September 20th 2024
FluMist is the first influenza vaccine that does not have to be given by a health care professional.
Rising Case Rate and Mortality Documented for C. difficile Colitis
July 16th 2007MINNEAPOLIS -- The frequency and severity of Clostridium difficile colitis in hospitalized patients have increased dramatically since the early 1990s, leading to greater morbidity and mortality, investigators here reported.
Applying the latest CAP guidelines, part 1: Patient assessment
July 1st 2007Given the dramatic advances in antimicrobials since penicillin was introduced, why has the mortality rate associated with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remained essentially unchanged? Inadequate application of practice guidelines may be the chief reason, according to a committee from the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the American Thoracic Society (ATS).1
Confirming the diagnosis of invasive fungal sinusitis
July 1st 2007Acute invasive fungal rhinosinus- itis occurs predominantly in immunocompromised patients, such as those with neutropenia and transplant recipients. The diagnosis requires biopsy, but permanent section can be time-consuming and result in a delay in treatment. Ghadiali and colleagues conducted a study to evaluate the accuracy of frozen-section biopsy in this setting.
What caused recurrent pneumonia and hemoptysis in this woman?
A 53-year-old woman presented to the emergency department complaining of substernal chest pain that awoke her from sleep. The chest pain was associated with left shoulder numbness, radiating to her back, and was partially alleviated with sublingual nitroglycerin. During this episode, the patient had a cough productive of yellow phlegm and one instance of cough productive of 1 tbs of bright red blood.
Heart Failure: Part 1, Diagnosis and Staging
July 1st 2007Heart failure is prevalent in both primary care and cardiology practices. It develops in about 1 in 5 persons during their lifetime and in about 1 in 8 of those who have not sustained a myocardial infarction (MI). Heart failure is also the leading cause of hospitalization in the elderly.