| Nearly half of practicing physicians say they plan to cut back or quit in next 3 years out of frustration, according to survey
| | Widespread frustration with paperwork, reimbursement, and regulation among primary care physicians could lead to a dramatic decrease in practicing doctors in the near future, according to a survey released by The Physicians' Foundation. The survey examines the causes behind the doctors' dissatisfaction, the state of their practices and the future of care. The resulting findings show the possibility of significantly decreased access for Americans in the years ahead, if many doctors carry out their warnings of reducing the number of patients they see or quitting the practice of medicine outright. |
| | IOM symposium: Training, interdisciplinary collaboration needed
| | | By 2030 when one in five Americans will be 65 or older, the health care system, if it remains as it is today, will fall far short of providing high quality care for older adults, many of whom will likely have very complex medical needs. In order to meet those needs, interdisciplinary collaboration and training of more geriatricians will be necessary, with strong focus on collaborative care across specialties. Additionally, effective communication and strong leadership will be key ingredients to success. That's the conclusion of participants at "The Health Care Workforce for Older Americans: Promoting Team Care," a symposium recently hosted in Los Angeles by the Institute of Medicine. |
| | AGS Journal: Geriatricians must refine focus to frailest elderly
| | | Two converging trends -- rapid growth in the population of older Americans and declining numbers of geriatricians practicing in the U.S. -- are forcing the field of geriatrics to refine its scope, according to a series of articles on the future of the field in October's Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS). It includes a survey that asked the directors of geriatrics academic programs what role geriatricians should play. Their answer: Geriatricians should focus on the most complex and most vulnerable older patients. |
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| The bisphosphonate saga: Despite new atrial fibrillation finding, the FDA is advising prescribers to stay the course, for now
| | | This is, apparently, a story without end. Bisphosphonates, in various formulations, dosages, and delivery routes, have been used to build bone density in osteoporosis patients for more than a decade. The efficacy of these drugs has been demonstrated in a number of studies. But like any medication intended for use over a period of many years, questions of the medication's safety have repeatedly arisen and must be addressed anew now that there is a suspected association with atrial fibrillation. The Food and Drug Administration, after conducting a review of the latest data, has issued an Early Communication advising health care providers not to alter their prescribing practices and patients not to discontinue their bisphosphonate medication. |
| | Statin therapy cuts risk of major cardiac events in healthy adults
| | | Results from the JUPITER (Justification for the use of statins in primary prevention) trial show that a daily 20 mg dose of rosuvastatin (Crestor) cut participants' risk of a major cardiac event in half, even though these were not patients current guidelines would identify as "at risk." |
| | More good news about statins
| | | There seems to be no end to the good news about statins, currently demonstrating their usefulness for preventing--or ameliorating--a startling variety of ills, including Alzheimer's disease, blood clots, pneumonia, and prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels. |
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November 2008 | 
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For fully-searchable contents of complete issues go to Digital Editions. | |
| | | | New prostate treatments reflect aging boomer demographic
As baby boomers age, the pool of patients needing prostate treatment is expanding dramatically. With more patients asking questions, pharmacists need to be ready with answers. | | High dose of flu vaccine boosts immune response at 65 and older
Giving people age 65 and older a dose 4 times larger than the standard flu vaccine boosts the amount of antibodies in their blood to levels considered protective against the flu, more so than the standard flu vaccine does. | | Type 2 diabetes treatment trials highlighted at EASD
Results of the first comparison trial between the dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitor sitagliptin and exenatide in type 2 diabetes patients already taking metformin show that exenatide exerts significantly better glucose control. In addition, researchers reported that sitagliptin (Januvia) taken for 18 months to 2 years was not associated with increased adverse or ischemic events. Both studies were presented during the recent European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Rome. | | Study confirms benefit of 2-drug therapy for Alzheimer's disease
Extended treatment with Alzheimer's disease drugs can significantly slow the rate at which the disorder advances, and combination therapy with 2 different classes of drugs is even better at helping patients maintain their ability to perform daily activities. Results from the first long-term study of the real-world use of Alzheimer?s drugs were published by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital in the July/September issue of Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders. | | Continuous glucose monitoring a benefit in type 1 diabetes
Compared to the old-fashioned way of glucose monitoring with finger sticks and a home glucose meter, continuous glucose monitoring using 3 different brands of devices—all some type of glucose oxidase-based electrochemical sensor and a receiver—produced significant better results among adults of maintaining blood sugar levels within desired ranges. | |
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| RSNA: Brain Abnormalities Seen in Psychiatric Disorders
Patients with stress-related psychiatric disorders may have dysfunctional circuitry in the area of the brain responsible for suppressing memory, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America held Nov. 30 to Dec. 5 in Chicago. | | Candesartan Investigated in Hypotensive Patients
Among heart failure patients with low ejection fraction and low systolic blood pressure, treatment with candesartan is still efficacious, according to the results of a clinical study reported in the Dec. 9 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. | | Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Cardiovascular Disease
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a higher frequency of cardiovascular disease, according to a study in the Dec. 1 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology. A related review in the Dec. 9 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology discusses the links between vitamin D deficiency, cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance. | | Guidelines for Sudden Cardiac Death Reviewed
Most European cardiology societies and sports federations require electrocardiograms for pre-participation screening of athletes, but U.S. guidelines do not, according to two reports published in the Dec. 9 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. | | Generic Drugs Equally Effective in Cardiovascular Disease
In the treatment of cardiovascular disease, evidence does not support the notion -- often expressed in journal editorials and the popular press -- that generic drugs are inferior to brand-name drugs, according to a report published in the Dec. 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. | |
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