Journal of general internal medicine
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Review Case Reports
Hypercalcemia in pregnancy: a case of milk-alkali syndrome.
Milk-alkali syndrome is a rare cause of hypercalcemia characterized by the triad of hypercalcemia, renal insufficiency, and metabolic alkalosis that results from the overconsumption of calcium containing products. In the setting of pregnancy where there is a physiologic increase in calcium absorption, milk-alkali syndrome can be potentially life threatening. We report a case of a 26-year-old woman in her second trimester of pregnancy who presented with 2 weeks of flank pain, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, headache, and lightheadedness. ⋯ Her symptoms and hypercalcemia resolved with intravenous fluids and a loop diuretic. With the increased use of calcium carbonate for peptic ulcer disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and osteoporosis, milk-alkali syndrome has experienced a resurgence and must be considered in the differential diagnosis of hypercalcemia. In this clinical vignette we review the literature on milk-alkali syndrome in pregnancy and discuss important diagnostic and therapeutic considerations when managing the pregnant patient with hypercalcemia.
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Review
Determining whether a patient is feeling better: pitfalls from the science of human perception.
Human perception is fallible and may lead patients to be inaccurate when judging whether their symptoms are improving with treatment. This article provides a narrative review of studies in psychology that describe misconceptions related to a patient's comprehension, recall, evaluation and expression. The specific misconceptions include the power of suggestion (placebo effects), desire for peace-of-mind (cognitive dissonance reduction), inconsistent standards (loss aversion), a flawed sense of time (duration neglect), limited perception (measurement error), declining sensitivity (Weber's law), an eagerness to please (social desirability bias), and subtle affirmation (personal control). An awareness of specific pitfalls might help clinicians avoid some mistakes when providing follow-up and interpreting changes in patient symptoms.
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The ACGME-released revisions to the 2003 duty hour standards. ⋯ Since 2003, patient mortality appears to have improved, although this could be due to secular trends. Resident well-being appears improved. Change in resident educational experience is less clear.
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Secondary analyses of large datasets provide a mechanism for researchers to address high impact questions that would otherwise be prohibitively expensive and time-consuming to study. This paper presents a guide to assist investigators interested in conducting secondary data analysis, including advice on the process of successful secondary data analysis as well as a brief summary of high-value datasets and online resources for researchers, including the SGIM dataset compendium ( www.sgim.org/go/datasets ). ⋯ Secondary dataset analysis is a well-established methodology. Secondary analysis is particularly valuable for junior investigators, who have limited time and resources to demonstrate expertise and productivity.
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Review Comparative Study
Physicians, the Affordable Care Act, and primary care: disruptive change or business as usual?
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act 1 (ACA) presages disruptive change in primary care delivery. With expanded access to primary care for millions of new patients, physicians and policymakers face increased pressure to solve the perennial shortage of primary care practitioners. Despite the controversy surrounding its enactment, the ACA should motivate organized medicine to take the lead in shaping new strategies for meeting the nation's primary care needs. ⋯ First, physicians and medical professional organizations should abandon their long-standing opposition to non-physician practitioners (NPPs) as primary care providers. Second, physicians should re-imagine how primary care is delivered, including shifting routine care to NPPs while retaining responsibility for complex patients and oversight of the new primary care arrangements. Third, the ACA's focus on wellness and prevention creates opportunities for physicians to integrate population health into primary care practice.