Resolving the Egg and Cholesterol Intake Controversy: New Clinical Insights Into Cholesterol Regulation by the Liver and Intestine.

Objective: Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death. Achieving American Heart Association low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol treatment goals is very difficult for many patients. The importance of a low cholesterol diet is controversial and not emphasized by most physicians.

Clinical Impact of a Rapid Streptococcal Antigen Test on Antibiotic Use in Adult Patients.

Introduction: Adult pharyngitis is rarely attributable to group A streptococci. Utilization of a rapid streptococcal antigen test (RADT) may improve appropriate prescribing for bacterial pharyngitis.

Methods: Clinic 1 performed RADTs with subsequent Group A DNA probe test (GADNA) from November 2014-March 2015 and November 2015-March 2016 while Clinic 2 was the control clinic, then implemented the RADT with a GADNA from November 2015-March 2016.

Carotid intima-media thickness determined vascular age and the Framingham Risk Score.

We examined carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT)-determined vascular age on the Framingham Risk Score (FRS) and the Framingham Heart Age in patients of diverse ethnic origin without a history of diabetes or established cardiovascular disease. In this cross-sectional study, 2291 men and women had CIMT obtained by high resolution B-mode ultrasound in a routine examination between August 1, 2000 and October 1, 2001. We randomly split the population into a training subset (n = 1114) and an analysis subset (n = 1177) using the training subset to regress the average CIMT for each individual on chronologic age.

A cross-sectional study of intima-media thickness, ethnicity, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular risk in 2268 study participants.

Objective: To describe the association between intima-media thickness (IMT) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) and to examine if the addition of IMT to a traditional MetS definition adds value to the assessment of predicted cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in a large multiethnic population.

Participants And Methods: In this cross-sectional study, carotid IMT was measured in 2268 men and women as part of a wellness physical examination between August 1, 2000, and October 1, 2001. The wellness examination included a fasting lipid panel, physical examination, and medical history.

Provision of pain management by a pharmacist with prescribing authority.

Purpose: The clinical and financial outcomes of a pain clinic managed by a pharmacist with prescribing authority are described.

Summary: Pharmacist clinicians in a for-profit, integrated health system recently received permission to bill for their services in certain ambulatory clinics. A pharmacist clinician, who had an individual Drug Enforcement Administration number and whose services are billable under New Mexico law, was chosen to assume the medication management responsibilities in a clinic where 90% of the patient population is treated for chronic non-cancer-related pain.