Metformin: Drug for Multiple Conditions
As a front-line treatment for type 2 diabetes, metformin is among the most widely prescribed drugs in the United States. In 2021 alone, clinicians wrote more than 91 million orders for the medication — up from 40 million 2004.
Podcast: Multiple Chronic Conditions Emerging Research and Gaps in Care
Join Cynthia Boyd, MD, MPH, John Hopkins Medicine, and Arlene Bierman, MD, MS, AHRQ’s Center for Evidence and Practice Improvement and Rafael Samper-Ternent, MD, PhD, UT Health Houston as they discuss policy challenges and clinical care in relation to MCCs and aging, as well as knowledge gaps and areas to be improved.
Prolonged Sitting and Blood Pressure
Moderate to vigorous activity can benefit the physical, cognitive, emotional, and functional health of older adults. However, their levels of meeting physical activity guidelines are low, with older adults typically sitting for 65% to 80% of waking hours.
Metabolic and Mental Health Relationship
New research adds to the growing evidence that metabolic health affects the brain and can adversely affect mental health. Among more than 200,000 adults, high glucose and triglycerides and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were associated with a higher future risk for depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders.
The American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, the American College of Chest Physicians, and the Heart Rhythm Society have issued an updated guideline for preventing and managing atrial fibrillation
The 2023 ACC/AHA/ACCP/HRS Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Atrial Fibrillation (ACC/AHA/ACCP/HRS Atrial Fibrillation Guideline) provides guidance for clinicians on the management of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF)
New Medication for Sleep Apnea
Tirzepatide reduced sleep apnea severity by up to nearly two-thirds in adults with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and obesity
The Aspirin Saga Continues
As the pendulum has swung against recommending aspirin for the primary prevention of heart attacks and strokes, clinicians should focus on other ways to help patients avoid cardiovascular events
Comprehensive, Evidence-Based, Consensus Guidelines for Prescription of Opioids for Chronic Non-Cancer Pain from the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP)
Opioid prescribing in the United States is decreasing, however, the opioid epidemic is continuing at an uncontrollable rate. Available data show a significant number of opioid deaths, primarily associated with illicit fentanyl use.
Diagnostic Errors in Hospitalized Adults Who Died or Were Transferred to Intensive Care
How often do diagnostic errors happen in adult patients who are transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) or die in the hospital, what causes the errors, and what are the associated harms?
Introduction and Methodology: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2024
Diabetes is a complex, chronic condition requiring continuous medical care with multifactorial risk-reduction strategies beyond glycemic management.
AHRQ Research Priorities and Compliance Guidance
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is the lead Federal agency charged with improving the quality of healthcare for all Americans. Providing high-quality care means providing safe, effective, and individualized care to meet the consumer’s desires but also accomplished promptly, efficiently, and equitably.
2024 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics: A Report of US and Global Data From the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association (AHA), in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health, annually reports the most up-to-date statistics related to heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascular risk factors, including core health behaviors (smoking, physical activity, nutrition, sleep, and obesity) and health factors (cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose control, and metabolic syndrome) that contribute to cardiovascular health.
Chronic Pain in the US: New Data
In 2020, 54 million US adults with chronic pain managed their symptoms with a mix of medication and nonpharmacologic therapies but one in four relied on medication alone, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show.
Common Meds Link to Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Type 2 Diabetes
HAMBURG, Germany – Use of some antibiotic and antipsychotic drugs increases the risk of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) among people with type 2 diabetes who do not have a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD), shows the first such analysis of real-world, primary care data.
Older Adults at Risk From Inappropriate Prescribing
Roughly 2% of prescriptions to older patients appear to be inappropriate — but the figure does not appear to differ between physicians and nurse practitioners, according to a study published last month in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Cardiologists develop new way to evaluate heart risks—kidney function, metabolic health included for first time
The American Heart Association (AHA) has unveiled a new risk calculator for cardiovascular disease (CVD) designed to capture more helpful, accurate evaluations of a patient’s risks than ever before. The announcement comes just one day before AHA’s annual Scientific Sessions meeting, AHA 23, kicks off in Philadelphia.
Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Health: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association has defined a new medical condition that reflects a strong link between obesity, diabetes, heart and kidney disease. The goal is to recognize the condition known as cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome or CKM. Goal is to achieve an earlier diagnosis and treatment for persons at risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
2023 AHA/ACC/ACCP/ASPC/NLA/PCNA Guideline for the Management of Patients With Chronic Coronary Disease: A Report of the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines
Since 1980, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) have translated scientific evidence into clinical practice guidelines with recommendations to improve cardiovascular health. These guidelines, which are based on systematic methods to evaluate and classify evidence, provide a foundation for the delivery of quality cardiovascular care.
Antiamyloid Monoclonal Antibody Therapy for Alzheimer Disease: Emerging Issues in Neurology
With recent data demonstrating that lecanemab treatment can slow cognitive and functional decline in early symptomatic Alzheimer disease (AD), it is widely anticipated that this drug and potentially other monoclonal antibody infusions targeting amyloid-β protein will imminently be realistic options for some patients with AD.
Special Report: Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns 2023
The 2023 edition of our list features many first-time topics, and emphasis is on potential risks that could have the biggest impact on patients. The number one topic on this year’s lists has been steadily growing and was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic: the pediatric mental health crisis.
Screen High-Risk Individuals for NAFLD, Urges Guidance
People at high risk for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), such as those with type 2 diabetes or medically complicated obesity, should be screened for advanced fibrosis, says new guidance from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.
CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain — United States, 2022
Pain is one of the most common reasons adults seek medical care in the United States. Acute pain, a nearly universal experience, is a physiologic response to noxious stimuli that can become pathologic.
INTEGRATING CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE RISK CALCULATORS INTO PRIMARY CARE
Why CVD Risk Calculation Is So Important?
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death for men and women across most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. The problem is immense: nearly two out of every three Americans will develop CVD in their lifetime and more than 600,000 Americans die from heart disease each year – accounting for one in every four deaths nationwide.
What You Need to Know About CDC’s Updated Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids
Everyone should receive safe and effective pain care. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) understands that treating patients living with pain can be complex and that treatment is highly individualized.
Comparison of diuretics shows no difference in heart failure survival
NIH-funded clinical trial underscores need for better treatments for deadly condition.
Good hydration linked to healthy aging
NIH findings may provide early clues about increased risks for advanced biological aging and premature death.
For Hospice Care, a Pressing Need to Ensure Quality for Patients and Families
In the last of four blog posts on the challenges of advancing healthcare quality, members of AHRQ’s National Advisory Council highlight that little is known about the current quality of hospice care and how it varies across hospice programs. The authors assert that, as the population ages and older Americans continue to rely on hospice for their end-of-life care, there needs to be a call to action across all federal healthcare agencies, ensuring patients and their loved ones receive the quality of care they need. While hospice care outcome measures should not be overly complex, they must be actionable, applicable, and meaningful to patients and caregivers. Access the blog post, as well as a previous overview blog by AHRQ Director Robert Otto Valdez, Ph.D., M.H.S.A.
ADA Advises New BP, Lipid Targets for People With Diabetes
New more aggressive targets for blood pressure and lipids are among the changes to the annual American Diabetes Association (ADA) Standards of Care in Diabetes — 2023.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Adults: Screening
Recommendations made by the USPSTF are independent of the U.S. government. They should not be construed as an official position of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
5 key takeaways from new ACC/AHA aortic disease guidelines
The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) have released new guidelines for the diagnosis and management of patients presenting with aortic disease. The in-depth document, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, covers a variety of topics, including thoracic aortic disease, peripheral artery disease, shared decision-making and cardiac imaging.