Browse Primary Care/Hospitalist Articles by Topic

Increase in Sudden Death with ARBs or ACE Inhibitors and Co-trimoxazole

In a case-control study, older patients who received an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker along with co-trimoxazole had an increased risk of sudden death (unadjusted odds ratio 1.83, 95% confidence interval 1.50 to 2.24). Hyperkalemia is hypothesized to be the underlying mechanism.

Letter: Coccidioidal Exposure in the Laboratory

Accidental laboratory exposure to Coccidioides species is the major cause of clinical laboratory-acquired fungal infection, and coccidiodomycosis is thought to be the least responsive deep mycosis to treatment.

Prior Authorization versus Prospective Audit with Provider Feedback: Does the Effectiveness of the Core Antimicrobial Stewardship Strategies Differ?

In a single academic medical center, changing from a strategy of prior authorization to prospective audit with feedback led to significantly increased total antibiotic use and use of agents with a broad spectrum of gram-negative activity.

The Effect of Repeated Influenza Vaccination — Not Always Good

The immunogenicity of trivalent influenza vaccine is attenuated by the administration of A(H1N1)pdm09 4 months before, an effect partially overcome by the presence of an adjuvant in the former.

Ebola and Pregnancy

Hospital infection control policies for the management of suspect or documented Ebola Virus disease (EVD) should give consideration to appropriate triage procedures for their labor and delivery units.

The Photosensitive Patient

Photosensitivity is an abnormal cutaneous reaction to visible or ultraviolet light. The photodermatoses often overlap clinically, and a broad understanding may help facilitate proper diagnosis, treatment, and/or referral. This article will address several of the different photodermatoses and their clinical entities, and will provide a guide for evaluation of the photosensitive patient.

Hydrocodone Bitartrate Extended-release Tablets (Hysingla ER) CII

Hydrocodone is formulated to resist crushing, breaking, and dissolution and still retain some extended-release properties.

Clinical Briefs

Because of its strong efficacy, long-term durability, and predictability when titrated with algorithms employed in clinical trials, basal insulin remains a mainstay of treatment for type 2 diabetes patients who are not able to attain or maintain glycemic control with oral agents alone. Because diabetes is a progressive disorder, even patients who are initially well-controlled on basal insulin will likely require “fine tuning” of their diabetes regimen, usually with agents that preferentially affect postprandial glucose levels.

Another Reason Why Sitting is Just No Darn Good For You

Although not a life-threatening condition, benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) is one of the most annoying and troublesome problems that plagues aging males.

Peri-procedural Management of New Oral Anticoagulants

Due to the short half-life and rapid onset of action of the new oral anticoagulants (NOACs), peri-procedural anticoagulant free time intervals should be shorter than with warfarin. Thus, there is uncertainty about the use of heparin bridging.