Background: Cardiac arrest is a prevalent event with low survival rates, both in out-of-hospital and in-hospital settings. There is a lack of specific training programs addressing team dynamics and leadership skills during resuscitation events, creating a clinical gap. This project aimed to enhance team dynamics and improve leadership skills during IHCA resuscitation events.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCannabis has been employed medicinally throughout history, with recent renewed interest for use due to media awareness and medical marijuana legislation. The geriatric population, identified as those 65 years of age and older, is increasingly using cannabis-derived products, has a higher likelihood of having multiple comorbidities, and is subject to polypharmacy. These individuals are at increased risk of psychiatric and other medical adverse events due to their decreased physical and cognitive reserve and changes in their physicality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Hospitalists working outside the Veterans Affairs (VA) system frequently will serve Veterans receiving care for acute conditions and/or awaiting transfer to VA facilities.
Objective: To perform a scoping review of health conditions and associated outcomes relevant to hospital medicine in US Veterans who served in active duty or reserve deployed roles after November 9, 2001.
Methods: A search of MEDLINE and Embase was performed using a combination of terms related to military service period and health conditions, yielding 5634 citations published after January 1, 2013.
Background: Alcohol withdrawal is a common reason for admission to acute care hospitals. Prescription of medications for alcohol-use disorder (AUD) and close outpatient follow-up are commonly recommended, but few studies report their effects on postdischarge outcomes.
Objectives: The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of medications for AUD and follow-up appointments on readmission and abstinence.
Objectives: Few studies describe contemporary alcohol withdrawal management in hospitalized settings or review current practices considering the guidelines by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM).
Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients hospitalized with alcohol withdrawal on medical or surgical wards in 19 Veteran Health Administration (VHA) hospitals between October 1, 2018, and September 30, 2019. Demographic and comorbidity data were obtained from the Veteran Health Administration Corporate Data Warehouse.
Introduction: Substance use disorder (SUD) is frequently recognized in the literature as an epidemic in the United States, but less attention has been paid to the scale of the epidemic among people older than 60 years of age. As the cohort of individuals in this age group grows as a proportion of the population-the so-called aging of the population-the incidence of SUD in older adults will increase numerically as well. While most existing literature on SUD in the elderly has focused on alcohol, opioids, and prescription drugs, the number of users of stimulant drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine is also growing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the United States, cannabis use is rising, including among older adults, as is unintentional ingestion. We describe the case of a 94-year-old woman admitted with altered mental status, diarrhea, and hallucinations. She lived with her family, who had noticed recent confusion with weakness, poor oral intake, and loose bowel movements.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMany of the United States' more than 18 million veterans obtain healthcare through the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Veterans Health Administration system; however, recent legislative changes have expanded veterans' access to non-VA care in their communities, particularly for those who do not live near VA medical centers. Veterans are seen by physicians in outpatient practice across the United States and are admitted to non-VA hospitals; this is particularly salient for older veterans, who may require a more frequent and high level of care. We present a review of characteristics of U.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Inpatient cardiac arrest care had to be adapted to meet the needs of patients and providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Providers working in the emergency department and in the inpatient setting have acquired extensive experience and expertise in caring for patients with COVID-19 related cardiac arrest. We summarize recent reports relevant to clinicians on inpatient cardiac arrest care, provider and patient safety, and effective use of resources.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBefore the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, vaping-related illness was the prevailing public health concern. The incidence of vaping-related illnesses-mainly e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury (EVALI)-went from a peak in September 2019 to a low in February 2020, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention decided to discontinue the collection of EVALI case reports. Despite the decrease in EVALI with the arrival of COVID-19, EVALI should still be considered a differential diagnosis for people with COVID-19 for reasons outlined in this review.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCreation of electronic health record order sets may improve adherence to The Joint Commission National Quality Measures for care of veterans with ischemic stroke.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo investigate the potential role of mtDNA alterations during the onset of colorectal cancer, the occurrence of mtDNA variants in colorectal adenomatous (Tubular, Tubulovillous, and Villous) polyps, were studied. High resolution endonucleases and PCR-based sequence were applied to examine mtDNA variants in the ND and ATPase genes of 64 primary tissues of colorectal adeno-polyps and their matched normal controls. Forty-two variants were observed and 57% (24/42) were not previously reported in the MITODAT reference.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFColorectal tumors mostly arise from sporadic adenomatous polyps. Polyps are defined as a mass of cells that protrudes into the lumen of the colon. Adenomatous polyps are benign neoplasms that, by definition display some characteristics of dysplasia.
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