Internal Medicine Alert – February 28, 2018

February 28, 2018

• Kratom Alert: FDA Concerns

  Kratom, a plant that is banned in some countries, is available in the United States and has some safety concerns, mostly related to its opioid-like effects.

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• A Closer Look at the Effects of NSAIDs on Blood Pressure

  An ambulatory blood pressure monitoring substudy of the PRECISION trial showed that ibuprofen use significantly increased mean 24-hour systolic blood pressure compared to celecoxib. Further, naproxen produced intermediate results despite equivalent pain relief in patients with arthritis.

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• Functional Imaging Studies in Parkinson’s Disease

  A meta-analysis of 142 studies demonstrated that functional imaging studies in Parkinson’s disease using tracers for aromatic acid decarboxylase showed smaller defects compared to those using tracers targeting dopamine transport and VMAT2. Symptom severity correlated linearly with dopamine neuron loss as determined by these imaging studies.

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• Updated Recommendations for Prevention of Hepatitis B Virus Infection

  Fresh recommendations for prevention of hepatitis B virus infection focus on testing and management of newborns.

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• Ozenoxacin Cream 1% (Xepi)

  Ozenoxacin is indicated for the topical treatment of impetigo due to S. aureus and S. pyogenes in adult patients and pediatric patients ≥ 2 months of age.

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• Clinical Briefs

  In this section: tackling insomnia with cognitive behavioral therapy; navigating the spurious claims of internet-advertised products; and updated guidelines regarding hypertension treatment.

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