Internal Medicine
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Triage to a Certified Stroke Center Reduces Early Mortality
In a national attempt to improve stroke care, there has been widespread certification of primary stroke centers (PSCs) by The Joint Commission. It has been assumed that outcomes will be better in the PSCs, but there have always been questions regarding how much additional time is acceptable to travel to a PSC, compared to a local hospital, in terms of successful treatment and outcomes.
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Chocolate Counteracts the Effects of Sleep Deprivation
SYNOPSIS: An acute administration of a chocolate rich in flavanols (a subclass of flavonoids) was found to mitigate the cardiovascular and cognitive effects of sleep deprivation in a group of young and healthy individuals.
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The Use of Dexmedetomidine for Sedation May Lead to Earlier Extubation and Decreased Ventilator Adverse Events
SYNOPSIS: The choice of dexmedetomidine or propofol over midazolam may improve outcomes in patients mechanically ventilated for three or more days.
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Screening for Coronary Artery Disease Is Underused in Heart Failure
Coronary artery disease is the most common cause of heart failure. Current practice guidelines recommend screening for Coronary artery disease in patients with newly diagnosed heart failure. However, few studies have evaluated how often clinicians perform diagnostic testing for Coronary artery disease on patients hospitalized with newly diagnosed heart failure.
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Steroids Increase the Risk for Community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia
Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality. Previous studies produced conflicting results about whether steroids increase the risk of SAB and may have been biased by confounding variables. Therefore, Smit and colleagues sought to more clearly define the risk of SAB associated with the use of steroids.
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Clinical Briefs
In this section: A game-changing blood pressure trial; new colorectal cancer screening recommendations; and predicting opioid abuse and dependence.
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Oxycodone HCl and Naltrexone HCl Extended-release Capsules (Troxyca ER)
The combination oxycodone/naltrexone is indicated for the management of pain severe enough to require daily, around-the-clock, long-term opioid treatment and for which alternative treatment options are inadequate.
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Association of Traumatic Brain Injury with Late-life Neurodegenerative Diseases
Concern has been raised about an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other dementias following traumatic brain injury.
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The Zoster Vaccine Rapidly Loses Effectiveness in Adults Over 60
An observational study showed that while the shingles vaccine reduces the risk of herpes zoster, there is a major decline in effectiveness over just eight years in older adults.
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Integrative Treatment for Restless Legs Syndrome: What Does the Evidence Say?
Medical evidence supports the use of physical activity and iron supplementation (for those with low serum ferritin) in patients presenting with restless legs syndrome.