Arch Intern Med
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Comparative Study
Outcome and attributable mortality in critically Ill patients with bacteremia involving methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia carries high mortality rates. The clinical impact of methicillin resistance remains controversial: outcome comparisons between patients with bacteremia involving methicillin-susceptible (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant (MRSA) S aureus are difficult to perform because of important differences in severity of illness. ⋯ In critically ill patients, after accurate adjustment for disease severity and acute illness, we found MRSA bacteremia to have a higher attributable mortality than MSSA bacteremia.
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In spite of the clear evidence of benefit of aspirin in the secondary prevention of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular thrombotic events, its use in patients at high risk due to a previous event remains suboptimal. A possible explanation for this underuse is concern regarding the relative benefit in relation to the potential risk for serious gastrointestinal events. ⋯ Aspirin use for the secondary prevention of thromboembolic events has a favorable benefit-to-risk profile and should be encouraged in those at high risk.
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Pseudomembranous (entero)colitis is primarily caused by Clostridium difficile infection. The most common predisposing factor is prior use of antibiotics, including vancomycin and metronidazole, which themselves are therapy for C difficile colitis. Other risk factors have also been described. ⋯ Successful treatment of C difficile colitis requires prompt treatment with appropriate antibiotics, withdrawal of the suspected predisposing antibiotics, and, in rare cases, total colectomy. Preventive measures of adequate infection control and judicious use of antibiotics are necessary means in attempting to control the spread of C difficile infection. Attempts at making an effective human vaccine are currently under way.
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Comparative Study
Evaluation of a noninvasive system for determining left ventricular filling pressure.
Measurement of left ventricular filling pressure (LVFP) provides an accurate assessment of left ventricular failure. Clinical and radiographic methods of estimating LVFP are unreliable. The noninvasive method of analyzing the decline in the arterial pressure during the strain phase of the Valsalva maneuver may be used to directly measure LVFP. ⋯ VeriCor is a reliable noninvasive tool for measuring LVFP.