Cardiology
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Identifying Common Traits Regarding Inappropriate Antibiotic Prescribing
In a retrospective cohort study of outpatient visits for upper respiratory infections that should not require antibiotics, researchers found several patient, practice, and provider characteristics associated with inappropriate antimicrobial prescribing. Notably, adult patients seen by an advanced practice provider were 15% more likely to receive an antimicrobial than those seen by a physician provider.
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Non-opioid vs. Opioid Medications for Chronic Back, Knee, or Hip Pain
In this small study, non-opioid therapy (primarily acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) was as effective as opioid therapy for chronic musculoskeletal pain with fewer medication-related side effects.
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Meditation for Reducing CVD Risk
A recent American Heart Association statement found meditation to be an inexpensive intervention that may be adjunctively useful for reducing risk of heart disease.
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Running and Health
In a review and meta-analysis of the effects of running and longevity, researchers concluded that running provides specific and significant health benefits and proposed a threshold above which more running provides diminishing returns.
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Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment for Low Back Pain
Authors of a recent literature review found compelling evidence that osteopathic manipulative treatment is effective for treating low back pain, but not for other conditions.
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Fish Consumption and Disease Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis
A cross-sectional analysis using baseline data from participants in the Evaluation of Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease and Predictors of Events in Rheumatoid Arthritis (ESCAPE-RA) cohort study demonstrated biweekly consumption of fish significantly decreased pain and progression of RA sufferers.
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Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft
The data from this study do not indicate that new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation should be regarded as having the same risks as primary nonvalvular atrial fibrillation in terms of long-term thromboembolic risk, and that anticoagulation in this group may not be necessary unless the atrial fibrillation is persistent.
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Real-world Study of Left Atrial Appendage Occluder Devices Raises New Concerns
A large observational study from France of two devices used commonly for occlusion of the left atrial appendage in patients with atrial fibrillation showed that device-related thrombus was not uncommon and was associated with subsequent stroke.
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The Pulmonary Embolism Rule-out Criteria in Low-risk Patients
A cluster randomized trial of the pulmonary embolism rule-out criteria (PERC) compared to usual care for patients estimated to be at low risk of pulmonary embolus (PE) in EDs showed that PERC was non-inferior to usual care at identifying patients who would be free of symptomatic PE at three months, resulting in less use of healthcare resources.
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Risk of Endocarditis Revisited
The authors of a population-wide study of hospitalizations and deaths from infective endocarditis (IE) in England confirmed the high risk of IE in certain cardiac conditions, but showed that other conditions thought to be low risk also are at higher risk and found new higher-risk categories not previously identified. Investigators suggested these data should be considered when the antibiotic prophylaxis guidelines are revised.