Arch Intern Med
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Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a possible noncardiac cause of cardiac arrest. Mortality is very high, and often diagnosis is established only by autopsy. ⋯ Mortality related to cardiac arrest caused by PE is high. Echocardiography is supportive in determining PE as the cause of cardiac arrest. In view of the poor prognosis, thrombolysis should be attempted to achieve return of spontaneous circulation and probably better outcome.
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Multicenter Study
Do depression symptoms predict early hypertension incidence in young adults in the CARDIA study? Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults.
Hypertension has been linked to several psychological factors, including depression, but the relation between hypertension incidence and depressive symptoms has not been adequately examined. ⋯ Depressive symptoms were predictive of later hypertension incidence in young adults, and young blacks with depressive symptoms were at high risk of developing hypertension.
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To provide recommendations for the management of community-acquired pneumonia and the surveillance of drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (DRSP). ⋯ When implicated in cases of pneumonia, S pneumoniae should be considered susceptible if penicillin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) is no greater than 1 microg/mL, of intermediate susceptibility if MIC is 2 microg/ mL, and resistant if MIC is no less than 4 microg/mL. For outpatient treatment of community-acquired pneumonia, suitable empirical oral antimicrobial agents include a macrolide (eg, erythromycin, clarithromycin, azithromycin), doxycycline (or tetracycline) for children aged 8 years or older, or an oral beta-lactam with good activity against pneumococci (eg, cefuroxime axetil, amoxicillin, or a combination of amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium). Suitable empirical antimicrobial regimens for inpatient pneumonia include an intravenous beta-lactam, such as cefuroxime, ceftriaxone sodium, cefotaxime sodium, or a combination of ampicillin sodium and sulbactam sodium plus a macrolide. New fluoroquinolones with improved activity against S pneumoniae can also be used to treat adults with community-acquired pneumonia. To limit the emergence of fluoroquinolone-resistant strains, the new fluoroquinolones should be limited to adults (1) for whom one of the above regimens has already failed, (2) who are allergic to alternative agents, or (3) who have a documented infection with highly drug-resistant pneumococci (eg, penicillin MIC > or =4 microg/mL). Vancomycin hydrochloride is not routinely indicated for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia or pneumonia caused by DRSP.
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More than 2 million Native Americans (ie, Native Americans and Native Alaskans) live in the United States; 60% reside in cities. This population, especially its elders, is especially susceptible to respiratory diseases; yet, adherence to guidelines for influenza and pneumococcal immunizations is unknown. ⋯ Regardless of age or risk, inadequate vaccination rates were observed in elderly Native Americans. Our findings suggest the need to identify obstacles to immunization and to conduct prospective and elderly intervention studies in Native American populations.
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The high incidence and prevalence of end-stage kidney disease among African Americans is well known, but the epidemiology of acute renal failure (ARF) among African Americans is unknown. This study was designed to determine the incidence, associated risk factors, and prognosis of ARF in hospitalized African Americans and to compare these variables in hospital-acquired ARF (HA-ARF) against community-acquired ARF (CA-ARF). ⋯ The overall epidemiologic characteristics of ARF among hospitalized African Americans seem to be comparable to those in whites, but the difference in incidence between CA-ARF and HA-ARF was much higher in African Americans. In view of the high mortality and morbidity rates associated with ARF and the fact that younger African American patients with CA-ARF were more likely to die than their older counterparts, we recommend that renal failure awareness be incorporated into community-based health educational programs in African American populations.