Internal Medicine Alert – July 30, 2003

July 30, 2003

• Burn, Baby, Burn!

  This is the first study to convincingly demonstrate a strong dose-dependent relationship between increasing weight and increasing symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux.

  Read more about Burn, Baby, Burn! - Internal Medicine Alert – July 30, 2003

• Is Sliding-Scale Insulin on the Slippery Slope?

  Taking into consideration the limitations of this study, it is time to for sliding-scale insulin to join bloodletting and trepanation in the Museum of Medical Anachronisms.

  Read more about Is Sliding-Scale Insulin on the Slippery Slope? - Internal Medicine Alert – July 30, 2003

• It’s Time for West Nile Virus Again!

  While the numbers of cases of West Nile virus infection in the United States were relatively small from 1999 through 2001, in 2002 an epidemiologic explosion occurred with 4156 cases, including 284 deaths, in 44 states plus the District of Columbia.

  Read more about It’s Time for West Nile Virus Again! - Internal Medicine Alert – July 30, 2003

• New Hypertension Guidelines: JNC-7

  The long-awaited JNC-7 report was recently published in summary form; a more comprehensive manuscript will be forthcoming. JNC-7 takes into account many of the randomized controlled trials dealing with hypertension published over the past few years, and thus, is very much up to date. Some highlights of the report are as follows.

  Read more about New Hypertension Guidelines: JNC-7 - Internal Medicine Alert – July 30, 2003

• Pharmacology Update: Influenza Virus Vaccine Live, Intranasal (FluMist)

  The FDA has approved the first nasally administered flu vaccine. This cold-adapted, temperature sensitive, attenuated, trivalent vaccine is manufactured by MedImmune Vaccine, Inc. and marketed by MedImmune and Wyeth under the name FluMist. The nasal flu vaccine should be available this fall.

  Read more about Pharmacology Update: Influenza Virus Vaccine Live, Intranasal (FluMist) - Internal Medicine Alert – July 30, 2003

• Clinical Briefs

  Prognostic Value of Ambulatory Blood-Pressure Recordings in Patients with Treated Hypertension; Tazarotene Cream in the Treatment of Psoriasis; Antihyperglycemic Effect of Oolong Tea in Type 2 Diabetes

  Read more about Clinical Briefs - Internal Medicine Alert – July 30, 2003

• Pharmacology Watch - HRT, Estrogen, and Postmenopausal Women: Year-Old WHI Study Continues to Raise Questions

  The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) was halted 1 year ago, but fallout from this landmark study continues. The study was designed to identify the risks or benefits of estrogen plus progesterone vs placebo in healthy postmenopausal women.

  Read more about Pharmacology Watch - HRT, Estrogen, and Postmenopausal Women: Year-Old WHI Study Continues to Raise Questions