February 3, 2015 | I.M. Matters Weekly

Adhering to hypertension guidelines could save lives, reduce costs

Fully implementing recent hypertension guidelines for adults ages 35 to 74 could potentially prevent about 56,000 cardiovascular events and 13,000 deaths annually, while saving money, a study found.

Reproductive-age women widely prescribed opioid medications

Opioid-containing medications are widely prescribed among reproductive-age women with either private insurance or Medicaid, with approximately one-fourth of privately insured and more than one-third of Medicaid-enrolled women filling a prescription for an opioid each year from 2008 to 2012.

Test yourself

MKSAP Quiz: dyspnea in a patient with end-stage COPD

A 72-year-old man is evaluated for dyspnea at rest. He has end-stage COPD and is on a home hospice program. He has weight loss, reduced functional capacity, and muscle atrophy. His medications are ipratropium, salmeterol, fluticasone, albuterol as needed, and prednisone. He is uncomfortable, with chronic air hunger that has gradually increased over the past 2 weeks. Otherwise, his symptoms have been stable without change in cough, sputum production, or fever.

Pressure ulcers

Enriched nutritional formula improved pressure ulcers in malnourished patients

Consuming a protein-rich formula with arginine, zinc, and antioxidants increased the area of pressure ulcer healing in a recent study.

Education

ACP sponsors High Value Care fellowship program for residents

The newly created Choosing Wisely High Value Care in Action Fellowship, sponsored by the ABIM Foundation, the American College of Physicians, and the Section on Evidence Based Health Care of the New York Academy of Medicine, will provide residents and subspecialty trainees an opportunity to pursue projects aimed at reducing unnecessary care.

Earn CME credit and MOC points for Ethics and Professionalism Learning Module

Continuing Medical Education (CME) and Maintenance of Certification (MOC) activities associated with ACP's Ethics Manual have been renewed through Jan. 3, 2018.

Readmissions

‘Patient navigator’ intervention reduces readmissions among older but not younger high-risk safety-net patients

Older patients who were cared for at safety-net hospitals and were at high risk for readmission had lower 30-day readmission rates if they received coaching and assistance from community health workers acting as patient navigators, but the same benefits were not seen among younger patients, a new study found.

Regulatory alerts

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