Daily Archives: April 20, 2017
Syncope and Its Impact on Occupational Accidents and Employment
20 Apr, 2017 | 14:29h | UTCNews release: Fainting spells may increase risk of workplace accidents, job loss – American Heart Association News (free)
See also: 2017 ACC/AHA/HRS Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Patients With Syncope (free PDF) AND First fainting guidelines issued to diagnose life-threatening heart conditions – American Heart Association News (free)
Use of Medications of Questionable Benefit at the End of Life
20 Apr, 2017 | 14:34h | UTCUse of Medications of Questionable Benefit at the End of Life in Nursing Home Residents with Advanced Dementia – Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
See also: Use of Medications of Questionable Benefit at the End of Life in Nursing Home Residents with Advanced Dementia – CBCNews (free) AND Many With Advanced Dementia Receiving Drugs of Uncertain Benefit – Medscape (free registration required)
“Too much use of meds of questionable benefit at the end of life: Just Stop.” (RT @DeeMangin see Tweet)
Approaches for Evaluation of Asymptomatic Microscopic Hematuria
20 Apr, 2017 | 14:27h | UTCInvited commentary: Asymptomatic Microscopic Hematuria – Rethinking the Diagnostic Algorithm (free)
Routine urinalysis for screening is not presently recommended by any major health organization, but asymptomatic microscopic hematuria is a common incidental finding. This study suggests that the combination of renal ultrasound and cystoscopy is the most cost-effective approach for the evaluation of these patients.
Mortality Trends After Surgical Safety Checklist
20 Apr, 2017 | 14:31h | UTCMortality Trends After a Voluntary Checklist-based Surgical Safety Collaborative – Annals of Surgery (link to abstract – free PDF available)
Sources: Global Health NOW Newsletter (free) AND South Carolina Hospitals Saw Surgery Deaths Drop After Implementing WHO Checklist – AJMC News (free) AND A simple checklist prevents deaths after surgery, a large new study suggests – The Washington Post (a few articles per month are free)
See also: WHO Surgical Safety Checklist – World Health Organization (free) AND A Surgical Safety Checklist to Reduce Morbidity and Mortality in a Global Population – New England Journal of Medicine (free)
β-Blocker Exposure in Pregnancy and Risk of Fetal Cardiac Anomalies
20 Apr, 2017 | 14:28h | UTCβ-Blocker Exposure in Pregnancy and Risk of Fetal Cardiac Anomalies – JAMA Internal Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
See also: No Fetal Heart Risk from Mom’s Beta-Blocker Use – MedPage Today (free registration required)
Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases: low value interventions
20 Apr, 2017 | 14:30h | UTCAustralasian Society for Infectious Diseases: low value interventions – The Medical Journal of Australia (free) (RT @ChooseWiselyAU and @ASIDANZ see Tweet)
See also: Choosing Wisely initiative was launched 5 years ago in our April 5 issue.
The society has just released a selection of 5 low value interventions (details in the text):
– Prescribing antibiotics for asymptomatic bacteriuria.
– Taking a swab of a leg ulcer without signs of clinical infection and treating the patient with antibiotics against the identified bacteria.
– Treating upper respiratory tract infections with antibiotics.
– Investigation for fecal pathogens in the absence of diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.
– Ordering multiple serological investigations for patients with fatigue without a clinical indication or relevant epidemiology.
Thu, Apr 20 – Top 10 Medical News Stories!
20 Apr, 2017 | 00:01h | UTC
Sources: First US sugar tax sees soft drink sales fall by almost 10%, study shows – The Guardian (free) (RT @kamleshkhunti see Tweet) AND Sugary Drink Sales Fizzled After Soda Tax – MedPage Today (free registration required)
Related articles and commentaries on the possible benefits of sugar taxes: W.H.O. Urges Tax on Sugary Drinks to Fight Obesity – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free) Fiscal policies for diet and the prevention of noncommunicable diseases – World Health Organization (free) AND Mexico’s sugar tax leads to fall in consumption for second year running – The Guardian (free) AND Why the government should tax unhealthy foods and subsidise nutritious ones – The Conversation (free)
2 – Updated Guideline: Alcohol-use disorders: diagnosis and management of physical complications – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE – UK) (free)
3 – Updated Guideline: Irritable bowel syndrome in adults: diagnosis and management – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE – UK) (free)
Invited commentary: Asymptomatic Microscopic Hematuria – Rethinking the Diagnostic Algorithm (free)
Routine urinalysis for screening is not presently recommended by any major health organization, but asymptomatic microscopic hematuria is a common incidental finding. This study suggests that the combination of renal ultrasound and cystoscopy is the most cost-effective approach for the evaluation of these patients.
5 – β-Blocker Exposure in Pregnancy and Risk of Fetal Cardiac Anomalies – JAMA Internal Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
See also: No Fetal Heart Risk from Mom’s Beta-Blocker Use – MedPage Today (free registration required)
News release: Fainting spells may increase risk of workplace accidents, job loss – American Heart Association News (free)
See also: 2017 ACC/AHA/HRS Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Patients With Syncope (free PDF) AND First fainting guidelines issued to diagnose life-threatening heart conditions – American Heart Association News (free)
7 – Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases: low value interventions – The Medical Journal of Australia (free) (RT @ChooseWiselyAU and @ASIDANZ see Tweet)
See also: Choosing Wisely initiative was launched 5 years ago in our April 5 issue.
The society has just released a selection of 5 low value interventions (details in the text):
– Prescribing antibiotics for asymptomatic bacteriuria.
– Taking a swab of a leg ulcer without signs of clinical infection and treating the patient with antibiotics against the identified bacteria.
– Treating upper respiratory tract infections with antibiotics.
– Investigation for fecal pathogens in the absence of diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.
– Ordering multiple serological investigations for patients with fatigue without a clinical indication or relevant epidemiology.
8 – Use of Medications of Questionable Benefit at the End of Life in Nursing Home Residents with Advanced Dementia – Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
See also: Use of Medications of Questionable Benefit at the End of Life in Nursing Home Residents with Advanced Dementia – CBCNews (free) AND Many With Advanced Dementia Receiving Drugs of Uncertain Benefit – Medscape (free registration required)
“Too much use of meds of questionable benefit at the end of life: Just Stop.” (RT @DeeMangin see Tweet)
9 – Should You Take an Anticoagulant for AF? — Applying the 4 questions – Dr John M Blog (free) (@drjohnm see Tweet)
See also: anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation decision aid endorsed by NICE – National Institute for Health Care Excellence (UK) (free)
Very interesting post about how to practice shared decision making in patients with atrial fibrillation.
10 – Mortality Trends After a Voluntary Checklist-based Surgical Safety Collaborative – Annals of Surgery (link to abstract – free PDF available)
Sources: Global Health NOW Newsletter (free) AND South Carolina Hospitals Saw Surgery Deaths Drop After Implementing WHO Checklist – AJMC News (free) AND A simple checklist prevents deaths after surgery, a large new study suggests – The Washington Post (a few articles per month are free)
See also: WHO Surgical Safety Checklist – World Health Organization (free) AND A Surgical Safety Checklist to Reduce Morbidity and Mortality in a Global Population – New England Journal of Medicine (free)
Irritable bowel syndrome in adults: diagnosis and management
20 Apr, 2017 | 14:26h | UTCUpdated Guideline: Irritable bowel syndrome in adults: diagnosis and management – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE – UK) (free)
Beverage consumption taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages
20 Apr, 2017 | 14:22h | UTCSources: First US sugar tax sees soft drink sales fall by almost 10%, study shows – The Guardian (free) (RT @kamleshkhunti see Tweet) AND Sugary Drink Sales Fizzled After Soda Tax – MedPage Today (free registration required)
Related articles and commentaries on the possible benefits of sugar taxes: W.H.O. Urges Tax on Sugary Drinks to Fight Obesity – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free) Fiscal policies for diet and the prevention of noncommunicable diseases – World Health Organization(free) AND Mexico’s sugar tax leads to fall in consumption for second year running – The Guardian (free) AND Why the government should tax unhealthy foods and subsidise nutritious ones – The Conversation (free)
Alcohol-use disorders: diagnosis and management of physical complications
20 Apr, 2017 | 14:25h | UTCUpdated Guideline: Alcohol-use disorders: diagnosis and management of physical complications – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE – UK) (free)