NEJM Journal Watch - General Medicine

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

This combination is associated with high rates of adverse events.

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

A new guideline recommends aggressive lipid reduction — with new optional targets to levels lower than previously endorsed.

In a large retrospective study, the prevalence of retained gastric contents was 9%.

In a randomized trial comparing use of a direct oral anticoagulant versus no anticoagulant, ischemic stroke was reduced with DOAC treatment, but this was partially offset by a higher brain hemorrhage rate.

Possibly, but more than anything, this study reinforces the fact that statin therapy slows progression of atherosclerosis.

This effect is more pronounced in people with lower levels of kidney function at the time of stopping.

Rates of major congenital malformations were similar for both.

In a small trial, a 4:3 intermittent-fasting diet resulted in significantly more weight loss than did daily calorie restriction.