Browse Internal Medicine Articles by Topic

Is Anticoagulant Bridging Needed in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation Going to Surgery?

In patients with atrial fibrillation who had warfarin treatment interrupted for an elective operation or other elective invasive procedure, forgoing bridging anticoagulation was not inferior to perioperative bridging with low molecular weight heparin for the prevention of arterial thromboembolism and decreased the risk of major bleeding.

Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation Management — You Can’t Go Wrong

Rate control and rhythm control strategies for cardiac surgery patients with postoperative atrial fibrillation lead to similar hospital durations, similar complication rates, and similar very low rates of atrial fibrillation at 60-day follow-up.

One Quarter of General Medicine Readmissions May Be Preventable

The major concept behind the effort to reduce 30-day readmission rates is the impression that some readmissions are preventable and some are not preventable.

Current Management of Abscesses

Abscesses are common skin and soft tissue infections, and their incidence has continued to rise substantially over the years. Despite the high prevalence of abscesses in current care, the management of abscesses varies widely between care providers. This article reviews the current management options for simple cutaneous abscesses in patients, including review of the epidemiology, differential diagnosis, diagnostic studies, and changing practice of wound cultures and antibiotic therapy. In addition, this article outlines the essential steps of abscess management, informing practitioners of current best practice options as evidenced by current literature or expert opinion.

Infectious Disease Alert Updates

“A New Wave of World-wide Gastroenteritis?”; Who Wants a Stoma if You Don’t Need One?; A Side of Hep E with Your Pork Roast?

Healthcare Workers and Tuberculosis Prevention

Healthcare workers in high-burden countries in particular remain at high risk of tuberculosis.

Does Finding the Portal of Entry of Bacteria in Infective Endocarditis Matter?

A comprehensive, systematic search for the portal of bacterial entry in infective endocarditis is frequently successful and affords an opportunity to prevent recurrent episodes.

Oral Rehydration for Children with Mild Gastroenteritis

In a randomized study of children 6 to 60 months of age with acute gastroenteritis accompanied by mild vomiting and/or diarrhea with mild or no dehydration, initial oral rehydration with half-strength apple juice/preferred fluids resulted in fewer treatment failures than with electrolyte maintenance solution. In high-income countries, dilute apple juice/preferred fluids may be an acceptable alternative to commercial electrolyte maintenance solutions for childhood mild gastroenteritis with minimal dehydration.

The Seasonality of Childhood Respiratory Infections

Human metapneumovirus infection is increasingly recognized in children. Epidemiologic review suggests that it becomes common each winter after the onset of the respiratory syncytial virus “season” and then continues to cause frequent illness until the spring.

HLH Gene Mutations and Fatal Influenza

Sixteen patients with fatal influenza who underwent autopsy were studied. Thirteen patients (81%) had histopathologic evidence of hemophagocytosis. Five patients (36%) carried one of three heterozygous LYST or PRF1 mutations associated with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and macrophage activation syndrome.