Browse Internal Medicine Articles by Topic

Should Metformin Use In Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease Be Expanded?

SYNOPSIS: Expansion of the metformin label to include patients with mild-to-moderate kidney disease is appropriate.

Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug Use and Risk of Atrial Fibrillation

SYNOPSIS: Use of nonaspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was associated with an increased risk of incident atrial fibrillation, especially among new users of NSAIDs.

Infectious Disease [ALERT] Updates

Treatment of C. Diff. — follow the guidelines. Semi roll-over causes Cryptosporidiosis Antibiotics prescribed from decision-fatigue?

A New Expanded Human Papillomavirus Vaccine

The U.S. FDA approved a new human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in December of 2014.¹ Two HPV vaccines have been available for several years — a bivalent vaccine (HP2) containing L1 protein of the oncogenic types 16 and 18 as well as a quadrivalent vaccine (HP4)containing type 16 and 18 together with types 6 and 11 (which cause genital warts). The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recently updated their recommendations for the use of these vaccines:

Controlling the Spread of Chikungunya Virus: A New Possibility

SYNOPSIS: A phase-1 clinical trial of a virus-like particle (VLP)-based vaccine demonstrates safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity against rapidly spreading Chikungunya virus.

Antiviral Therapy Improves Outcomes in Immunocompromised but Not Immunocompetent HSV Meningitis Patients

SYNOPSIS: A retrospective, observational, single-center study found immunocompromised patients are at increased risk for neurologic sequelae from HSV meningitis and likely benefit from antiviral therapy. There is no benefit to antiviral therapy in immunocompetent individuals.

Reactive Hemophagocytic Syndrome in Adults

Patients with HPS were more likely to be immunosuppressed.

Peramivir for Treatment of Influenza

Peramivir (RapivabTM) was recently approved by the FDA for treating acute uncomplicated influenza.

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.