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February 2009 — Heart Disease 
According to the American Heart Association, an estimated 80 million Americans have one or more types of cardiovascular disease. As you know, Whether you are a primary care provider or specialist, you can help protect patients by sharing this quick list of what they can do to reduce their chances of getting heart disease. Several are mainstays of general good health, but are worth revisiting. Your patients should:
Healthcare professionals like you can access the full disease monographs on your handheld device with Epocrates® Essentials and Epocrates® Essentials Deluxe or on your desktop at Epocrates Online. Also in this issue: |
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Test your knowledge! Can you identify the disease or condition in this image? Brought to you by Epocrates Online, featuring at-a-glance disease overviews, detailed diagnostic and treatment recommendations, and national medical society guidelines. |
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Are you receiving DocAlert messages? Just update (sync) your handheld or visit our help page to learn more. Can Sleeping Longer Save Coronary Arteries? An intriguing study published in JAMA found that longer sleep (measured by wrist actigraphy) was directly associated with lessened coronary artery calcification five years later, independent of various potential confounders (age, sex, race, education, apnea risk, smoking) and mediators such as lipids, BP, BMI, diabetes, inflammatory markers, alcohol consumption, depression, hostility, and medical conditions. Sleeping one hour longer each night reduced the odds of new coronary calcification by about a third; this was equivalent in effect to a decrease in systolic blood pressure of 16.5 mm Hg. The authors stress that the finding needs further testing in future studies, which should shed light on a possible association with coronary events and disentangle the role of mediators.
Blood Pressure Self Monitoring: British Medical Journal Clinical Review Systematic reviews show that blood pressure is lower when self monitored; some have suggested a "correction" factor in the order of 10/5 mm Hg for comparison. The ability to take multiple measurements results in better estimation of "true" mean blood pressure for diagnosis and monitoring, by reducing effects of inherent variability. Current treatment recommendations are based on office measurements. Yet, self monitored readings correlate better with risk of stroke than office readings. This BMJ review—based on evidence from randomized trials, systematic reviews, and expert consensus—discusses the clinical importance of BP self measurement in diagnosing hypertension, titration of drugs, and longer term monitoring.
Topical Anesthetics: Potentially Serious Hazards |
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It’s here! Introducing Epocrates Essentials for the iPhone! Designed exclusively for your iPhone or iPod® touch, our first premium product for the iPhone is packed with helpful features:
It's really easy to use — and affordable too at only $149 for one year or $249 for two years. We created this clinical video demonstration to show you how simple it is to find the information you need quickly.
BlackBerry Storm and Epocrates – Together at Last! We’re happy to announce that Epocrates Rx Pro and Epocrates Rx are now available on the BlackBerry Storm. With Epocrates Rx you can get our extensive drug guide, health plan insurance formularies, drug-drug interaction checker and Pill ID tool for FREE.
For only $60/year, Epocrates Rx Pro gives you even more, with helpful features like treatment guidelines for hundreds of infectious diseases, 600+ alternative medicines, and IV compatibility checker with weight-based dosing calculator.
Leukemia Mobile Resource Center A brand new Mobile Resource Center! The Leukemia Mobile Resource Center is now available as a FREE download. You’ll receive the most important and current clinical news and research on leukemia. The articles are carefully selected and commented upon by Contributing Editor Hagop Kantarjian, MD, Chairman of the Leukemia Department at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Mobile Resources Centers are available on Windows Mobile (Pocket PC) and Palm OS. Hypertension Mobile Resource Center Another brand new Mobile Resource Center! The Hypertension Mobile Resource Center is available as a FREE download. This convenient handheld resource provides an intelligent, editorially independent summary of the latest and most relevant clinical news and research on hypertension. The content is carefully selected and commented upon by contributing editor Norman Kaplan, MD, Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and the author of the renowned textbook, Kaplan’s Clinical Hypertension. And don’t forget! Mobile Resource Centers are also available for IBS & Chronic Constipation, Epilepsy, Allergy & Asthma, Diabetes, Chronic Pain Management, Fibromyalgia, ADHD, and Infection Management. Mobile Resources Centers are available on Windows Mobile (Pocket PC) and Palm OS. Updates at a Glance
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