Internal Medicine
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Mortality and Days Alive Outside Institutions in Older Patients After Tracheostomy with or Without Gastrostomy Tube
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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Occult Hypoxemia Is More Common in Black Patients than in White Patients About to Undergo ECMO for Respiratory Failure
In this retrospective analysis of de-identified Extracorporeal Life Support Organization registry data, the prevalence of occult hypoxemia was higher in Black patients than in white patients. Hispanic and Asian patients had a similar prevalence of occult hypoxemia compared to white patients.
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Surviving Sepsis: The New Guidelines
Subsequent revisions of Surviving Sepsis guidelines highlighted the need for early, appropriate antibiotics along with a new focus on initial resuscitation, stressing the importance of dynamic measurements instead of static variables to predict fluid responsiveness. The most recent 2021 revisions continue to stress the importance of these ideals, but they also place an increased emphasis on the hour-1 bundle and improving the care of sepsis patients after they are discharged from the intensive care unit.
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Etafilcon A Drug-Eluting Contact Lens with Ketotifen (Acuvue Theravision with Ketotifen)
Ketotifen-eluting contact lens can be prescribed to correct refractive ametropia (myopia and hyperopia) for phakic or aphakic patients who wear suitable lens and experience ocular itch caused by allergic conjunctivitis.
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Women at Higher Risk for Intracranial Aneurysm Ruptures
Women with ruptured aneurysms were older than men, were less often smokers, and more often experienced internal carotid artery aneurysms. They also tended to produce larger-sized aneurysms than men.
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Men More Likely to Produce High-Risk, Dangerous Carotid Artery Plaques
Investigators found significant differences in mean total plaque volume between men and women. Men were more likely to experience intraplaque hemorrhage and produce lipid-rich necrotic cores with coexistence of calcifications. Men also were more likely to exhibit thin or ruptured fibrous caps or ulcerations in their atherosclerotic plaques.
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Pregnant, Influenza-Infected, and Hospitalized
Almost one-third of women age 15-44 years hospitalized with influenza were pregnant and almost 5% required intensive care.
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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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Extend Life Expectancy by Achieving Type 2 Diabetes Therapeutic Goals
Investigators analyzed gains in life expectancy by achieving treatment goals, finding significant gains from lower body mass index, glycated hemoglobin, systolic blood pressure, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
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Updated Aspirin Guidance from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
The authors of new recommendations advise avoiding initiating aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in adults age 60 years or older, individualizing decisions based on characteristics and preferences for patients.