More articles from 1-Minute Consult
- Should women with HPV-related noncervical cancers be considered at high risk for cervical cancer?
Yes. Lacking guidelines, close surveillance is prudent.
- Should we monitor troponin up to peak value when evaluating for acute coronary syndrome?
No. Once troponin is over the 99th percentile, finding the peak value does not aid in diagnosis.
- Does a short QT interval increase the risk of cardiac death in healthy people?
No, but it may warrant further investigation to determine if the patient is at risk.
- Is it safe to continue biologic agents during surgery in patients with inflammatory bowel disease?
Patients taking monoclonal antibodies can continue taking them, but small-molecule drugs should be withheld.
- What mask should I wear to protect against transmissible acute respiratory infections?
Clinical trials have not shown a direct advantage for N95 respirators vs surgical masks for many acute respiratory infections.
- Can I use direct oral anticoagulants to treat cancer-associated venous thromboembolism?
DOACs are increasingly replacing low-molecular-weight heparins for this purpose.
- Should I evaluate my patient with atrial fibrillation for sleep apnea?
Yes. The prevalence of sleep apnea is high in patients with atrial fibrillation, and vice versa.
- What are the risks to inpatients during hospital construction or renovation?
Risks include mold infection, Legionnaires disease, sleep deprivation, exacerbation of lung disease, and physical injury.
- Does my patient need maintenance fluids?
The question seems like it should have an easy answer. However, there is no consensus.
- Are daily chest radiographs and arterial blood gas tests required in ICU patients on mechanical ventilation?
Although routine testing is common, it has low diagnostic yield and is unlikely to alter patient management.