Browse Internal Medicine Articles by Topic

Attitudes Toward Hyperoxemia and Oxygen Therapy Among Nurses, Respiratory Therapists, and Physicians

Critical care clinicians, such as nurses, respiratory therapists, and physicians, have varying opinions regarding oxygen therapy and hyperoxia. Interdisciplinary education addressing current evidence of oxygen therapy and the potentially harmful effects of oxygen is warranted.

Burnout in the Critical Care Workforce

The burnout epidemic has plagued the medical profession for decades, with an escalating prevalence most recently fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

IRBs Often Reluctant to Approve Inclusion of Pregnant Participants in Research

Some IRB members cite uncertainty on whether inclusion of pregnant participants could affect the study’s scientific validity. Others acknowledge they rely on the common, default practice of excluding pregnant individuals without requiring justification. Guidance is needed for characterizing the risk level of research procedures in the context of pregnancy.

Positive STI Test Results Not Always Shared with Study Participants

Investigators should develop a plan to return test results to participants, and document their actions in protocols and manuscripts. IRBs should require researchers to include these details in their proposals.

Moral Distress When Caring for Patients on Mechanical Circulatory Support

Clinicians pointed to palliative care and ethics consults as ways to mitigate moral distress.

Decisional Capacity Is Most Common Issue in Neuro-Oncologic Ethical Consults

For a terminal condition, goals of care need to be identified so they can be honored. If discussions do not happen early, when the patient likely is at his or her peak functional status, it leaves caregivers, families, and physicians with little guidance.

Celecoxib and Tramadol Hydrochloride Tablets (Seglentis) C-IV

Seglentis can be prescribed to adults to help them manage acute pain that is severe enough to require an opioid analgesic.

Surgical Approaches to Decompression in Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis

For patients with symptomatic lumbar stenosis and single-level spondylolisthesis who were refractory to conservative treatment, there was no significant difference between outcomes in those who underwent decompression surgery with instrumented fusion vs. decompression surgery without fusion.

Homelessness and COVID-19

Extra screening in care for homeless persons can help solve many problems, including the administration of COVID-19 vaccination to this vulnerable population.

Slow, Steady, and Synchronized Wins the Race

In patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure, definitive rate control via atrioventricular junction ablation and biventricular pacing resulted in a significant reduction in all-cause mortality vs. pharmacologic rate control.