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Rectal bleeding is quite common in patients younger than 50 years of age, but evaluation by total colonoscopy has often been reserved for older patients since serious lower GI lesions are thought to be unusual in younger individuals.
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Discontinuation of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may increase the risk of first acute myocardial infarction in the near term.
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Appropriate use of anticoagulants offers both opportunity and challenge for the primary care clinician. This discussion is directed toward simplifying the pathophysiology and effective use of anticoagulation in the primary care setting.
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The most commonly prescribed statins have a low incidence of rhabdomyolysis, according to the results a new study of more than 250,000 patients.
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Statins lower the levels of c-reactive protein (CRP) as well as the levels of LDL cholesterol (LDL-C). Whether lowering the CRP affects the clinical outcomes of statin therapy has not previously been investigated.
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Although chronic oral antiarrhythmic prophylaxis and catheter ablation both enjoy great success for preventing recurrences of atrial fibrillation (AF), some patients are not appropriate candidates for either method, especially patients with infrequent recurrences of AF.
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Examining data from a 20-year time period, correlations were sought between antisecretory drug therapy and cumulative incidence of dysplasia. Incidence of dysplasia was significantly lower in patients who had received proton pump inhibitor therapy vs no therapy or H2-receptor antagonists.
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Increased hospitalizations for abnormal bleeding were found in new users of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants, with more risk associated with SSRIs containing greater degrees of serotonin reuptake inhibition.