Association of systemic inflammation with posttraumatic stress disorder after a myocardial infarction.

Background: Adverse mental health conditions including depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and anxiety are prevalent among patients who survive myocardial infarctions (MI) and are associated with adverse outcomes. The mechanisms underlying these associations, however, are not well understood. Inflammatory pathways may mediate the cardiovascular outcomes of patients with mental health disorders.

Obstructive sleep apnea, myocardial perfusion and myocardial blood flow: A study of older male twins.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been associated with incidence of cardiovascular disease and with nocturnal angina, but evidence of a link with coronary atherosclerosis and myocardial ischemia is limited and previous studies may have been affected by selection bias or unmeasured confounding factors.

Methods: We performed overnight polysomnography in 178 older male twins. The Apnea/Hypopnea Index (AHI) was calculated to assess OSA from the overnight sleep evaluation.

Digging deep into diabetes: achieving better glycemic control in diabetic patients in a resident-run clinic.

: Diabetes mellitus (DM) affects over 30 million Americans with an estimated annual cost of $327 billion in 2017. Patients with diabetes, especially with financial and/or social hardships, pose challenges in achieving target hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) values. Understanding patient-specific barriers offer opportunities to improve outcomes in patient care.

An educational intervention to increase awareness reduces unnecessary laboratory testing in an internal medicine resident-run clinic.

At our resident-run clinic in an underserved community, laboratory test costs in 2013 exceeded the government subsidy by $400 000. To optimize limited resources and improve patient care, an education program to reduce testing was implemented. Between November 2014 and January 2015, residents attended lectures on utilization of laboratory testing, focusing on standard practice guidelines, and analyses of unnecessary tests.