Q: Which treatments are safe and effective for chronic sinusitis? Evidence-based answer: for adults with chronic rhinosinusitis (crs), intranasal steroid (ins) therapy is more likely than placebo to improve symptoms (50% ...

Q: Does vitamin D without calcium reduce fracture risk? Evidence-based answer: No. Supplemental vitamin D without calcium -- in doses averaging as much as 800 IU per day -- doesn't reduce the risk of hip, vertebral, or nonvertebral fractures...

Q: Does breastfeeding affect the risk of childhood obesity? Evidence-based answer: Yes. Even having breastfed during the first year of life is associated with a 15% lower risk of overweight or obesity over the next 2 to ...

An effective migraine prevention alternative with minimal adverse effects Melatonin is an accessible and affordable option for preventing migraine headaches in chronic sufferers.

Steroids during late preterm labor: Better later than never. Steroids--even when administered in the last leg of the late preterm period--still reduce the likelihood of respiratory complications in newborns. Practice changer: Use steroids in women...

Q: What are the risks of long-term PPI for GERD symptoms in patients > 65 years? EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: THE USE OF PROTON PUMP INHIBITORS (PPIs) to control gastrointestinal esophageal reflux disease (GRED) is significantly associated with increased...

Is 5 days of antibiotic therapy really sufficient for adults hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia? PRACTICE CHANGER: Prescribe 5 days of antibiotic treatment for inpatients with community-acquired pneumonia because it produces the same...

outcomes. Visual skin cancer screening overall is associated with false-positive rates as follows: 28 biopsies for each melanoma detected, 9 to 10 biopsies for each basal cell carcinoma, and 28 to 56 biopsies for squamous cell carcinoma. False...

Aspirin, yes, for at-risk elderly -- but what about the healthy elderly? This study paints a decidedly different picture asa to what role -- if any -- aspirin can play in the primary prevention of CVD for older adults. PRACTICE CHANGER: Do...

Can vitamin D prevent acute respiratory infections? A systematic review and meta-analysis says Yes, but the dosages used may not be what you'd expect. PRACTICE CHANGER: Reduce acute respiratory tract infections in those with significant vitamin D...

"Cold turkey" works best for smoking cessation. PRACTICE CHANGER: Counsel patients who want to quit smoking that abrupt smoking cessation is more effective for long-term abstinence than taking a gradual approach. STRENGTH OF RECOMMENDATION: B: Based...

Q: Are oral emergency contraceptives a safe & effective form of long-term birth control? A: Yes, but not as effective as some other methods. Annual pregnancy rates in women using pericoital levonor- gestrel 150 mcg to 1 ...

Q: What's the best VTE treatment for patients with cancer? Evidence-based answer: No. Head-to-head studies directly compare all the main treatments for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in cancer patients. Long-term treatment (3-12 months) with low...

infections (CDIs), fecal microbial transplant (FMT) results in a 65% to 80% cure rate with one treatment and 90% to 95% cure rate with repeated treatments compared with a 25% to 27% cure rate for antibiotics (strength of recommendation [SOR]: B, small open...

Q: Do statins alter the risk or progression of dementia? Evidence-based answer: No. Moderate-intensity statin therapy (with pravastatin or simvastatin) doesn't prevent progression to dementia in patients at increased risk. No prevention studies...

Prescribe a mineralocorticoid-receptor antagonist for patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II systolic heart failure and an ejection fraction (EF) ≤30%. Eplerenone has been found to decrease hospitalizations ...

Q: How effective is spironolactone for treating resistant hypertension? EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: VERY EFFECTIVE. Spironolactone reduces systolic blood pressure (SPB) by 11 to 17 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure (DPB) by ...