AHFS DI® Essentials: What's New in February 2009

AHFS DI® Essentials

New Monographs:

• None

Revised Monographs:

• Amantadine: Antiviral; antiparkinsonian agent; adamantane derivative.
• Benzocaine (Topical): Local anesthetic.
• Clopidogrel: Platelet-aggregation inhibitor; thienopyridine derivative.
• Drotrecogin Alfa: Biosynthetic (recombinant DNA origin) form of human activated protein C with antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory, and profibrinolytic properties.
• Ergocalciferol: A vitamin D analog.
• Ezetimibe: Antilipemic agent; cholesterol absorption inhibitor.
• Influenza Virus Vaccine Inactivated: Inactivated virus vaccine.
• Influenza Virus Vaccine Live Intranasal: Live, attenuated virus vaccine.
• Lidocaine (Local): Intermediate-acting local anesthetic (amide type).
• Montelukast: Antiasthmatic agent; leukotriene modifier.
• Nelfinavir: Antiretroviral; HIV protease inhibitor (PI).
• Oseltamivir: Antiviral; neuraminidase inhibitor; sialic acid analog.
• Rimantadine: Antiviral; adamantane derivative.
• Simvastatin: Antilipemic agent; hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor (i.e., statin).
• Tinzaparin: Anticoagulant; a low molecular weight heparin.
• Zafirlukast: Antiasthmatic agent; leukotriene-receptor antagonist.
• Zanamivir: Antiviral; neuraminidase inhibitor; sialic acid analog.
• Zileuton: Antiasthmatic agent; a leukotriene synthesis inhibitor.
  

ACP Journal Club: What's New in February, 2009

ACP Journal Club
by Brian Haynes, MD, PhD
American College of Physicians (2008)

ACP Journal Club, published by the American College of Physicians, is the quintessential evidence-based journal and is often positioned near the top of the EBM pyramid. Published monthly, it selects articles from the biomedical literature that report original studies and systematic reviews that warrant immediate attention by physicians attempting to keep pace with important advances in internal medicine. These articles are then summarized in value-added abstracts and commented on by clinical experts.

Volume 150, Number 2

Therapeutics

•    Review: Low-molecular-weight heparin reduces risk for venous thromboembolism in adults with leg immobilization
•    Influenza immunization during pregnancy reduced influenza in infants and respiratory illness in mothers
•    Telmisartan did not reduce a composite of CV death, MI, HF, or stroke in high-risk patients intolerant to ACE inhibitors
•    High-dose vitamin B supplements did not slow cognitive decline in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer disease
•    Aspirin plus extended-release dipyridamole and clopidogrel were similarly effective for preventing recurrent stroke
•    Telmisartan did not prevent recurrent stroke or major cardiovascular events
•    Carotid artery stenting increased risk for stroke more than carotid endarterectomy in severe symptomatic stenosis
•    Carotid artery stenting and carotid endarterectomy were similarly effective in severe symptomatic stenosis
•    Intensive insulin therapy reduced long-term risk for incident hypertension in type 1 diabetes

Diagnosis

•    CT colonography had 90% sensitivity and 86% specificity for diagnosing large adenomas and cancer in asymptomatic adults

 Clinical Prediction Guide

•    Review: D-dimer levels predict risk for recurrent VTE after anticoagulant therapy is stopped
•    Review: Sgarbossa scores ≥ 3 have low sensitivity and high specificity for predicting MI in left bundle branch block

DrugPoints® System: What's New in January, 2009

DrugPoints® System
by Thomson Healthcare, Inc.
Thomson Healthcare, Inc., (2008)

Rather than giving you too little or too much information, DrugPoints® System gives you direct access to the exact level of drug information you need to do your job. This evidence-based resource helps healthcare professionals prescribe, administer and monitor drugs safely and efficiently. Contains more than 1,400 concise and unbiased synopses on drugs.

New Monographs:

•   FDA Labeled Indications
•   Diabetes mellitus type 1
•   Diabetes mellitus type 2
•   Non-FDA Labeled Indications
•   Diabetes mellitus type 1 - Disorder of cardiovascular system; Prophylaxis
•   Diabetes mellitus type 2 - Disorder of cardiovascular system; Prophylaxis
•   Diabetic nephropathy; Prophylaxis
•   Diabetic neuropathy; Prophylaxis
•   Diabetic retinopathy; Prophylaxis

ACP PIER: What's New in January, 2009

ACP PIER: Physicians' Information and Education Resource
American College of Physicians (2008)

PIER© is a collection of over 400 evidence summaries published by the American College of Physicians. Each module provides authoritative guidance to improve the quality of care. Topics are selected based upon prevalence in clinical settings. Evidence is then gathered by literature review and evaluated based on formal criteria. The level of evidence for each recommendation is displayed clearly within the application. This resource also includes topics in complementary and alternative medicine, ethical and legal issues and procedures.

New Modules:

• Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
• Travel Immunizations

Updated Modules:

• Aortic Stenosis
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
• Diverticular Disease
• Evaluation of Postoperative Fever
• Opioid Abuse
• Thyroid Scan and Uptake

ACP Journal Club: What's New in January, 2009

ACP Journal Club
by Brian Haynes, MD, PhD
American College of Physicians (2008)

ACP Journal Club, published by the American College of Physicians, is the quintessential evidence-based journal and is often positioned near the top of the EBM pyramid. Published monthly, it selects articles from the biomedical literature that report original studies and systematic reviews that warrant immediate attention by physicians attempting to keep pace with important advances in internal medicine. These articles are then summarized in value-added abstracts and commented on by clinical experts.

Volume 150, Number 1

Therapeutics

•    Rosuvastatin prevented major cardiovascular events in persons with elevated C-reactive protein
•    Review: Tight glucose control reduces septicemia, but not death, and increases hypoglycemia in critically ill adults
•    Review: Inhaled anticholinergics increase risk for major cardiovascular events in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
•    Tiotropium reduced exacerbations but not rate of FEV1 decline in patients with COPD using other respiratory medications
•    Aspirin and/or antioxidants did not prevent CV events in diabetes and peripheral arterial disease
•    Pioglitazone reduced liver injury and improved fasting glucose in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis without diabetes
•    Defibrillator therapy improved quality of life in CHF; amiodarone did not
•    n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids reduced morbidity and mortality in chronic heart failure
•    Laparoscopic surgery was more effective than medical management for chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease
•    Alteplase given 3 to 4.5 hours after stroke reduced disability and improved global outcome
•    Immediate and delayed acupuncture reduced frequency and pain intensity of primary migraine or tension-type headaches
•    Arthroscopic surgery added no benefit to optimized physical and medical therapy in knee osteoarthritis

New Edition: Infectious Diseases: The Clinician's Guide to Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention

Infectious Diseases: The Clinician's Guide to Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention
Author: David C. Dale, M.D.
©2007 WebMD Inc.

This resource, derived from ACP Medicine, provides practical guidance on a wide range of infectious diseases such as upper respiratory infections, STDs and meningitis as well as viral, bacterial and fungal infections. It includes more than 4,000 focused, practical and current recommendations in addition to halftone and color illustrations.

Supporting Resource: Oxford Handbook of Tropical Medicine (Oxford University Press, 3rd Edition, ©2008)

Delivering the facts to your fingertips, this resource provides an accessible and comprehensive, signs-and-symptoms-based source of information on medical problems commonly seen in the tropics.

Medical conditions are ordered by system except for the five major tropical conditions - malaria, HIV/STIs, tuberculosis, diarrhoeal diseases, and acute respiratory infections - and fevers. In this new edition the sections on malaria, cardiology, chest medicine, gastroenterology, mental health and dermatology have undergone major revision, and there is new material on altitude sickness, heat stroke, avian flu and fuller poisoning. There is a greater emphasis on pediatric medicine and public health throughout, and new illustrations and photographs have been included to aid with diagnosis.

New Edition: HCPCS Level II

HCPCS Level II
©2008 STAT!Ref's electronic version of HCPCS Level II

HCPCS - Level II is the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System, established by CMS's Alpha-Numeric Editorial Panel. HCPCS primarily represents items, supplies, and non-physician services not covered by the AMA's CPT-4 codes. Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers use HCPCS procedures and modifier codes for claims processing.

The HCPCS level II coding system is a comprehensive and standardized system that classifies similar products that are medical in nature into categories for the purpose of efficient claims processing. For each alphanumeric HCPCS code, there is descriptive terminology that identifies a category of like items. These codes are used primarily for billing purposes. For example, suppliers use HCPCS level II codes to identify items on claim forms that are being billed to a private or public health insurer.

Supporting Resource: ICD-9-CM-Vols. 1, 2 & 3 - For Hospitals (The National Center for Health Statistics & The Center for Medicare & medicaid Services, 6th Edition, ©2009)

This sixth edition is being published by the United States Government in recognition of its responsibility to promulgate this classification throughout the United States for morbidity coding.

The International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) is the official system of assigning codes to diagnoses and procedures associated with hospital utilization in the United States. The ICD-9 is used to code and classify mortality data from death certificates.

New Edition: ACP Medicine

ACP Medicine
Authors: David C. Dale, M.D., & Daniel D. Federman, M.D., M.A.C.P
BC Decker, 3rd Edition, ©2008

ACP Medicine is the first comprehensive reference to carry the name of the American College of Physicians. Developed to help busy physicians keep up with changing guidelines in primary care, ACP Medicine is a continually updated, evidence-based reference of internal medicine.

This respected adult primary care reference not only addresses the underlying science of a given condition but also provides the experts’ recommended approach to diagnosis and treatment. Sections cover the internal medicine disciplines, as well as dermatology, neurology, and psychiatry. Abundant references to current best evidence ensure further study time is well spent, and exquisite illustrations, many in four-color, enhance understanding of difficult scientific concepts. Continually updated, with approximately 15 new and revised chapters incorporated each quarter, this peer-reviewed reference is also praised for its readability.

Supporting Resource: Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment (McGraw Hill Publishers Inc., 48th Edition, ©2009)

This resource delivers the most current insights into signs, symptoms, epidemiology, etiology, and treatment for over 1,000 diseases and disorders. Turn to any topic, and you'll find on-the-spot, evidence-based answers that reflect the most recent developments in diagnosis and treatment. This concise, authoritative reference gets you up to speed--fast--on the latest medical advances, prevention strategies, cost-effective treatments, and more.

New Edition: Control of Communicable Diseases Manual

Control of Communicable Diseases Manual
Author: David L. Heymann, MD
American Public Health Association, 18th Edition, ©2004

The most widely recognized sourcebook on infectious diseases provides detailed, accurate, informative text for public health workers in official and voluntary health agencies, including those serving in the armed forces and other governmental agencies, and for all students of medicine. Each listing is easy to read and includes identification, infectious agent, occurrence, mode of transmission, incubation period, susceptibility and resistance.

For this new edition, parallel updates have been carried out on most chapters by experts at both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Atlanta, USA) and the World Health Organization (Geneva, Switzerland), the better to ensure its global relevance. New disease variants are included, and some chapters have been entirely reworked - the chapter on influenza, for example, includes separate sections on seasonal influenza and human influenza of avian/animal origin. New chapters have been added, following feedback from previous editions, in order to keep the manual as relevant as possible in the face of ever-changing public health needs. 

Supporting Resource: Current Diagnosis and Treatment in Infectious Diseases (McGraw Hill Publishers Inc., ©2001)

This title is a "one-stop" source of essential, clinically oriented information on infectious diseases for students, practitioners and other health care providers in both hospital and ambulatory settings. Internationally renowned infectious disease experts offer guidance in recognizing, treating and preventing one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Clinically focused and comprehensive, the e-book covers the essentials of diagnosis and syndromes in children and adults.

New Edition: Internal Medicine Essentials for Clerkship Students

Internal Medicine Essentials for Clerkship Students
Author: Patrick C. Alguire, MD, FACP
American College of Physicians, 2nd Edition, ©2009

This title is a collaborative project of the American College of Physicians (ACP) and the Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine (CDIM), the organization of individuals responsible for teaching internal medicine to medical students. The purpose of IM Essentials is to provide medical students with an authoritative educational resource that can be used to augment learning during the third year internal medicine clerkship. Much of the content is based upon two evidence-based resources of ACP: the Medical Knowledge Self-Assessment Program (MKSAP) and the Physician Information and Education Resource (PIER); other sources include recently published practice guidelines and review articles. IM Essentials is updated every two years with the best available evidence and is designed to be read cover-to-cover during the clerkship.

Based upon student feedback, this resource contains twice as many color plates and algorithms as its predecessor and more than 100 extra tables to enhance learning (and passing tests!). An index now provides fuller subject access.

Supporting Resource: ACP Medicine (BC Decker, 3rd Edition, ©2008)

This respected adult primary care reference not only addresses the underlying science of a given condition but also provides the experts’ recommended approach to diagnosis and treatment. Sections cover the internal medicine disciplines, as well as dermatology, neurology, and psychiatry. Abundant references to current best evidence ensure further study time is well spent, and exquisite illustrations, many in four-color, enhance understanding of difficult scientific concepts. Continually updated, with approximately 15 new and revised chapters incorporated each quarter, this peer-reviewed reference is also praised for its readability.