Internal Medicine Alert – July 30, 2008
July 30, 2008
View Issues
-
How Should We Interpret Pulmonary Crackles?
Pulmonary crackles (the physical finding previously known as râles, French for "rattle") are commonly sought to confirm a diagnosis of heart failure (HF) and can be fine, medium, or coarse. However, crackles can occur in other diseases (interstitial lung disease, asbestosis, alveolitis, and bronchiectasis) and in presumably normal people. -
For the Record...
This group of health policy leaders sought to learn the proportion of physicians who are currently using electronic health records, whether they were satisfied with the systems they used, and what impact the physicians believe that these systems have on quality of patient care. -
Fatigue-Can It Be Due To Cardiac Malfunction?
Complaints of fatigue were not associated with changes in blood pressure or heart rate but were significantly associated with decreased cardiac index and stroke index even after controlling for demographic variables and depressive symptoms. -
Dutasteride Capsules (Avodart®) Plus Tamsulosin (Flomax®) for BPH
The FDA has approved the combination of dutasteride and tamsulosin for the treatment of symptomatic enlarged prostate. -
Clinical Briefs by Louis Kuritzky, MD
Allergic rhinitis is often treated successfully with antihistamines and local corticosteroids, but because of inadequate symptom control, patient preference, or both, sometimes allergen desensitization becomes preferable.