Family Medicine

Landmark study results presented at ACC.13 reveal patients with vascular disease treated with niacin therapy face increased risk of myopathy and other adverse events.

Results of the ARMYDA-9 CAROTID trial indicate that loading with 600 mg clopidogrel and high-dose atorvastatin in carotid stent patients independently result in improved neurological outcomes.

Study results presented at ACC.13, the 62nd Annual Scientific Session & Expo of the American College of Cardiology, reveal that in selected STEMI patients, deferred stenting may reduce no-reflow and thrombotic events compared with immediate stenting.

Researchers report that certain classes of comorbidities increase mortality risk in patients with peptic ulcer bleeding, but the presence of any comorbidities also affects mortality risk.

A retrospective review of records from a large medical database finds that patients with sleep apnea face a substantially higher risk of developing peptic ulcer.

Patients with refractory IBS who incorporated weekly sessions of gut-directed hypnotherapy into their treatment report significant long-term improvements in quality of life.

Researchers report that skin patch testing for specific foods and additives that can cause IBS symptoms can help patients eliminate those foods from their diet and improve their IBS symptoms.

The push to provide better pain care and ensure adequate analgesia for patients living with chronic pain led to liberalized opioid prescription practices that have been accompanied by a massive increase in the abuse, misuse, and diversion of prescription opioids. Efforts to combat this include technological remedies such as "abuse-deterrent" formulations of opioids and educational approaches such as the REMS program approved by the FDA in 2012.

A roundup of brief summaries of news and research about irritable bowel syndrome.

A multidisciplinary research project aims to create a large IBS biobank and create uniform standards and guidelines to aid in the study of IBS and other functional GI disorders.

Study results show patients with IBS who drink four or more alcoholic drinks in one day may be more likely to experience diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain, and indigestion the next day.

Many widely held beliefs about obesity and weight loss have no scientific basis.

The most important treatment outcome in hepatitis C is sustained virological response, due to its impact on reducing the risks of liver-related mortality, hepatocellular carcinoma, and hepatic decompensation. The degree of baseline liver disease, IL28B genotype, and HCV genotype are important determinants of response to treatment.

The goal of IBS management should be to improve overall symptoms, including altered stool frequency and consistency, abdominal pain and discomfort, bloating, and quality of life.

Adequate daily fiber intake confers multiple health benefits, including improved management of irritable bowel syndrome.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the fastest rising cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. However, there are several stages along the way from healthy liver to malignant transformation that offer opportunities for detection and intervention.

Researchers have identified several mutations of genes that could predispose someone to chronic pancreatitis, while thinking has also changed when it comes to treating the pain associated with this chronic condition.

Autoimmune hepatitis often responds well to steroid therapy but identifying the disease and the best approach to management is filled with complexities.

Research has shown that patients with hereditary colorectal syndromes such as Lynch syndrome, adenomatous polyposis, and hamartomatous polyposis have a much higher likelihood of developing colorectal cancer.

With celiac disease becoming more prevalent, especially in adults, what are the most effective approaches to testing patients for this disease, and are there effective management strategies that can be used in conjunction with a gluten-free diet?

Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are effective in many patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), but up to half of patients do not experience symptom relief with these medications.

Expert advice from the 2013 AGA-ASGE Clinical Congress of Gastroenterology and Hepatology on managing diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, and other symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Linzess (linaclotide capsules) was approved in August 2012 by the FDA as a once-daily treatment for adult men and women suffering from irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) or chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC).

The xTAG Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel can simultaneously detect 11 common viral, bacterial, and parasitic causes of infectious gastroenteritis from a single patient sample.

Treatment with synthetic stool may produce better results and improve safety in patients with C. difficile infection that does not respond to standard therapy.

The Canadian government's recent decision to allow the sale of a generic version of the original formulation of OxyContin could have serious consequences for efforts to curb opioid abuse, misuse, and diversion in the US.

Recent study results suggest that treatment that includes patient education, cognitive behavioral therapy, and other psycho-social modalities can help reduce symptom severity and improve quality of life in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

"Urine drug testing (UDT) has become a widely utilized tool across many specialties. Although it was traditionally used more by pain specialists due to concerns over prescription drug abuse, diversion, and misuse, it has become something that family physicians and non-pain specialists rely on more than ever..." A Q&A with Joshua Gunn, PhD