Tools for Practice #341 Forget about it? Statins and the risk of dementia
Do statins negatively affect cognition, memory, or dementia?
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and large, long-term observational studies suggest no association between statins and risk of dementia or worsening cognition scores. Read More
29 May 2023
Tools for Practice #340 – Crying babies: Can proton pump inhibitors help?
In infants (≤1year) with crying/irritability attributed to feeds, do proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) improve symptoms over placebo without additional harms?
PPIs do not improve crying, fussiness, irritability, or regurgitation attributed to feeds. However, PPIs may increase the risk of serious adverse effects (e.g., respiratory tract infections) from 2.5% on placebo to 12% at 4 weeks. Read More
15 May 2023
Tools for Practice #339 Is acetaminophen under pressure?
Does regular use of acetaminophen increase blood pressure?
Taking 3-4g of acetaminophen per day for 2-4 weeks increases systolic blood pressure by 3-4 mmHg. Clinicians should consider that regular use of acetaminophen can be a cause of elevated blood pressure in some patients. Read More
1 May 2023
Tools for Practice #338 Ritonavir-boosted nirmatrelvir (Paxlovid®): And you thought we were done with COVID! (Free)
Is ritonavir-boosted nirmatrelvir (Paxlovid®) a safe and effective oral therapy for the treatment of COVID-19?
In unvaccinated patients at risk of severe outcomes, oral ritonavir-boosted nirmatrelvir (Paxlovid®) reduces the risk of hospitalization due to COVID-19 from 6.2% to 0.8% and all-cause mortality from 1.2% to 0%. Real-world evidence suggests effectiveness in Omicron-infected. Adverse events include taste disturbances and potentially serious drug interactions exist. Read More
17 April 2023
Tools for Practice #337 – Clear, not cloudy: Antibiotic options for uncomplicated urinary tract infections
What is the preferred treatment regimen for uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)?
For symptom resolution, all antibiotics are similar. Based on limited evidence, best guidance for treatment durations for symptom resolution are nitrofurantoin 5-day; trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, beta-lactams, ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin 3-day, and fosfomycin 1-day. Treatment choice should be driven by patient preference, local resistance, side effects, and allergies. Read More
3 April 2023
