Table of Contents
From the Editor
- Adverse drug reactions and medication errors: Not always a clear distinction
Unrecognized adverse drug reactions can quickly become medication errors.
The Clinical Picture
1-Minute Consult
Should amphetamines be added to SSRI therapy to enhance the antidepressant effect?Despite anecdotal reports of an additive effect, no firm conclusions can be drawn.
- At what level of hyperkalemia or creatinine elevation should ACE inhibitor therapy be stopped or not started?
These drugs are a double-edged sword: they slow the decline in renal function in many patients, yet reduce renal function in some.
Review
- Physician’s guide to popular low-carbohydrate weight-loss diets
These diets can take pounds off fast but usually fail in the long term and can jeopardize health.
Patient Information
Review
- Drug-induced lung disease
Early diagnosis is important because stopping the drug usually reverses toxicity, whereas unrecognized toxicity can be progressive and even fatal.
- In-stent restenosis: Update on intracoronary radiotherapy
Intracoronary radiotherapy at the time of repeat balloon angioplasty is proving effective in treating in-stent restenosis and lowering rates of recurrence.
Medical Grand Rounds
- New developments in long-term treatment of HIV: The honeymoon is over
New recommendations advise starting antiretroviral therapy slightly later in the course of HIV disease than did earlier guidelines, as treatment has serious long-term side effects.
Cardiovascular Board Review
- Systolic ejection murmur presenting with dyspnea on exertion
What is the cause of this patient’s cardiac symptoms A self-test.
Commentary
Patient-monitored diets often leave questions of adherence and safety unanswered.