Nurses Clinical Briefs

• USPSTF Issues New Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines CME/CE The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends against routine mammography screening for women before age 50 years and suggests that screening end at age 74 years.
  Medscape Medical News CME, November 2009
• Pain Control Recommended for Newborns CME/CE In a prospective study, any method of pain control for newborns was better than none, and feeding and breast-feeding during heel-lancing were found to be the most effective methods of pain relief.
  Medscape Medical News CME, November 2009
• Role of Primary Care Clinicians in HIV Management Reviewed CME/CE A review describes the role of primary care clinicians in the treatment of patients with HIV infection.
  Medscape Medical News CME, November 2009
• Diet Rich in Processed Food Linked to Increased Risk for Depression CME/CE A diet rich in processed foods has been linked to an increased risk for depression, whereas a whole food diet that includes fish, fruit, and vegetables appears to be protective.
  Medscape Medical News CME, November 2009
• Nicotine Patch Plus Lozenge Best Therapy for Smoking Cessation CME/CE An important head-to-head study of smoking cessation therapies shows combination treatment with a nicotine patch plus lozenge doubles the rate of abstinence at 6 months.
  Medscape Medical News CME, November 2009
• Primary Care Clinicians Key in Preventing Major Depression in the Elderly CME/CE Factors routinely assessed in primary care identify elderly subjects who are candidates for depression prevention.
  Medscape Medical News CME, November 2009
• First-Time Antipsychotic Use Linked to Rapid Weight Gain, Adverse Metabolic Changes in Kids CME/CE First-time, second-generation antipsychotic use in children and adolescents is associated with rapid and significant weight gain as well as varied adverse metabolic changes, new research shows.
  Medscape Medical News CME, November 2009
• Inhaled Corticosteroids May Be Helpful in Steroid-Naive Patients With Moderate to Severe COPD CME/CE In a randomized controlled trial, inhaled corticosteroids reduced inflammation and slowed decline in lung function in these patients; adding a long-acting beta agonist did not enhance these effects.
  Medscape Medical News CME, October 2009
• CDC Issues Guidelines for Early Empiric Antiviral Treatment in Persons With Suspected Influenza CME/CE The new recommendations aim to assist clinicians in prioritizing use of antiviral medications for hospitalized patients and those at higher risk for influenza-related complications.
  Medscape Medical News CME, October 2009
• New-Onset Breast Tenderness During Hormone Therapy Linked to Increased Breast Cancer Risk CME/CE In a randomized controlled trial, new-onset breast tenderness during conjugated equine estrogens plus medroxyprogesterone therapy was associated with increased breast cancer risk.
  Medscape Medical News CME, October 2009
• Nontraditional Risk Factors May Not Help Assess Coronary Heart Disease Risk CME/CE The USPSTF found that there was not enough evidence to evaluate the benefits and harms of using any of the 9 risk factors to screen asymptomatic men and women with no history of coronary heart disease.
  Medscape Medical News CME, October 2009
• Nontramadol Opioids Should Not Be Routinely Used for Osteoarthritis CME/CE In a review, small to moderate benefits of nontramadol opioids were outweighed by large increases in risk for adverse events; these should not be used routinely even if osteoarthritic pain is severe.
  Medscape Medical News CME, October 2009
• Maternal Smoking in Pregnancy Linked to Increased Risk for Psychotic Symptoms in Adolescents CME/CE A new cohort study from the United Kingdom shows that maternal (but not paternal) use of tobacco during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk for psychotic symptoms in their children.
  Medscape Medical News CME, October 2009
• Strategies for Diagnosing and Treating Dehydration in Children CME/CE A review article for the family practitioner offers strategies for diagnosing and treating dehydration in children; oral rehydration therapy is preferred in most cases.
  Medscape Medical News CME, October 2009
• New Review Confirms Homocysteine Lowering Does Not Prevent CVD Events CME/CE The latest review to look at the effects of homocysteine lowering with vitamin-B supplementation has come to much the same conclusions as most other studies and analyses in this field.
  Heartwire CME, October 2009
• Prenatal SSRIs Linked to Problems in Newborns CME/CE Babies of mothers who took selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors during pregnancy are more likely to have preterm birth, low 5-minute Apgar scores, and neonatal intensive care unit admission.
  Medscape Medical News CME, October 2009
• Mediterranean Diet May Cut Depression Risk CME/CE A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, and fish and light on red meat may prevent depression.
  Medscape Medical News CME, October 2009
• Mercury/Blood-Pressure Link Should Guide Fish Choices CME/CE An association seen between mercury levels and blood pressure has researchers warning about the need to weigh the risks and benefits of fish consumption and to steer clear of bigger predators.
  Heartwire CME, October 2009
• Adiposity in Midlife May Reduce Healthy Survival in Women Who Live to Older Ages CME/CE A prospective cohort study shows that adiposity in midlife is strongly related to a lower probability of healthy survival among women who live to older ages.
  Medscape Medical News CME, October 2009
• Surgical Mask May Be Comparable to N95 Respirator in Halting Flu Transmission CME/CE In a randomized controlled trial, use of a surgical mask compared with an N95 respirator was associated with noninferior rates of laboratory-confirmed influenza in healthcare workers.
  Medscape Medical News CME, October 2009