Recent DocAlert Messages — Editors' Pick
All Epocrates mobile products include the DocAlert medical news service to
help you stay on top of the latest developments.
DocAlerts are brief medical
news alerts delivered to your mobile device when you AutoUpdate (sync while connected
to the Internet). They are designed for quick scanning, and allow you to determine
if you want more comprehensive information on the topic. DocAlert messages
are carefully selected by Epocrates editors, often in consultation with outside
specialists and publishers, and include summaries and expert commentary. Topics
include clinical alerts, CME alerts, government safety alerts, and medically
relevant tips on practice management.
Below are some selected messages from our
news service.
Does prescribing antibiotics for viral infections save time?
Bottom line
Prescribing antibiotics for respiratory infections in children does not improve
patient satisfaction and, as shown in this study, doesn't save time. Of course,
as you know, antibiotic prescribing also doesn't affect the duration or severity
of these viral illnesses. (LOE = 2c)
Reference
Coco A, Mainous AG. Relation of time spent in an encounter with the use of
antibiotics in pediatric office visits for viral respiratory infections. Arch
Pediatr Adolesc Med 2005;159:1145-49. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve
&db=PubMed&list_uids=16330738&dopt=Abstract
Study design: Cross-sectional
Setting: Outpatient (primary care)
Synopsis
"If I don't give antibiotics, they won't be satisfied." "If
I don't give antibiotics, they will change doctors." "If I don't give
antibiotics, I will have to waste time explaining why." These are only a
smattering of the excuses physicians use to justify bad practice. In this study,
the authors used the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey to evaluate the
duration of visits for children presenting with colds or bronchitis. The survey,
completed by physicians and office staff, includes an item labeled "time
spent with a physician." The mean duration of the visits during which antibiotics
were prescribed was 14.24 minutes; the mean duration of the visits when antibiotics
were not prescribed was 14.18. Other studies have demonstrated that patient demand,
patient satisfaction, and the likelihood of switching physicians are not affected
by the receipt of an antibiotic. About the only thing prescribing antibiotics
does is increase the likelihood of subsequent drug-seeking behaviors.
The above message comes from "InfoPOEMs", who is solely responsible
for its content.
Fraudulent avian flu therapies could harm consumers or interfere with
conventional treatments
FDA notified healthcare professionals and patients that it issued warning
letters to nine companies marketing bogus flu products behind claims that their
products could be effective against preventing the avian flu or other forms of
influenza. FDA is not aware of any scientific evidence that demonstrates the
safety or effectiveness of these products for treating or preventing avian flu
and the agency is concerned that the use of these products could harm consumers
or interfere with conventional treatments.
Read the complete MedWatch
2005 Safety summary, including a link to the FDA
press release.
The above message comes from "FDA MedWatch", who is solely responsible
for its content.