Archives of internal medicine
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Off-label prescribing may lead to adverse drug events. Little is known about its prevalence and determinants resulting from challenges in documenting treatment indication. ⋯ Off-label prescribing is common and varies by drug, patient, and physician characteristics. Electronic prescribing should document treatment indication to monitor off-label use.
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Review Comparative Study
Subclinical hyperthyroidism and the risk of coronary heart disease and mortality.
Data from prospective cohort studies regarding the association between subclinical hyperthyroidism and cardiovascular outcomes are conflicting.We aimed to assess the risks of total and coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality, CHD events, and atrial fibrillation (AF) associated with endogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism among all available large prospective cohorts. ⋯ Endogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism is associated with increased risks of total, CHD mortality, and incident AF, with highest risks of CHD mortality and AF when thyrotropin level is lower than 0.10 mIU/L.
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Letter Comparative Study
Effect of physician payment disclosure laws on prescribing.
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In controlled studies, procalcitonin (PCT) has safely and effectively reduced antibiotic drug use for lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs). However, controlled trial data may not reflect real life. ⋯ This study validates previous results from controlled trials in real-life conditions and demonstrates that following a PCT algorithm effectively reduces antibiotic use without increasing the risk of complications. Preexisting differences in antibiotic prescribing affect compliance with antibiotic stewardship efforts.