Table of Contents
From the Editor
- A report from the department of staph affairs
The evolutionary pressure that we humans are putting on Staphylococcus aureus with our antibiotics is taking this bug to a whole new place.
1-Minute Consult
- What are the caveats to using sodium phosphate agents for bowel preparation?
Although these preparations are generally safe and well tolerated, they can cause significant fluid shifts and electrolyte abnormalities. They should not be used in patients with electrolyte imbalances, renal or hepatic dysfunction, or a number of other comorbidities.
Medical Grand Rounds
- Staphylococcus aureus: The new adventures of a legendary pathogen
S aureus is rearing its ugly head in new and interesting ways, both in the hospital and in the community.
Review
- What can patients expect from cataract surgery?
Cataract surgery has evolved into an outpatient procedure that requires minimal anesthesia and significantly improves vision for about 90% of patients.
1-Minute Consult
- Should patients on long-term warfarin take aspirin for heart disease?
The benefit of adding aspirin to warfarin (Coumadin) outweighs the risk in patients with acute coronary syndrome, mechanical heart valves, or coronary stents, but maybe not for patients who have stable coronary artery disease or who are at risk of coronary disease.
Im Board Review
- A young woman with fatigue
She has had nonspecific symptoms and diarrhea for the past few years. Routine laboratory testing reveals iron-deficiency anemia. What is the cause?
Review
- How to evaluate ‘dipstick hematuria’: What to do before you refer
Many people have some amount of blood in their urine, but relatively few have a serious problem. Which patients need urologic studies and consultation, which need nephrologic evaluation, and which need no intervention at all?
Preventing a first episode of esophageal variceal hemorrhageBecause variceal hemorrhage is a medical emergency in which up to 20% of patients die, the best strategy is to try to prevent the first episode of bleeding.
