May 2007
Making sense of stents
Hospitalists are sorting through new evidence that patients who get drug-eluting stents are at risk for potentially deadly stent thrombosis for months, even years, after the devices are implanted. That's added new layers to medical and surgical decision making and put more pressure on hospitalists to facilitate communication among doctors and patients.
Stents, cholesterol and heart drugs dominate cardiology conference talks
The appropriate use of stents, the efficacy of cholesterol drugs and the safety of heart failure medication were hot topics at the American College of Cardiology's (ACC) 56th Annual Scientific Session, held in New Orleans in March. An unusual number of failed trials were unveiled at the conference.
More community hospitals performing cutting-edge research
As the role of hospitalists evolves at medical facilities around the country, some community hospital physicians are adding a new line to their job descriptions: medical researcher.
Eliminating drug errors
A few years ago, a patient taking a long-lasting brand-name beta-blocker got switched to the generic short-acting medication when admitted to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pa. At discharge, the medication instructions said, “Take all home meds.”.
Test yourself: Anticoagulant therapy
A 46-year-old woman with no history of pregnancy is evaluated for follow-up monitoring of pulmonary emboli that developed 13 months ago... and other cases.
New recommendations for VTE
The Joint American College of Physicians/American Academy of Family Physicians Panel on Deep Venous Thrombosis/Pulmonary Embolism recently released new recommendations for treatment and diagnosis of venous thromboembolism.
Journal watch: recent studies of note
Recent studies about medication errors, EKG abnormalities, and other topics.