Browse Internal Medicine Articles by Topic

Remdesivir Injection and Baricitinib Tablets

Baricitinib/remdesivir should be used to treat suspected or laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 in hospitalized adults and pediatric patients ≥ age 2 years who require supplemental oxygen, invasive mechanical ventilation, or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Using Sacubitril/Valsartan to Treat Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

An analysis of renal outcomes in the PARAGON-HF trial revealed sacubitril/valsartan slows progression of kidney disease in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction compared to valsartan alone.

Virtual Visits and Antibiotic Prescribing

Compared to in-person visits, virtual visits were associated with improved antibiotic prescribing practices for women with uncomplicated urinary tract infections.

Vegan Diets May Cause More Fractures

Living as a vegan or vegetarian is a choice and can benefit one’s health. However, clinicians should educate patients about potential risks, including bone fractures. Appropriate supplementation might prevent these complications.

Honey, Can You Stop Coughing?

Since there is little to offer those with upper respiratory infections, honey represents a low-risk, inexpensive, and easily accessible alternative that seems reasonable to suggest to patients.

A Mobile Interventional Stroke Team (MIST) Shows Promise in Performing Rapid Thrombectomy

Since 2015, when multiple international trials were reported showing clear benefit for mechanical thrombectomy in patients with large vessel occlusions, this treatment has been the standard of care. However, the speed of treatment remains paramount for good outcomes, and different models have been developed around the world in different geographic settings.

Ticagrelor, a New Antiplatelet Agent, Shows Promise in Secondary Prevention of Ischemic Stroke

Ticagrelor is an antiplatelet agent that works by reversibly binding to P2Y12 adenosine diphosphate receptors on platelets, similar to the mechanism of action of clopidogrel. However, it is a direct-acting drug, and not a pro-drug, and does not need to be enzymatically converted to be active, like clopidogrel.

Medical Therapy vs. Carotid Endarterectomy in Patients with Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis

Since the pivotal trials demonstrating the benefit of endarterectomy vs. medical therapy many years ago, there has been significant improvement in the risk factors for atherosclerosis, including better treatment of blood pressure and diabetes, as well as improved antiplatelet medication regimens and high-potency statins.

Rhabdomyolysis Etiology

Rhabdomyolysis can be a life-threatening condition that often triggers a neurology consultation during an investigation for cause. However, in this recent study, the majority of cases (79%) were triggered by external, non-neuromuscular causes, and the others, although suspicious for an intrinsic muscular or genetic cause, rarely had a specific diagnosis confirmed.

Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Duration Is Predictive of Life Expectancy

Total sleep duration declines with increasing age, as does the fraction of sleep spent in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. The decline in REM is associated with increasing mortality, but it is not clear if this is a cause or a marker of declining health and declining brain function.