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PubMed2005

When is a pill missed?

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal↗
PubMed2006

The role of angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonists in elderly patients with hypertension.

Hypertension is a major risk factor for stroke and coronary events in elderly people and clinical trials have shown that treatment of hypertension with various drugs can result in a substantial reduction in cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events. The angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor antagonists are the newest class of antihypertensive agents to be used widely in clinical practice. AT1 receptor antagonists can generally be given once-daily. They are also extremely well tolerated with minimal first-dose hypotension and an incidence of adverse effects similar to that seen with placebo. Adverse event rates are significantly lower than with other classes of antihypertensive drugs including ACE inhibitors. These factors result in improved compliance and increased rates of continuance on therapy. AT1 receptor antagonists show similar efficacy in lowering blood pressure to other classes of antihypertensive agents and their antihypertensive effect is potentiated when they are given concomitantly with low-dose thiazide diuretics. AT1 receptor antagonists are eliminated predominantly by the hepatic route but most are not subject to extensive metabolism and interactions with other drugs are uncommon. This is an advantage in the elderly, who are often receiving multiple medications which increases the risk for adverse drug interactions. Dose adjustments are not usually required in the elderly unless there is plasma volume depletion. Although plasma AT1 receptor antagonist concentrations are generally higher in the elderly than in younger subjects, this pharmacokinetic difference may be balanced by decreased activation of the circulating renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in the elderly. Recent clinical studies in high-risk hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy or in patients with diabetic nephropathy or heart failure have demonstrated that AT1 receptor antagonists can improve clinical outcomes to a similar or sometimes greater extent than other antihypertensive agents. Many of these studies have included large numbers of older patients and have confirmed the excellent tolerability profile of these drugs. Thus, AT1 receptor antagonists should be considered as a possible first-line treatment or as a component of combination therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and microalbuminuria or nephropathy and as an alternative or additional treatment to ACE inhibitors in patients with heart failure or left ventricular dysfunction. AT1 receptor antagonists also appear to reduce the onset of new diabetes compared with some other antihypertensive drugs. The benefits in terms of organ protection have mainly been seen in studies using higher doses of particular AT1 receptor antagonists and it is not certain at present whether these results can be extrapolated to other members of the class. As the elderly are more likely to have developed organ damage related to hypertension or to have heart failure or diabetes as concomitant conditions, AT1 receptor antagonists represent an appropriate option for many elderly patients. The main disadvantage of these drugs is the cost of the medication but this may be offset by their improved tolerability with fewer adverse reactions and thus increased compliance, resulting in better blood pressure control and fewer clinical events. Overall, AT1 receptor antagonists are well tolerated and efficacious for blood pressure-lowering when given as a single daily dose in elderly patients and have many potential benefits in high-risk hypertensive subjects.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2001

Changing approaches to asthma management in Australia: effects on asthma morbidity.

Asthma is an important public health issue in Australia and is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality in the community. Recognition of the impact of asthma on the health of Australians, and the apparent failure of new medications to reduce mortality and hospital admission rates resulted in a major review by the stakeholders in asthma care. This led to new approaches to asthma management based on strategic use of asthma medications and the development of the Asthma Management Plan (AMP). The AMP drew together current understanding of asthma to develop a simple stepwise approach to management that could be readily applied in patient management. The National Asthma Campaign (NAC), a coalition of the major stakeholders in asthma care, was launched in 1990 to lead the dissemination of the AMP. In association with other organisations interested in asthma care in Australia, the NAC has developed the AMP, and co-ordinated a decade of education and advocacy about asthma that targeted doctors, health professionals and the general public. These activities have been successful in raising awareness about asthma in the community. However, recent research, while demonstrating the continued uptake of written asthma action plans for asthma and decrease in use of inhaled bronchodilator medications, reported a decrease in use of preventive therapy by people with asthma. These activities have had a sustained impact on asthma-related health outcomes with mortality at the lowest level since 1960 and a decline in hospital readmission rates. This is useful information because there is sound evidence that the prevalence and possibly severity of asthma in children has increased. However, review of management in primary care and among people who present to emergency services with acute asthma suggest that many people continue to manage their asthma poorly. Continued education is needed to build on the progress that has been made. There are opportunities to do this through efforts to integrate general practitioners into the wider health system through the formation of Divisions of General Practice. Recognition of asthma as a health priority area at a national level will help to enhance and maintain awareness of the public health importance of asthma and facilitate the further development of the initiatives begun during the last decade or more.

Asthma↗
PubMed2005

Staphylococcal skin infections in children: rational drug therapy recommendations.

Staphylococcus aureus remains one of the most common and troublesome of bacteria causing disease in humans, despite the development of effective antibacterials and improvement in hygiene. The organism is responsible for over 70% of all skin and soft tissue infections in children and accounts for up to one-fifth of all visits to pediatric clinics. Skin and soft tissue infections that are predominantly caused by S. aureus include bullous and non-bullous impetigo, folliculitis, furunculosis, carbunculosis, cellulitis, surgical and traumatic wound infections, mastitis, and neonatal omphalitis. Other skin and soft tissue infections may also be caused by S. aureus but are often polymicrobial in origin and require special consideration. These include burns, decubitus ulcers (particularly in the perianal region), puncture wounds of the foot, as well as human and mammalian bites. Treatment of staphylococcal skin infections varies from topical antiseptics to prolonged intravenous antibacterials, depending on severity of the lesions and the health of the child. The treatment of choice for oral antibacterials remains the penicillinase-resistant penicillins such as flucloxacillin. Cefalexin and erythromycin are suitable cost-effective alternatives with broader cover, although care must be taken with the use of macrolides because of development of resistance to multiple families of antibacterials, particularly the lincosamides. Other cephalosporins such as cefadroxil and cefprozil are also effective, can be given once daily and have a better tolerability profile -- while azithromycin has a further advantage of a 3-day course. However, all of these agents are more expensive. Although the antibacterials have been given for 10 days in most clinical trials, there is no evidence that this duration is more effective than a 7-day course. In children requiring intravenous therapy, ceftriaxone has a major advantage over other antibacterials such as sulbactam/ampicillin and cefuroxime in that it can be given once daily and may, therefore, be suitable for outpatient treatment of moderate-to-severe skin infections. Newer-generation cephalosporins and loracarbef are also effective and have a broader spectrum of activity, but do not offer any added benefit and are significantly more expensive. Skin and soft tissue infections due to methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) are still relatively uncommon in children. Well children with community-acquired MRSA infections can be treated with clindamycin or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (cotrimoxazole), but must be observed closely for potentially severe adverse effects. In severe infections, vancomycin remains the treatment of choice, while intravenous teicoplanin and clindamycin are suitable alternatives. Linezolid and quinupristin/dalfopristin are currently showing great promise for the treatment of multi-resistant Gram-positive infections. While the choice of antibacterial is important, supportive management, including removal of any infected foreign bodies, surgical drainage of walled-off lesions, and regular wound cleaning, play a vital role in ensuring cure.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2005

Rabies as a traveler's risk, especially in high-endemicity areas.

Rabies is a viral zoonosis, an animal disease transmissible to humans, caused by rhabdoviruses of the genus Lyssavirus. It is almost invariably fatal in humans. Rabies is widely distributed throughout the world and present in all continents. More than 99.,9 % of human deaths from rabies reported worldwide result from the bite of a rabid dog. Prompt and thorough cleansing of the wound, together with administration of immunoglobulin in cases of severe exposure, and immunization with modern vaccines starting immediately after exposure, virtually guarantee complete protection. When assessing the risk of contracting the disease for a traveller visiting a rabies- affected area, to contract the disease one should consider the probability of: rabies exposure that which is directly related to the incidence of rabies in the area and the probability of contact with an infected rabies- susceptible animals, be it either wild or and domestic animals, especially dogs and cats; being provided with the best possible treatment, which depends upon the availability of modern safe and efficacious rabies vaccines and rabies immunoglobulin, and the rabies awareness of the health care providers in charge of rabies prophylaxis in the area where the exposure occurs. This article,paper using a number of examples and recent data on dog bite incidence and vaccine availability in various parts of the world, provides guidance on how to assess the risk and proposes means to avoid or mitigate this risk.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Strength of recommendation taxonomy (SORT): a patient-centered approach to grading evidence in the medical literature.

A large number of taxonomies are used to rate the quality of an individual study and the strength of a recommendation based on a body of evidence. We have developed a new grading scale that will be used by several family medicine and primary care journals (required or optional), with the goal of allowing readers to learn one taxonomy that will apply to many sources of evidence. Our scale is called the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy. It addresses the quality, quantity, and consistency of evidence and allows authors to rate individual studies or bodies of evidence. The taxonomy is built around the information mastery framework, which emphasizes the use of patient-oriented outcomes that measure changes in morbidity or mortality. An A-level recommendation is based on consistent and good quality patient-oriented evidence; a B-level recommendation is based on inconsistent or limited quality patient-oriented evidence; and a C-level recommendation is based on consensus, usual practice, opinion, disease-oriented evidence, or case series for studies of diagnosis, treatment, prevention, or screening. Levels of evidence from 1 to 3 for individual studies also are defined. We hope that consistent use of this taxonomy will improve the ability of authors and readers to communicate about the translation of research into practice.

Algorithms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

BI-RADS classification for management of abnormal mammograms.

The Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS), developed by the American College of Radiology, provides a standardized classification for mammographic studies. This system demonstrates good correlation with the likelihood of breast malignancy. The BI-RADS system can inform family physicians about key findings, identify appropriate follow-up and management and encourage the provision of educational and emotional support to patients.

Breast Diseases↗
PubMed2005

War-related mental health problems of today's veterans: new clinical awareness.

1. Veterans of the military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan may have been exposed to significant psychological stressors, resulting in mental and emotional disorders. 2. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by symptoms in three domains: reexperiencing the trauma, avoiding stimuli associated with the trauma, and symptoms of increased autonomic arousal. 3. Treatment of PTSD often requires both psychological and pharmacological interventions. 4. In addition to PTSD, other mental disorders may be precipitated or worsened by exposure to combat, including depression, anxiety, psychosis, and substance abuse.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2001

Heart failure disease management: a team approach.

Patients with heart failure do better if they are treated in a formal heart failure disease-management program than if they receive standard care: their hospitalization rates and costs of treatment are lower, and their functional status is higher. The programs feature close coordination between primary care givers, subspecialty consultants, and nurses with specialty training in the nuances of heart failure management. Aggressive medical therapy must be coupled with patient education and rapid response to early identified problems. This article reviews the principles of heart failure disease-management programs and cites evidence that they are beneficial.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed1996

Forum One: Current recommendations about intensification of metabolic control in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

PURPOSE: To review issues about intensive management of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and to formulate recommendations for goals and general approaches to implementation of intensive management. METHOD: A panel of clinical scientists and practitioners specializing in diabetes initially used a formal nominal process to identify the points of agreement on major issues. These points were further refined in a general conference discussion. CONCLUSIONS: 1) On the basis of data from intervention trials in IDDM that prove that intensive glycemic control reduces microvascular and neuropathic complications, coupled with epidemiologic and basic scientific data that support the strong likelihood of a similar benefit in NIDDM, the goal of treatment in NIDDM should be near-normal glycemia (glycohemoglobin level no higher than 1.0% above the upper normal limit); 2) glycemic targets should be adjusted individually according to clinical factors such as increased risk for hypoglycemia, advanced age, or reduced life expectancy from comorbid conditions; 3) some degree of comprehensive and repetitive instruction about diet and exercise and the use of blood glucose self-monitoring for all patients is essential to achieve the chosen targets; 4) intensive management of hyperglycemia should be instituted early and should initially emphasize diet and exercise therapy; staged introduction of oral hypoglycemic agents and finally insulin regimens of increasing complexity are recommended as needed to achieve glycemic targets; 5) comprehensive care must also include aggressive attempts to reduce cardiovascular risk factors (particularly hypertension, smoking, dyslipidemia, and obesity) as well as prevention of nephropathy and neuropathy; 6) the complex interaction among treatment regimens for hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, obesity, and hypertension ideally requires a team approach, using a physician, diabetes educator, nurse, dietitian, and other health professionals; health insurers should make these resources available to generalists who currently care for most diabetic patients.

Blood Glucose↗
PubMed1996

Cholesterol screening in asymptomatic adults, revisited. Part 2.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of serum lipid levels as screening tests in adults. DESIGN: Pooled analysis of clinical trials, supplemented by analysis of data from the Framingham Heart Study, to estimate the effect of cholesterol reduction in patient groups stratified by cardiac risk. STUDY SELECTION: Published randomized controlled trials of cholesterol reduction, meta-analyses of such trials, prospective cohort studies of the association between cholesterol levels and morbidity and death related to coronary heart disease, and cost-effectiveness analyses of cholesterol reduction. DATA ANALYSIS: Two-stage logistic regression on cardiac risk factors and outcomes in the Framingham Heart Study. The first stage predicted the risk for death from coronary heart disease using standard risk factors but not cholesterol; the second stage predicted the risk for death from coronary heart disease and all causes as functions of age and cholesterol level, stratified by the risk predicted from the first stage. RESULTS: Randomized clinical trials show that cholesterol reduction confers survival benefits in patients with symptomatic coronary disease. In asymptomatic middle-aged men, who are at lower risk for death from coronary disease, cholesterol reduction prevents coronary disease but has not been shown to prolong life. The risk model based on analysis of the data from the Framingham Heart Study is consistent with the randomized trial data and shows that in the demographic groups excluded from trials, the hypothetical benefits of cholesterol reduction are greatest when the underlying risk for coronary disease is greatest. CONCLUSIONS: Screening with total cholesterol levels is most likely to be useful when done in populations at high short-term risk for dying of coronary heart disease, such as survivors of myocardial infarction and middle-aged men with multiple cardiac risk factors. In these populations, cholesterol reduction appears to be both effective and cost-effective. In other populations, the benefits of reduction are much smaller or are uncertain.

Adult↗