Internal Medicine Alert – December 15, 2022

Is Long-Term Antidepressant Use Hurting Patients?

Long-term antidepressant use could lead to elevated risks of coronary heart disease, along with higher cardiovascular disease mortality and all-cause mortality rates.

The Right Dose at the Right Time: Improving Hypertension Outcomes

An online study of evening vs. morning administration of patients’ usual antihypertensive medications, with a median five-year follow-up, revealed there is no difference in major cardiovascular outcomes between the two periods.

Is Illicit Substances Use Associated with Atrial Fibrillation?

An observational study of a huge cohort of patients admitted to California hospitals showed patients who used cocaine, methamphetamine, opiates, and cannabis were at a higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation vs. those with similar risk factors who did not use the substances.

Periodontal Disease as an Independent Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease

Researchers used data from the 2013 to 2014 period of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to study possible connections between poor oral health and the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease.

Ruxolitinib Cream (Opzelura)

Ruxolitinib cream can be prescribed to treat nonsegmental (bilateral) vitiligo in adult and pediatric patients age 12 years and older.

The Clue in Lead II

How should one interpret the ECG in the figure? The figure was obtained from a 40-year-old man who was hemodynamically stable at the time this tracing was recorded. The key clue is in lead II.