The American journal of medicine
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Antibiotics are sometimes administered to victims of rattlesnake bites in the hope of preventing infections. Experts in the field recommend that prophylactic antibiotics not be used because secondary infections are rare. Current recommendations are based on a small number of studies conducted in the United States. We decided to reexamine the issue by taking advantage of a large database on snakebites in Arizona. This allowed us to determine how often prophylactic antibiotics were used and whether or not they were effective. ⋯ This large study supports recommendations that prophylactic antibiotics not be used following rattlesnake bites in the United States. The incidence of postbite infections was low, <1%. All but 1 of the bacteria isolated from the wounds were common inhabitants of human skin and not found in oral secretions of rattlesnakes.
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This study aimed to determine changes in absolute and relative socioeconomic inequalities in hospital admissions for major cardiovascular causes among patients with diabetes in England. ⋯ Socioeconomic inequalities persist in diabetes-related hospital admissions for major cardiovascular events in England. Besides improved risk stratification strategies that consider socioeconomically defined needs, wide-reaching population-based policy interventions are required to reduce inequalities in diabetes outcomes.
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The US Food and Drug Administration has recently approved several new glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists alone and in combination with various insulin products. The second of 2 articles in a series, this review will describe the potential advantages and disadvantages of the GLP-1 agonist class of products.
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Editorial Historical Article
Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Vanishing Examination.