Latest Conference Articles

Primary prevention measures for upper GI bleeding should include NSAIDs, antiplatelet therapy, and anticoagulants appropriately, while secondary preventive measures should include testing and treating H. pylori and using long-term PPIs when appropriate.

Results of a recent community-based study suggest that African-American patients are at higher risk for acute kidney injury (AKI) than Caucasians - a difference that appears to be related to disparities in income and socioeconomic status.

Watchful waiting in patients with chronic hepatitis C (HCV) genotype 1 infection may increase the number of advanced liver disease cases, according to a poster presented at the 2013 American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD) meeting held in Washington, DC.

Plenary session at CHEST 2013 focused on the impact of early warning scores, medical response teams, availability of critical care attending intensivists, and other quality measures in intensive care.

Case study presented at CHEST 2013 details the experience of a patient with hepatitis C who, after undergoing liver transplant, died after developing a serious lung infection and other complications.

Study results presented at CHEST 2013 show that patients given beta-blockers may actually be at increased risk of having an adverse cardiac event during a noncardiac surgical procedure.

Study results show patients with the disorder report a sever burden of illness, with high rates of hospital and emergency room visits and significant negative impact on activities of daily living.

Patients with advanced Alzheimer's disease treated with 13.3 mg rivastigmine patch showed greater improvements in cognitive, functional, and behavioral performance from baseline compared to patients who received 4.6 mg patches.

Study results show that SIRS on admission and at 72 hours after is associated with a higher incidence of pancreatic necrosis, an important risk factor contributing to death in patients with severe acute pancreatitis.

Clinicians can use the MSPT, an iPad-based neurological performance test that simulates and extends the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite, to measure motor and visual function in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Implementation of computerized customized order entry sets in a large urban hospital reduced HIV medication error rates by more than 35%.

Primary care physicians should be aware of the signs and symptoms of common liver conditions, and incorporate the latest laboratory tests and diagnostic procedures into practice.

Study results presented at the 2013 United States Conference on AIDS show that both combo drugs have a similar efficacy profile in ART-naïve patients, but patients treated with Complera reported fewer and less severe side effects.

Increased spending for treatment of HIV patients does not necessarily lead to a more positive clinical outcome, according to a new study presented at the 2013 United States Conference on AIDS.

Mary Lynn McPherson, PharmD, BCPS, CPE, FASPE, shows healthcare professionals how to apply an equianalgesic opioid dosing chart to 12 complicated patient cases requiring an opioid switch.

Study results show improvements in body composition, intrahepatic lipids, and cardiovascular risk markers in obese men treated with growth hormone for six months compared with placebo.

According to a recent retrospective study, orlistat is not associated with hepatotoxic effects after one year of use and it contributes to weight loss in obese patients.

Phase III studies show LDMP to be safe and effective for treatment of vasomotor symptoms in menopausal women.

Physicians must consider a range of factors when initiating treatment with disease-modifying drug therapy and be prepared to switch to another first- or second-line option if the patient fails to respond.

Treating patients with multiple sclerosis who opt to use only supplements and other complementary and alternative approaches requires a great deal of tact and education, and input and support from all members of the multidisciplinary treatment team.

Transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) was shown to be more effective than taking the maximal proton pump inhibitor (PPI) dose in relieving heartburn, regurgitation, and other troublesome symptoms in patients with refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Esophageal pH monitoring is more cost effective than the long-term use of proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), since it can help rule out gastroesophageal reflux diseases (GERD) and avoid the unneeded costs associated with prolonged medication therapy.

Achieving safe, effective pain control for inpatients can challenge even experienced clinicians. Components of successful pain control include avoiding pain crises while still steering clear of respiratory depression, being confident with equianalgesic calculations, and transitioning to the outpatient setting.

Andrew J. Muir, MD, MHS, said having more antiviral hepatitis C drugs in the pipeline could spur more people to accept treatment and improve patient outcomes.

Sorting through and demystifying the toolkit of antidepressants, anxiolytics, and other psychiatric medications available to hospital physicians.

Medication reconciliation at the time of admission as well as at patient discharge can prevent significant harm from adverse drug events, yet many providers feel they don't have time to take this important step.

While past studies suggest variability in physicians' chronic pain treatment decisions based on patients' sex and race, few have considered the degree of providers' self-insight into the influence of such demographics on their treatment decisions.

The TIRF REMS Access program is designed to streamline the prescribing process and ensure appropriate patients are safely provided with TIRF products, but it may be preventing patients from accessing needed medications.