Rate of broad-spectrum antibiotic overuse in patients receiving outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT).

Broad-spectrum antibiotics with once-daily dosing are often chosen for outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) due to convenience even when narrower-spectrum antibiotics are appropriate. At our institution, up to 50% of select broad-spectrum OPAT regimens had potential to be narrowed, highlighting the need to re-evaluate regimens for de-escalation prior to discharge.

Combined oral contraceptive use in rheumatoid arthritis for the purpose of pregnancy prevention and additional benefits: A narrative review.

Combined oral contraceptives are a common method of contraception and many females prefer them regardless of their medical history. The use in patients with rheumatoid and autoimmune disorders has not been extensively studied with previous reviews focusing on the safety component. This review seeks to address the effectiveness and benefits of utilizing combined oral contraceptives in females with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica): An Unusual Case of Galactorrhea.

BACKGROUND The increasing popularity and availability of herbal supplements among patients necessitates a better understanding of their mechanism of action and the effects they have on the body, both intended and unintended. Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is an herbaceous shrub found throughout the world that has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. CASE REPORT A 30-year-old woman with obesity and GERD presented to a primary care clinic with new-onset galactorrhea.

Angiotensin Receptor Blockers Effect on Serum Uric Acid-A Class Effect?

Purpose: To provide a comprehensive review to determine whether there is a class effect among angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) in relation to serum uric acid.

Summary: A literature search was conducted and 8 articles were identified for inclusion in this review. In the studies reviewed, candesartan and valsartan were shown to have either a neutral or negative effect on serum uric acid.

Patient Experience With Care and Its Association With Adherence to Hypertension Medications.

Background: Medication adherence is crucial to effective chronic disease management, yet little is known about the influence of the patient-provider interaction on medication adherence to hypertensive regimens. We aimed to examine the association between the patient's experience with care and medication adherence.

Methods: We collected 2,128 surveys over 4 years from a convenience sample of hypertensive patients seeking care at three urban safety-net practices in upstate New York.

SGLT-2 Inhibitors: Is There a Role in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Management?

Objective: The purpose of this review is to identify and evaluate disease management of patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) who were treated with a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor as an adjunct to insulin therapy.

Data Sources: A PubMed (1969 to March 2017) and Ovid (1946 to March 2017) search was performed for articles published utilizing the following MESH terms: canagliflozin, empagliflozin, dapagliflozin, type 1 diabetes mellitus, insulin dependent diabetes, insulin, sodium-glucose transporter 2. There were no limitations placed on publication type.

Effectiveness of a multidisciplinary intervention to improve hypertension control in an urban underserved practice.

Patient-centered, multidisciplinary interventions offer one of the most promising strategies to improve blood pressure (BP) control, yet effectiveness trials in underserved real-world settings are limited. We used a multidisciplinary strategy to improve hypertension control in an underserved urban practice. We collected 1007 surveys to monitor medication adherence and used weighted generalized estimating equations to examine trends in BP control.

Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitor-Associated Pancreatic Carcinoma: A Review of the FAERS Database.

Background: To date, there is limited literature regarding the association between dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors and pancreatic carcinoma.

Objective: To describe the comparative incidence of DPP-4 inhibitors and pancreatic carcinoma as reportedly available in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database. The goal was to provide health care practitioners a general understanding of the drug-disease occurrence.

A Review of Current Evidence of Olmesartan Medoxomil Mimicking Symptoms of Celiac Disease.

Objective:To review the evidence of an association between olmesartan medoxomil and symptoms mimicking celiac disease.Data Sources:Literature was searched in PubMed (1965-November 2013) using the key words or MeSH terms olmesartan, enteropathy, celiac disease, sprue, and diarrhea. References from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Dipiro's Pharmacotherapy eighth edition textbook were also reviewed.