Internal Medicine Alert
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Mortality, Days Alive Outside Institutions Among Older Patients After Tracheostomy
Medicare beneficiaries who underwent tracheostomy and gastrostomy tube placement often remained institutionalized beyond three months, with three-, six-, and 12-month mortality greater than 40%, 50%, and 60%, respectively.
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Did You See Both ECG Findings?
The ECG in the figure was obtained from an older man with new chest pain. There are two principal ECG findings on this tracing. Do you see both?
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Weight Loss and Other Interventions to Alleviate Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obesity is a primary cause of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and improvements in weight and other lifestyle factors can yield benefits for OSA and related comorbidities.
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Daridorexant Tablets (Quviviq)
Daridorexant can be prescribed to adult patients with insomnia characterized by difficulty with sleep onset and/or sleep maintenance.
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Delaying Antibiotics in Patients with Suspected Infection Increases Risk of Septic Shock
A retrospective cohort study revealed delaying the first dose of antibiotics in patients suspected of presenting with an infection in the ED led to a higher risk of progressing to septic shock and in-hospital mortality. Every hour antibiotics were delayed raised the risk of septic shock by 4%.
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How Certain is a Negative Echocardiogram for Excluding Infective Endocarditis?
Applying the proposed strict negative criteria for infective endocarditis (IE) on the first echocardiogram indicated this approach largely prevented unnecessary repeat tests unless clinically indicated for continued suspicion of IE.
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Finding the Most Effective Treatment for Hair Loss in Men
Among three common treatments for male androgenic alopecia, the authors of a meta-analysis found 0.5 mg/day of dutasteride to be the most effective.
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VIRSTA vs. PREDICT: Which Is Best for Anticipating Endocarditis?
Researchers in Columbia put predictive scoring methods through their paces.
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Adverse Effects of Electronic Cigarettes on the Disease-Naïve Oral Microbiome
A robust metagenomic comparison study of the effects of electronic cigarettes on oral microbiomes suggested that the unique aerosol component of electronic cigarettes poses increased risk to development of oral cavity disease.
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Post-Exercise Premature Ventricular Contraction, or Aberrancy?
The ECG in the figure is a post-exercise tracing. There are four wider and slightly early occurring beats in the long lead rhythm strips. Are these beats premature ventricular contractions or premature atrial contractions conducted with aberration?