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A quick heart failure stay

Heart failure patients who would typically be admitted were treated instead on a short-stay unit in a recent project.

Guidance offered on use of IV albumin

The recommendations from the International Collaboration for Transfusion Medicine Guidelines address several clinical settings and conditions, including critical care, cardiovascular surgery, and cirrhosis.

Complications appear common with CVC placement

Of 1,000 patients with a central venous catheter (CVC) for three days, 30.2 would develop at least one serious complication, including arterial cannulation, pneumothorax, infection, or deep venous thrombosis, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Combination analgesic regimen may be most effective after hip replacement

Patients who received acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and dexamethasone had the lowest morphine consumption within 24 hours postsurgery in a Danish randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Melatonin does not improve delirium in older inpatients

No significant differences in Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale scores were seen between patients randomized to 5 mg of melatonin nightly or placebo, a small trial found.

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Patient Safety | March 6, 2024 | FREE
Most ACP Hospitalist content is available exclusively to ACP Members. This article is free to the public.

Take a bite out of HAP

Brushing teeth reduces hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) risk, and changes are needed to make this simple practice happen more regularly in the hospital.

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First medication for severe frostbite approved

The FDA also warned about smartwatches claiming to measure blood sugar without piercing the skin, among other recent actions.

Early treatment with spironolactone not effective for new-onset acute HF

Patients with acute heart failure (HF) who received spironolactone at discharge did not have a lower risk for HF readmission or mortality over the next year but were at higher risk for hyperkalemia, a retrospective cohort study in U.S. hospitals found.

American Heart Association issues scientific statement on cardiogenic shock in older adults

The statement provides suggestions for clinical practice, highlighting the crucial role of individualized risk assessment, an interdisciplinary approach, and patient-centered decision making in the management of cardiogenic shock among older adults.

Designated trauma center hospitals charge more for nontrauma care

Trauma center hospitals charged around 4% more for nontrauma-related inpatient admissions and between 3% and 5% more for nontrauma ED visits compared with hospitals not designated as trauma centers.

Study finds ECMO patient selection inconsistent, offers lessons for decision makers

Reviewing records of 81 patients considered for venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) at a single center, researchers identified a total of 15 contraindications. All but four contraindications that were invoked to decline one patient were present in a patient determined to be a candidate for ECMO.

Lots to learn about long-term care

A new curriculum helped hospitalists moving into postacute care fill gaps in their knowledge base.

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Brief Case | February 28, 2024 | FREE
Most ACP Hospitalist content is available exclusively to ACP Members. This article is free to the public.

Cases from the Medical College of Wisconsin

A mycotic aneurysm, retroperitoneal hematoma, and more.


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