Anticoagulation: Updated Guidelines for Outpatient Management.

Anticoagulation therapy is recommended for preventing, treating, and reducing the recurrence of venous thromboembolism, and preventing stroke in persons with atrial fibrillation. Direct oral anticoagulants are first-line agents for eligible patients for treating venous thromboembolism and preventing stroke in those with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Vitamin K antagonists are recommended for patients with mechanical valves and valvular atrial fibrillation.

Subacute management of ischemic stroke.

Ischemic stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and a common reason for hospitalization. The subacute period after a stroke refers to the time when the decision to not employ thrombolytics is made up until two weeks after the stroke occurred. Family physicians are often involved in the subacute management of ischemic stroke.

Gadolinium-associated nephrogenic systemic fibrosis.

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis is a progressive, potentially fatal multiorgan system fibrosing disease related to exposure of patients with renal failure to the gadolinium-based contrast agents used in magnetic resonance imaging. Because of this relationship between nephrogenic systemic fibrosis and gadolinium-based contrast agents, the U.S.

Managing CAP: an evidence-based algorithm.

The 2007 guidelines from the Infectious Diseases Society of America/American Thoracic Society are a blend of level-of-evidence strength and consensus opinion--a unified, evidence-based document. These new recommendations address prior discrepancies between the 2 specialties. We developed a CAP treatment algorithm based on the new advisory.