Infectious Disease
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Why Is the QRS Wide?
The ECG in the figure belongs to an older woman who called EMS because of new-onset chest pain. How might one interpret the tracing? Why is the QRS complex wide?
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Erdafitinib Tablets (Balversa)
Erdafitinib is the first FDA-approved targeted therapy for metastatic bladder cancer.
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The Promise and Perils of the Apple Heart Study
A large study with virtual enrollment of Apple Watch users helped illustrate the positive predictive value of wearable, pulse-based atrial fibrillation detection technology, as well as the ability to enroll and follow huge numbers of research subjects in a short period.
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How Safe Are New Medications for Type 2 Diabetes?
In recent years, new medications have been approved for the management of type 2 diabetes, generally after metformin is given. The FDA has reported 55 cases of Fournier’s gangrene in patients using SGLT2 inhibitors. These medications may not be worth the risk when lifestyle alternatives are available.
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Late Sunsets, Sleep Deprivation, and Adverse Outcomes
All living organisms have 24-hour circadian rhythms. A growing body of evidence shows that chronic disruption of this important rhythm may result in poor health outcomes. These negative consequences of disrupted circadian rhythms might be prevented by modifying work and sleep schedules.
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CDC Narrows In on Viral Cause of Paralytic Syndrome
Acute flaccid myelitis — a paralytic condition in children that appeared mysteriously in 2014 — is almost certainly of viral origin and most likely an enterovirus, an investigator with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported.
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Drug Diversion, Resulting Infections on Rise
Infection preventionists should be vigilant in detecting and preventing drug diversion by healthcare workers, as outbreaks linked to this crime appear to be increasing, says Kimberly New, JD, BSN, RN, founder of Diversion Specialists.
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Mutant Strep Shows Resistance to Beta-Lactams
Capable of causing invasive infections, Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A strep) has been susceptible to beta-lactam antibiotics for more than a half century. Ominously, researchers investigating an upsurge of Group A strep cases in Seattle found a mutated strain that confers resistance to ampicillin and other beta-lactam drugs.
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CDC Investigators Report Pseudomonas Superbug
An emerging strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with a novel mechanism of resistance to most antibiotics has been detected in healthcare outbreaks in Lubbock, TX, and Tijuana, Mexico, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.
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CDC Recommends Measles Shot for Travelers
Lowering the age of measles immunization for travelers due to international outbreaks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “strongly recommends” that infants six months through 11 months receive one dose of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine before travel.