Clin Med
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With a steadily increasing healthcare burden, all physicians must be aware of methods to manage the complications of chronic liver disease, including hepatic encephalopathy. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the USA and several European countries as a treatment for recurrent hepatic encephalopathy an increasing number of patients are now receiving rifaximin for this condition. This ‘lesson of the month’ highlights the dramatic effect that rifaximin may have on hepatic encephalopathy.
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Asthma patients often try some form of alternative medicine. This article questions whether this is good or bad. ⋯ Thus the risk-benefit balance fails to be positive. Patients are often mislead to believe otherwise and physicians should inform their asthma patients responsibly about the value of alternative medicine.
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Asthma most definitely hasn't gone away. This article provides a review of the Royal College of Physician's conference in March 2012, which progressed attendees' understanding of both the basic science and clinical aspects of asthma care. The article highlights key clinical messages from the programme for general physicians--e.g., how best to approach the assessment of patients with severe asthma.