sedentary at work. This is damaging to health if not compensated for with extra physical activity (1) . Meanwhile, studies have demonstrated that people with high occupational physical activity, often with low intensity and monotonous activities, have poor health (2) . For example, the proportion of Swedish employees with low physical fitness...

New interest group for red blood cell disorders

From the specialties

20.02.2023: Congenital red blood cell disorders are traditionally rare in Norway, and the focus on treatment and follow-up has been limited. A multidisciplinary approach is needed to ensure optimum, equal health care for patients with these disorders. Sickle cell disease and thalassemia are congenital conditions frequently seen in Asia, the Middle East, the Mediterranean countries and Africa. The incidence is also expected to increase in Norway as the composition of the population changes. These diseases are associated with a shorter lifespan and lower quality of life, but early diagnosis and good follow...

New centres to carry out more clinical trials in Norway

From the specialties

20.01.2023: Six NorTrials centres for clinical research have been established at the university hospitals. Their objective is to increase the number of clinical trials and improve patient treatment. We know that patients treated in institutions where clinical trials are undertaken have better outcomes (1) . This is in part because the activity around clinical research improves the quality of the treatment provided to patients. Since 2000, the number of clinical trials in Norway has decreased, and patients, institutions and the political management now want to reverse this trend. The National Action Plan...

Systematic screening of substance use upon hospitalisation

From the specialties

11.10.2022: Many people can improve their health by reducing their consumption of alcohol and habit-forming medications. By screening for this in connection with emergency hospital admissions, we can help to reduce use. All emergency patients admitted to Oslo University Hospital will be asked a standard set of questions about alcohol consumption (1) . If high consumption is indicated, further examinations will be carried out. For patients taking at least one psychoactive medicinal drug, and where use may be related to the patient's reason for admission, a serum analysis will be carried out. Based on the...

Supplementary drug treatment to reduce weight in adolescents with severe obesity

From the specialties

05.10.2022: In 2021, the Norwegian Medicines Agency approved the use of daily injection of liraglutide 3.0 mg (Saxenda) as a supplement to lifestyle treatment for weight control in children ≥ 12 years of age with obesity (isoBMI ≥ 30). We share the treatment experiences of six multidisciplinary obesity clinics in the specialist health service. A Cochrane review (1) and Norwegian findings (2, 3) show small to moderate weight reductions following family-based behavioural treatment (caloric restriction, physical activity, sleep hygiene) in adolescents with severe obesity. In contrast, bariatric surgery leads...

Changed sense of smell – what can be done?

From the specialties

19.05.2022: Olfactory dysfunction is common. Otorhinolaryngologists can perform examinations, but GPs can also provide treatment where the cause is known. It became clear early in the pandemic that changed sense of smell was a cardinal symptom of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Olfactory dysfunction was common in cases of acute infection, but the symptom subsided rapidly and persistent symptoms after one year were uncommon (1) . Smell and taste are closely linked and are essential for avoiding danger and disease, for example by detecting smoke, gas or spoiled food. Our sense of smell also allows us to enjoy good...

Follow-up of pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and infants on a vegetarian or vegan diet

From the specialties

27.04.2022: Vegetarian and vegan diets may be suitable at all life stages if they are well planned and supplemented with some vitamins and minerals. The Norwegian Nutrition Council recently issued an expert opinion on vegetarian and vegan diets (1) . This gives advice on how healthcare personnel can assist families with a vegetarian or vegan diet. Pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and infants have a particular need for an adequate supply of nutrients for both the growth and development of the child and the health of the mother. With good planning, vegetarian and vegan diets can cover the need for...

Weight-loss drugs – for whom, how, how long?

From the specialties

04.04.2022: Drug treatment of obesity is undergoing a scientific revolution, and it can be hard to keep up. Two relatively new drugs that suppress hunger and increase feelings of satiety can now be prescribed by all Norwegian doctors. Colleagues ask us daily for guidance on the use of new anti-obesity drugs, and so we would like to share a few practical tips in the Journal of the Norwegian Medical Association. Who may benefit? The drugs can be prescribed as an adjunct to lifestyle treatment in adult patients with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m 2 ) or overweight (BMI 27.0–29.9 kg/m 2 ) with at least one weight...

Updated tools for the assessment and management of acutely ill older patients

From the specialties

17.03.2022: The Norwegian National Centre for Emergency Primary Health Care has updated reference material and other tools to aid the management of geriatric patients with acute illness and trauma outside the hospital setting. Older people are overrepresented throughout the chain of emergency care, and the influx of this patient group will increase substantially in the coming decades (1) . Assessing acute illness and trauma in geriatric patients can be a challenge. Standardised tools used for triage are largely based on so-called classic symptoms of acute conditions, but these are often absent or less...

Bronchiolitis should not be treated with glucocorticoids or antibiotics

From the specialties

01.02.2022: We are in the midst of a hectic season for viral respiratory infections. Respiratory syncytial virus is the most common cause of bronchiolitis in children. The guidelines from the Norwegian Society of Pediatricians are clear that oral glucocorticoids have no place in the treatment of bronchiolitis, and antibiotics are rarely needed. It is not only the coronavirus that is challenging our healthcare system this year. Respiratory viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rhinovirus and metapneumovirus can hit the youngest children hard, and give rise to lower respiratory tract infections...