The American journal of medicine
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Real-time automated continuous sampling of electronic medical record data may expeditiously identify patients at risk for death and enable prompt life-saving interventions. We hypothesized that a real-time electronic medical record-based alert could identify hospitalized patients at risk for mortality. ⋯ An automated alert system that continuously samples electronic medical record data can be implemented, has excellent test characteristics, and can assist in the real-time identification of hospitalized patients at risk for death.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
A Blend of Sesame and Rice Bran Oils Lowers Hyperglycemia and Improves the Lipids.
Considering the health benefits of sesame oil and rice bran oil, the study was conducted to determine the extent to which the daily use of this blend of oils controls hyperglycemia and improves the lipid profile. ⋯ A novel blend of 20% cold-pressed unrefined sesame oil and 80% physically refined rice bran oil as cooking oil, lowered hyperglycemia and improved the lipid profile in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.
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Since 1960, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has recommended influenza vaccination for adults with certain high-risk conditions because of increased risk for complications from influenza infection. We assessed national influenza vaccination among persons ages 18-64 years with high-risk conditions. ⋯ Influenza vaccination coverage varies substantially by age and high-risk conditions but remains low. Approximately 50% of those with high-risk conditions remain unvaccinated. Health care providers should ensure they routinely assess influenza vaccination status, and recommend and offer vaccines to those with high-risk conditions.
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The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommend that health materials be written at a grade 6-7 reading level, which has generally not been achieved in online reading materials. Up to the present time, there have not been any assessments focused on the reading level of online educational materials across the most popular consumer Web sites for common internal medicine diagnoses. In this study, we examined the readability of open-access online health information for 9 common internal medicine diagnoses. ⋯ Despite recommendations for patient health information to be written at a grade 6-7 reading level, our examination of online educational materials pertaining to 9 common internal medicine diagnoses revealed reading levels significantly above the NIH recommendation. This was seen across both diagnosis-specific and general Web sites. There is a need to improve the readability of online educational materials made available to patients. These improvements have the potential to greatly enhance patient awareness, engagement, and physician-patient communication.
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The vitamin K antagonist, warfarin, is the most commonly prescribed oral anticoagulant. Use of warfarin is associated with an increase in systemic calcification, including in the coronary and peripheral vasculature. ⋯ Warfarin-induced systemic calcification can result in adverse clinical effects. In this review article, we highlight some of the key translational and clinical studies that associate warfarin with vascular calcification.