Browse Hematology/Oncology Articles by Topic

Do Corticosteroids Play a Role in the Treatment of Community-acquired Pneumonia?

Despite antibiotic therapy and hospital-based care, severe community-acquired pneumonia still carries a high risk for morbidity and mortality.

Peramivir: A Newly Approved Antiviral for Treatment of Influenza

Peramivir (Rapivab™) was recently approved by the FDA in December 2014 for treatment of acute uncomplicated influenza within two days of symptom onset. This newly approved antiviral is a neuraminidase inhibitor (NI) similar to oseltamivir and zanamivir but the first to be approved in an injectable formulation.1 Peramivir has been licensed in Japan (as Rapiacta) and South Korea (as PeramiFlu) since 2010. In addition, it has been used in the United States on an emergency basis during the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic.

Multicenter Quality Improvement Project Resulted in a 23% Reduction in Medical Errors

SYNOPSIS: Implementation of a quality improvement project focused on handoffs reduced medical errors by 23% and preventable adverse events by 30%.

Benefits of NIV in COPD Supported in Routine Clinical Practice

SYNOPSIS: In a large cohort study, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease managed with noninvasive ventilation had lower inpatient mortality, shorter length of stay, and lower costs compared to those managed with invasive ventilation.

Transient Ischemic Attacks: A Missed Opportunity

SYNOPSIS: Patients with transient ischemic attacks were not given evidence-based secondary prevention for stroke at discharge from the hospital as often compared to patients with stroke, thus creating a missed opportunity to decrease the incidence of future stroke and cardiovascular disease.

Does Your Patient Have a Central Venous Catheter?

Central venous catheters (CVCs) are essential to providing optimal care to many hospitalized patients.

Paradoxical Low-flow, Low-gradient AS

This article originally appeared in the January 2015 issue of Clinical Cardiology Alert. It was peer reviewed by Susan Zhao, MD. Dr. Crawford is Professor of Medicine, Chief of Clinical Cardiology, University of California, San Francisco. He is the editor of Clinical Cardiology Alert. Dr. Zhao is Director, Adult Echocardiography Laboratory, Associate Chief, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. Dr. Crawford and Dr. Zhao report no financial relationships relevant to this field of study.

Sudden Death Risk: ARBs or ACE Inhibitors & Co-trimoxazole

Older patients using an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker with co-trimoxazole had an increased risk of sudden death.

Prior Authorization versus Prospective Audit with Provider Feedback: Does the Effectiveness of the Core Antimicrobial Stewardship Strategies Differ?

SYNOPSIS: In a single academic medical center, changing from a strategy of prior authorization to prospective audit with feedback led to significantly increased total antibiotic use and use of agents with a broad spectrum of gram-negative activity.

Should Long-acting Bronchodilators Be Used in Acute Exacerbations of COPD?

ABSTRACT & COMMENTARY: There's a disappointingly high rate of non-recommended drug administration.