Internal Medicine Alert
RSSArticles
-
Progression of Coronary Calcium on Statin Treatment
In those treated with statins vs. those who were not, statins decreased plaque volume in plaques with little or no calcium (plaque regression) and increased calcium density without changes in plaque volume in calcified plaques (plaque stabilization).
-
Difelikefalin Injection (Korsuva)
Difelikefalin can be prescribed to treat moderate-to-severe pruritus associated with chronic kidney disease in adults undergoing hemodialysis.
-
Localized Slow Wave Sleep in the Awake but Inattentive Brain
Electroencephalogram studies of humans during periods of “mind wandering” and “mind blanking” have shown regional changes that suggest parts of the brain may be asleep while other areas are activated.
-
In Addition to the Rhythm
The ECG in the figure was obtained from a middle-aged woman who presented with a febrile illness and shortness of breath. She reported no chest pain. In addition to the rhythm, what else is going on?
-
Dihydroergotamine Nasal Spray (Trudhesa)
DHE nasal spray can be prescribed to treat migraine in adults with or without aura.
-
Iron Therapy for Acute Heart Failure
Giving intravenous ferric carboxymaltose to stabilized post-acute heart failure patients with iron deficiency improved quality of life vs. placebo-treated patients within four weeks, which persisted during subsequent therapy for up to 24 weeks.
-
Proton-Pump Inhibitors and Community-Associated Clostridioides difficile Infection
A nationwide cohort study of adults in Denmark found that proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) use was associated with a moderately increased risk of community-associated Clostridioides difficile infection, and the risk remained elevated up to one year after PPI treatment had ended.
-
Clostridioides difficile Infection: Guideline Update
Fidaxomicin is preferred over vancomycin for initial and recurrent cases. Bezlotoxumab is recommended in many cases of recurrent infection and initial infection in patients at high risk of recurrence.
-
Can Antibiotics Lead to Colon Cancer?
Swedish researchers saw an association between frequent antibiotic use and proximal colorectal cancer.
-
Functional Cognitive Disorder: An Important Condition to Recognize
Functional cognitive disorder (FCD) can describe cognitive difficulties that are present where there is no biologic cause, but a lack of consensus in diagnostic criteria limits its use in clinical practice and research. The authors proposed an operational definition for FCD as the cognitive phenotype of functional neurological disorder.