NEJM Journal Watch - General Medicine

Is “As-Needed” Blood Pressure Medication Really Needed in Inpatients?

Treating inpatients who had asymptomatic BP elevations was associated with risk for acute kidney injury, myocardial infarction, stroke, or death.

Is Accelerated Surgery for Hip Fracture Better for High-Risk Patients?

In patients with hip fracture and an elevated troponin level, rapid surgical intervention was associated with lower mortality.

Do Older STEMI Patients with Cardiogenic Shock Benefit from Microaxial Flow Pump Use?

An exploratory analysis of randomized data demonstrates higher mortality and less clear benefit of mAFP use in older patients with STEMI-related cardiogenic shock.

Observations from ID and Beyond: Let's Hope the MMWR Resumes Publication Sooner Rather Than Later

In HIV and ID Observations, Dr. Paul Sax comments on the MMWR not going out for the first time in its more than 60-year history.

How Often Does Presumed Diverticular Bleeding Recur?

One quarter of patients experienced rebleeding during mean follow-up of 6 years after initial episodes of presumptive diverticular hemorrhage.

Bioprosthetic or Mechanical Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement?

Mechanical AVR was associated with a survival benefit in patients aged ≤60 years.

Peanut Immunotherapy for Patients Who Can Tolerate “A Little Bit of Peanut”

Most such patients tolerated escalating doses of store-bought peanut butter.

Patients Need Standardized Education for Accurate Home Blood Pressure Monitoring

Without guidance, patients often deviate from guidelines and do not perform high-quality measurements.

Coprescription of Gabapentinoids and Other Psychoactive Drugs in Patients on Dialysis

This combination is associated with high rates of adverse events.

Does Ceftaroline Perform Better Than Vancomycin for MRSA Bacteremia?

In patients with low-risk MRSA bacteremia, ceftaroline did not offer therapeutic benefits over vancomycin.