The American journal of medicine
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The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and type of complementary medicine (CM) use as well as potential factors related to CM use in a representative sample of US adults with self-reported post-COVID-19. ⋯ Our findings show a high prevalence of CM use among post-COVID-19 respondents, which highlights the need for further investigations on effectiveness, safety, and possible mechanisms of action.
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This review addresses important issues that face practitioners today concerning the treatment of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). It points out how the accepted efficacy of HFpEF medication treatment has changed. Medications are now recommended for use in HFpEF that have diuretic properties and are significant because of a reduction in the frequency of the development of heart failure (not mortality). ⋯ Chlorthalidone, possibly with a generic mineralocorticoid antagonist, could be an acceptable low-cost alternate therapy as secondary treatment for HFpEF. Of course, chlorthalidone does not have the other theoretic benefits of the sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors or finerenone. It would be helpful if this was discussed in the upcoming HFpEF guidelines, especially for use in patients who cannot afford or tolerate the new HFpEF medications.
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The long-term symptomatology of COVID-19 has yet to be comprehensively described. The aim of the study was to describe persistent COVID-19 symptoms in a cohort of hospitalized and home-isolated patients. ⋯ Long-term sequelae are present in a remarkable number of long COVID patients and pose a new challenge to the health care system to identify long-lasting effects and improve patients' well-being. Multidisciplinary teams are crucial to develop preventive measures, and clinical management strategies.
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While factors associated with long COVID (LC) continue to be illuminated, little is known about recovery. This study used national survey data to assess factors associated with recovery from LC. ⋯ Significant variations in LC recovery were noted across age, sex, race and ethnicity, education, and severity of COVID-19 symptoms. Further work is needed to elucidate the causes of these differences and identify strategies to increase recovery rates.
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From the time of Galen, examination of the pupillary light reflex has been a standard of care across the continuum of health care. The growing body of evidence overwhelmingly supports the use of quantitative pupillometry over subjective examination with flashlight or penlight. At current time, pupillometers have become standard of care in many hospitals across 6 continents. This review paper provides an overview and rationale for pupillometer use and highlights literature supporting pupillometer-derived measures of the pupillary light reflex in both neurological and non-neurological patients across the health care continuum.