Internal Medicine
RSSArticles
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Liraglutide Preserves Beta Cell Function — Well, Kind of…
SYNOPSIS: Fifty-one patients with type 2 diabetes of 2.6 +/- 1.9 years duration and an A1C of 6.8 % completed 4 weeks of intensive insulin therapy in order to eliminate glucose toxicity which is injurious to pancreatic beta cells. Thereafter, patients were randomized to receive daily subcutaneous liraglutide or an equivalent volume of placebo. Serial assessments of beta-cell function following oral glucose tolerance testing was performed at 12 week intervals for 48 weeks. Patients using liraglutide noted a rebust enhancement of beta cell function which was sustained over the course of the trial, yet lost within two weeks after stopping treatment.
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Clinical Briefs
The Heavy Emotional Costs of Rosacea, Treatment Choices Among the PDE5 Inhibitors, and Screening Asymptomatic Diabetics with CT angiography
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Ombitasvir, Paritaprevir, and Ritonavir, Dasabuvir Tablets (Viekira™ Pak)
The FDA has approved the fourth new product for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection since November 2013. The latest is a four fixed-drug combination (3-DAA) that includes paritaprevir, a nonstructure 3/4A protease inhibitor, ombitasvir, an inhibitor of the NS5A replication complex, and copackaged with dasabuvir, a nonnucleoside NS5B polymerase inhibitor. The plasma levels of paritaprevir is boosted with ritonavir, a CYP3A inhibitor to permit once-daily dosing. The combination is marketed by AbbVie, Inc. as Viekira Pak.
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Can Intracardiac Echo Be Used as a Substitute for Transesophageal Echo Prior to Atrial Fibrillation Ablation?
This article originally appeared in the January 2015 issue of Clinical Cardiology Alert.
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Should Metformin Use In Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease Be Expanded?
SYNOPSIS: Expansion of the metformin label to include patients with mild-to-moderate kidney disease is appropriate.
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Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug Use and Risk of Atrial Fibrillation
SYNOPSIS: Use of nonaspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was associated with an increased risk of incident atrial fibrillation, especially among new users of NSAIDs.
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Infectious Disease [ALERT] Updates
Treatment of C. Diff. — follow the guidelines. Semi roll-over causes Cryptosporidiosis Antibiotics prescribed from decision-fatigue? -
A New Expanded Human Papillomavirus Vaccine
The U.S. FDA approved a new human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in December of 2014.1 Two HPV vaccines have been available for several years — a bivalent vaccine (HP2) containing L1 protein of the oncogenic types 16 and 18 as well as a quadrivalent vaccine (HP4)containing type 16 and 18 together with types 6 and 11 (which cause genital warts). The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recently updated their recommendations for the use of these vaccines:
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Controlling the Spread of Chikungunya Virus: A New Possibility
SYNOPSIS: A phase-1 clinical trial of a virus-like particle (VLP)-based vaccine demonstrates safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity against rapidly spreading Chikungunya virus.
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Antiviral Therapy Improves Outcomes in Immunocompromised but Not Immunocompetent HSV Meningitis Patients
SYNOPSIS: A retrospective, observational, single-center study found immunocompromised patients are at increased risk for neurologic sequelae from HSV meningitis and likely benefit from antiviral therapy. There is no benefit to antiviral therapy in immunocompetent individuals.