Guidance for Healthcare Providers on Newest Guidelines for Over-the-Counter Drug Treatment of Mild Symptoms of COVID-19.

On January 18, 2024, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued their most recent guidelines for over-the-counter drugs for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Specifically, the organization stated that "Most people with COVID-19 have mild illness and can recover at home. You can treat symptoms with over-the-counter medicines, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), to help you feel better.

Alarming Trends: Mortality from Alcoholic Cirrhosis in the United States.

Background: Alcoholic cirrhosis is an advanced form of alcohol-related liver disease. In the United States, between 2010 and 2016, alcohol-related liver disease was the primary cause of nearly 1 in 3 liver transplants, surpassing hepatitis C.

Methods: We utilized the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research database to compare trends in mortality from alcoholic cirrhosis in the United States in 1999 and 2019.

Proton Pump Inhibitors and Risk of Dementia: A Hypothesis Generated but Not Adequately Tested.

We reviewed the evidence on proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and dementia. PPIs are among the most widely utilized drugs in the world. Dementia affects roughly 5% of the population of the United States (US) and world aged 60 years and older.

Risks of Cardiovascular Disease and Beyond in Prescription of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs.

Introduction: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) include aspirin, naproxen, diclofenac, and ibuprofen, as well as selective cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitors such as celecoxib. Their use is common, as well as their side effects which cause 100 000 hospitalizations and 17 000 deaths annually. Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration strengthened its warning about the risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD) attributed to nonaspirin NSAIDs.

Underutilization of Aspirin in Patients With Advanced Colorectal Polyps.

Background: Colorectal cancer is the third-most common cause of cancer deaths in the United States, and advanced colorectal polyps are a major risk factor. Although there are no large-scale individual trials designed a priori to test the hypothesis, in meta-analyses of trials in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, aspirin reduces risk of colorectal cancer. The US Preventive Services Task Force used a microsimulation model, including baseline risk factors, and concluded that aspirin reduces risk of colorectal cancer by 40%.

Tattoo of colonic neoplasms in 113 patients with a new sterile carbon compound.

Background: Endoscopic marking of intestinal lesions is essential when difficulty is anticipated with subsequent localization during surgical resection or postpolypectomy surveillance. The most commonly used indelible marker has been India ink, which must be diluted and sterilized, a cumbersome process. SPOT, a prepackaged, sterile Food and Drug Administration-approved formulation of pure carbon particles in suspension, eliminates the need for preinjection preparation.