Hospital Medicine

Committee to vote on whether the efficacy, safety, and risk-benefit profile of Zohydro ER supports the approval of the NDA submitted by Zogenix.

New research shows that arginase may contribute to angina in patients with type 2 diabetes. Suppressing the enzyme may help improve blood flow.

Recently released guidelines for the diagnosis and management of stable ischemic heart disease focus on evaluation and testing, risk factor modification, medical therapy and other therapeutic options, and follow-up.

News on new therapies for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, prescription drug monitoring programs, post-operative opioid use, the cost of chronic pain, and other developments in the field of pain management.

Even after accounting for confounding variables such as disease severity and length of stay, pediatric inpatients with chronic conditions are significantly more likely to experience medical errors, according to the results of a study.

Study data show that treatment with the vasopressin receptor antagonist lixivaptan safely and effectively raises serum sodium concentrations in patients with euvolemic hyponatremia.

Use this online calculator to compute infusion rates for hypertonic and normal saline solutions, and estimated body water compartment volumes, for mild to severe hyponatremia.

Researchers report that efavirenz may produce a potent neurotoxic effect that may contribute to neurocognitive decline in HIV-infected patients who take the drug long-term.

Study finds that nearly 20% of adolescents infected with HIV since birth did not know their HIV status when they first became sexually active.

Study shows that HPV vaccination in women who have already been exposed to one type of HPV may prevent infection from other, potentially more deadly types.

Overweight women face a higher risk of rheumatoid arthritis than their normal-weight peers, according to a study presented at the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Rheumatology in Washington, DC.

Although many patients suffering with low back pain are initially focused on pain relief, convincing them to shift their focus to prevention and functional improvement can lead to better clinical outcomes and greater patient satisfaction.

Study results presented at The Liver Meeting 2012 show the experimental treatment leads to high rates of viral clearance in patients with hepatitis C, even in those with compensated cirrhosis.

According to study results presented at The Liver Meeting 2012, combination treatment with ribavirin and the uridine nucleotide analog sofosbuvir achieved high rates of sustained viral response in a range of patients with hepatitis C.

The development of direct acting antivirals has led to significant improvement in treatment outcomes for many patients with hepatitis C. New research has also improved management of treatment-related anemia, helped streamline standard therapy, and identified promising new approaches to interferon-free treatment.

Forty percent of patients treated with the uricase drug pegloticase saw complete resolution of one or more gouty tophi within 25 weeks.

Results presented at the American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Professionals 2012 annual meeting show that adalimumab and methotrexate are more effective than DMARDs and prednisone in achieving remission in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis or undifferentiated arthritis patients.

Patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) may be afraid to volunteer information that helps clinicians accurately diagnose them.

Study results presented at The Liver Meeting 2012 show that administering two direct-acting antivirals results in a high rate of sustained virologic response in patients with hepatitis C who failed previous treatment with ribavirin/peginterferon.

Hospitalized patients with cirrhosis who also have hyponatremia often receive no treatment, or ineffective treatment, and are often discharged with their serum sodium too low.

Data presented at The Liver Meeting show that treatment with a combination of three direct-acting antivirals plus ribavirin achieved virus control in almost all patients with hepatitis C in a phase II study.

Study results presented at The Liver Meeting (AASLD 2012 annual meeting) show that consuming small amounts of alcohol can have net positive cardiovascular health benefits for some patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Boceprevir and telaprevir offer improved clinical benefits to patients with hepatitis C, but a variety of racial, genetic, and other biological factors can influence treatment outcomes.

Study results presented at The Liver Meeting (2012 AASLD annual meeting) show that treatment with tenofovir disoproxil difumarate is safe and effective in this patient population.

Results from the RELAX-AHF show serelaxin reduces cardiovascular deaths and improves symptoms in patients with heart failure.

Results from a substudy of the PLATO trial show that patients with extensive CAD and high rates of recurrent cardiovascular events, death, and bleeding may benefit from treatment with ticagrelor.

Study results presented at the American Heart Association 2012 Scientific Sessions show that visible signs of aging such as baldness and yellow fatty deposits around the eye are predictors for heart attack and heart disease risk.

Many young adults age 18-24 with high blood pressure remain undiagnosed with hypertension, even after long-term physician care.

New research presented at the American Heart Association 2012 Scientific Sessions reveals that although the number of cardiovascular-related deaths increases during the winter months in the US, the rate increase is consistent across climates.

M. Amin Karami, PhD, discusses study results presented at AHA 2012 that demonstrated the technical feasibility of using a piezoelectric energy-harvesting device to power a pacemaker.