Adherence and discontinuation of prescription cannabidiol for the management of seizure disorders at an integrated care center.

Objective: Evaluate adherence, discontinuation rates, and reasons for non-adherence and discontinuation of prescription CBD during the 12-months post-initiation period at an integrated care center.

Methods: This was a prospective study of patients prescribed CBD by a neurology clinic provider with initial prescription fulfillment through the center's specialty pharmacy from January 2019 through April 2020. Baseline demographics and reasons for non-adherence and/or discontinuation were collected from the electronic health record and pharmacy claims history was used to calculate adherence using proportion of days covered (PDC).

Vascular Access Management in Complex Percutaneous Coronary Interventions.

Vascular access is a crucial step, which every interventional cardiologist needs to be skilled with to consistently achieve excellent periprocedural outcomes. Some operators argue that it is the most important aspect of the entire intervention. Hence, careful planning of vascular access in an individualized fashion - based on the patient's clinical status, anatomy, and technical requirements of the intervention - is the first step in securing optimal procedural safety and successful results.

Process analysis of procalcitonin monitoring within community hospitals.

Purpose: Monitoring of procalcitonin (PCT) levels may support appropriate antibiotic discontinuation. The purpose of this study was to determine the current state of PCT monitoring at community hospitals across the United States.

Methods: Data from adult patients who were admitted to community hospitals affiliated with a large healthcare system between August 1, 2016, and July 31, 2017, and who received antibiotics were evaluated for the number of PCT levels drawn and the timing between multiple levels.

Black Box Warning: Cardiovascular Complications Make Motherhood Unsafe for African American Women.

Background: In the United States, cardiovascular disease and its complications in pregnancy is the leading killer in mothers. The black maternal mortality rate is quadruple the rate among white women.

Main Body: The reasons for this staggering discrepancy hinge on two central issues: First, black women are more likely to have pre-existing cardiovascular morbidity that increase the risk of maternal mortality.

Black Maternal Mortality-The Elephant in the Room.

Maternal mortality is on the rise in the United States and it disproportionately affects black women. The reasons for this staggering discrepancy hinge on three central issues: First, black women are more likely to have pre-existing cardiovascular morbidity that increase the risk of maternal mortality. Second, black women are more likely to experience adverse pregnancy outcomes which puts them at risk for developing long-term cardiovascular disease.

Large endocardial rheumatoid nodules: a case report and review of the literature.

Rheumatoid nodules occur frequently in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and are the most common cutaneous manifestation of the disease. Although uncommon, rheumatoid nodules may also occur on cardiac valves, where they may be large and clinically significant. They may embolize and cause stroke.

A multi-center study of fidaxomicin use for Clostridium difficile infection.

Purpose: Fidaxomicin use in real-world clinical practice, especially for severe Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), is mainly based on single-center observational studies. The purpose of this pharmacoepidemiology study was to assess outcomes of patients given fidaxomicin based on episode number and use of concomitant antibiotics.

Methods: Fidaxomicin use over time across included hospitals in the United States was assessed using a large inpatient drug utilization database.