Primary Care Reports articles from May 2003

Primary Care Reports archives from May 2003

Infectious disease vexations--recurrent furunculosis and cellulitis.
May 1, 2003... Vexation: n. a vexing or being vexed // something which annoys one. Editor's Note--Recurrent bacterial skin infections produce significant morbidity among adults in both developed and developing countries. Most commonly manifested by the...

Physician CME questions.
May 1, 2003... 25. Which of the following is the most important risk factor for Staphylococcus aureus infection? a. Exposure to pathogenic or antibiotic resistant strains b. Host nasal colonization with S aureus c. Defects in number or competence...

Use of Hip protectors in nursing homes.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Source: Meyer G, et al. BMJ. 2003; 326:76-78. DESPITE THE FACT THAT USE OF HIP protectors (HIP) has demonstrated excellent outcomes reduction when used among elderly persons ie, as much as a 50% reduced incidence of hip fractures, actual...

Disclosing unanticipated outcomes and medical errors.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Source: O'Connell D, et al. J Clin Outcomes Man. 2003;10(1):25-29. ACCORDING TO THE 1999 INSTITUTE OF Medicine report, medical errors are an important cause of loss of life, resulting in as many as 98,000 deaths annually in the United...

Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation to treat respiratory failure resulting from exacerbations of COPD.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Source: Lightowler JV, et al. BMJ. 2003;326:185-187. WHEN THE TRADITIONAL INTERVENTIONS (eg, bronchodilators, steroids, antibiotics, oxygen) for COPD exacerbation are insufficient to reverse clinical deterioration, clinicians typically rely...

Effect of ibuprofen on cardioprotective effect of aspirin.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Source: MacDonald TM, Wei L. Lancet. 2003;361:573-574. A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF LITERATURE supports the efficacy of aspirin (ASA) for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. The benefits of aspirin for reduction of...

Antidepressant drug treatment in depressive disorders.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Source: Geddes JR, et al. Lancet. 2003;361:653-661. PHARMACOTHERAPY FOR DEPRESSION IS generally recognized to be effective to produce remission in the majority of sufferers. The recommended duration of treatment of depression has undergone...

Adverse drug events among the elderly in the ambulatory setting.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Source: Gurwitz JH, et al. JAMA. 2003;289:1107-1116. WHEN ONE CONSIDERS THAT MORE than 90% of persons older than age 65 use at least 1 medication per week, and that more than 40% of these individuals use 5 or more medications per week, it...

Counterfeit Procrit uncovered by FDA surveillance.
May 1, 2003... In one of the more bizarre stories of the year, the FDA has uncovered files of counterfeit Procrit (epoetin alfa--Johnson & Johnson) in routine surveillance. To make matters worse, the fake vials have been contaminated with bacteria and many...