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A post-stroke analysis of more than 20,000 patients in 35 countries showed that the lowest risk systolic blood pressure (BP) range is 130-139 mmHg. There is a J-shaped curve of risk with an increase in recurrent stroke among patients with a systolic BP below 120 mmHg and above 140 mmHg.
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The use of ambulatory blood pressure (BP)monitoring as a diagnostic strategy for the diagnosis of hypertension after finding an initial raised BP reading in the doctor's office would reduce misdiagnosis. The additional costs of ambulatory monitoring are counterbalanced by cost savings from better targeted therapy and, therefore, ambulatory monitoring is recommended for most patients before the start of antihypertensive drug therapy.
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A low-dose sublingual formulation of Zolpidem has been approved by the FDA for the management of middle-of-the-night (MOTN) awakening. Zolpidem, marketed as Ambien, was originally approved in 1992. The new formulation is marketed by Transcept Pharmaceuticals as Intermezzo.
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The toxicity associated with intestinal habitation by Clostridium difficile ranges from asymptomatic colonization to life-threatening infection. In the United States, C. difficile is the most common cause of health care-associated diarrhea.
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The year 2010 marked the 100th anniversary since sickle cell disease was described by Dr. James Herrick in 1910. Worldwide, it is the most commonly encountered genetic disorder. Annually, it afflicts an estimated 100,000 patients in the United States.
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A post hoc analysis of patients with bacteremia due to ESBL-producing E.coli (ESBL-EC) from 6 published cohorts was performed. Treatment with B-lactam/B-lactamase inhibitors (BLBI) vs. carbapenems did not show any difference in mortality or length of hospital stay.
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In this study of a statewide administrative database, among 138,720 adult patients admitted to an ICU, uninsured patients had a 25% higher likelihood of death within 30 days compared with privately insured patients, differences that persisted after multiple adjustments for demographics, severity of illness, and site of care. Uninsured patients received central venous catheterization, acute hemodialysis, and tracheostomy significantly less often than insured patients.
