In the News
Medicare prescribers use twice as many brand-name drugs as VA
Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes take many more brand-name drugs than similar patients treated in the Veterans Affairs (VA) system, adding as much as $1 billion per year to health care costs, a recent study found.
Vascular risks may vary among nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
High doses of diclofenac and possibly ibuprofen have comparable vascular risks to coxibs, whereas high-dose naproxen was associated with less vascular risk than other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), a meta-analysis found.
MKSAP Quiz: 3-day history of lower abdominal pain, watery diarrhea
A 26-year-old man is evaluated for a 3-day history of fever, lower abdominal pain, tenesmus, hematochezia, and watery diarrhea. Seven months ago, he underwent a cadaveric kidney transplantation from a transplant donor who was seropositive for cytomegalovirus. Following a physical exam and lab studies, what is the most likely diagnosis?
Guideline issued on assessing sleep apnea and driving risk
The American Thoracic Society has issued an updated guideline on assessing sleep apnea, sleepiness and driving risk in noncommercial drivers.
AHA and ACC update heart failure guidelines
New and revised recommendations on the treatment of heart failure were released last week jointly by the American College of Cardiology Foundation and American Heart Association.
Bariatric surgery leads to short-term improved glycemic control and weight loss in moderately obese diabetics
Bariatric surgery in diabetic patients with a body mass index of 30 to 35 kg/m2 is associated with more short-term weight loss and better intermediate outcomes than nonsurgical treatments, but data on long-term effects are limited, a review found.
Physician & Practice Timeline helps physicians track key requirements and opportunities
ACP has launched Physician & Practice Timeline: Professional Requirements & Opportunities, a valuable online tool to help physicians stay on top of important dates and track deadlines for a variety of regulatory, payment, educational, and delivery system changes, requirements and opportunities.
Free webinar series on omnibus rule
Starting June 14, the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights and the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI) will be launching a series of webinars about the Omnibus HIPAA Rule.
Who's tops at your hospital?
ACP Hospitalist is seeking candidates for its sixth annual Top Hospitalists issue in November, which will feature the best and brightest in hospital medicine. Let us know what your colleagues have accomplished in 2013.
The Doctors Company announces 2013 dividend for ACP members
The Doctors Company, the nation's largest physician-owned medical malpractice insurer and the exclusively sponsored carrier for ACP, has announced a $21 million dividend, which is made possible by the excellent claims experience of The Doctors Company's members.
Put words in our mouth
ACP InternistWeekly wants readers to create captions for our new cartoon and help choose the winner. Pen the winning caption and win a $50 gift certificate good toward any ACP product, program or service.