Cardiology

Researchers recommended long-term surveillance of patients with hyponatremia on discharge.

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).

Growing evidence suggests increased cardiovascular risk in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) - in particular nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASN) - but no data exists to support a specific management approach.

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

Matthew Martinez, MD, FACC, discussed warfarin alternatives and newer mechanical and interventional strategies for the management of atrial fibrillation at Hospital Medicine 2013.

Researchers present surprising new data at Hospital Medicine 2013 about venous thromboembolism prophylaxis implementation, along with novel approaches to integrating primary care and hospital management of very ill patients.

Inpatient management of patients with increasingly virulent community acquired and nosocomial infections, ranging from bacteremia to C. difficile colitis, presents hospitalists with challenging choices.

Many accepted practices in hospital medicine, ranging from electrolyte management to the components of a syncope workup, may have scant or equivocal evidence to support their use.

Population-based study finds patients who use thiazide medications face a nearly fivefold increased risk of developing hyponatremia compared to patients who do not use these medications.

Both corrected and persistent hyponatremia are predictors of all-cause mortality in patients presenting with myocardial infarction.

Results from a small retrospective study indicate that treatment with tolvaptan increases sodium concentrations and excretion rhythm without significantly affecting kidney function in patients with refractory hyponatremia and dcompensated heart failure.

Citing an increased risk of liver injury observed in recent clinical trials, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has limited Samsca (tolvaptan) treatment to 30 days and recommended the oral selective vasopressin V2-receptor antagonist be discontinued in patients with signs of liver disease or symptoms of liver injury.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved Kcentra [prothrombin complex concentrate (human)] for the urgent reversal of anticoagulation induced by vitamin K antagonist (VKA) therapies such as warfarin in adult patients with acute major bleeding.

In diagnosing a patient with type 2 diabetes, an endocrinologist or primary care physician may struggle with developing healthy treatment targets when comorbid conditions like obesity and hypoglycemia are at play.

Researchers say that new insight into the microbiome will lead to new opportunities for treating a variety of medical conditions, both within and outside the gut.