Hospital Medicine Alert – October 1, 2016
October 1, 2016
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Steroids Increase the Risk for Community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia
Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality. Previous studies produced conflicting results about whether steroids increase the risk of SAB and may have been biased by confounding variables. Therefore, Smit and colleagues sought to more clearly define the risk of SAB associated with the use of steroids.
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Screening for Coronary Artery Disease Is Underused in Heart Failure
Coronary artery disease is the most common cause of heart failure. Current practice guidelines recommend screening for Coronary artery disease in patients with newly diagnosed heart failure. However, few studies have evaluated how often clinicians perform diagnostic testing for Coronary artery disease on patients hospitalized with newly diagnosed heart failure.
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The Use of Dexmedetomidine for Sedation May Lead to Earlier Extubation and Decreased Ventilator Adverse Events
SYNOPSIS: The choice of dexmedetomidine or propofol over midazolam may improve outcomes in patients mechanically ventilated for three or more days.
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Chocolate Counteracts the Effects of Sleep Deprivation
SYNOPSIS: An acute administration of a chocolate rich in flavanols (a subclass of flavonoids) was found to mitigate the cardiovascular and cognitive effects of sleep deprivation in a group of young and healthy individuals.
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Triage to a Certified Stroke Center Reduces Early Mortality
In a national attempt to improve stroke care, there has been widespread certification of primary stroke centers (PSCs) by The Joint Commission. It has been assumed that outcomes will be better in the PSCs, but there have always been questions regarding how much additional time is acceptable to travel to a PSC, compared to a local hospital, in terms of successful treatment and outcomes.