More articles from 1-Minute Consult
- Should my older adult patients take aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease?
For patients age 70 and older, recent evidence shows that the harms outweigh the benefits.
- Is Aspergillus isolated from respiratory cultures clinically significant?
Aspergillus is ubiquitous, so the significance of the finding depends on the patient’s symptoms, underlying lung condition, immune status, and radiologic fi ndings.
- How do you effectively evaluate the elderly for alcohol use disorder?
A brief review of clues to an underrecognized and underdiagnosed problem with physical as well as emotional and social consequences.
- Can I place a peripherally inserted central catheter in my patient with chronic kidney disease?
Future need for permanent dialysis access is an important consideration.
What antithrombotic therapy should I use for my patient with atrial fibrillation who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention or had an acute coronary syndrome?The risk of thrombosis should be balanced with the risk of bleeding.
- Is it safe to start steroids at home for a COPD exacerbation after virtual assessment in the COVID-19 era?
Yes. Corticosteroids are beneficial, and virtual visits are appropriate, especially in this pandemic.
- How should you assess glycemic control if the hemoglobin A1c is inaccurate or uninterpretable?
Hemoglobin A1c is the standard but is not perfect. Alternatives are available.
- Does my healthy 65-year-old patient still need the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13)?
The short answer is no—but it is not that simple.
- Should we give triple therapy to patients with atrial fibrillation after percutaneous intervention?
Triple therapy is aggressive and carries high risks of bleeding and death.
- When is contrast needed for abdominal and pelvic CT?
The decision to use contrast depends on the diagnosis suspected.