Clinical Briefs in Primary Care – February 1, 2018
February 1, 2018
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An Overlooked Disability Burden
The sudden loss of hearing is considered an otologic emergency, requiring prompt evaluation. Only a few patients with identified hearing loss take advantage of hearing aids, perhaps daunted by issues like cost, potential stigma associated with wearing a hearing-assistive device, or comfort.
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Educating Patients About ‘Ugly Duckling Sign’
Patients or their partners detect most malignant melanomas first. Enhancing public awareness of malignant melanomas and enabling patients to promptly and accurately identify at-risk lesions is important.
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Statins for COPD?
Even though numerous pharmacologic treatments are available to mollify COPD symptoms, mortality and disease progression do not appear to be altered by pharmacologic treatment.
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Updated Hypertension Guidelines
Perhaps the most novel innovation is the recategorization of systolic blood pressure 130-139 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure 80-89 mmHg as stage 1 hypertension. Previously, this blood pressure zone was labeled prehypertension.
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Addressing Insomnia
If cognitive behavioral therapy is insufficient to remedy insomnia, sedative-hypnotic agents must be added sometimes. Consultation with a sleep expert for refractory cases, or for cases requiring more sustained use of medications, is fully appropriate.
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The Sticky Wicket of Androgen Receptor Modulators
In a recent investigation, less than half the products tested contained the amount of active product claimed on the label, almost 20% contained none of the claimed active component, and some contained substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.