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Patients Using Benzodiazepines Found at Low Risk of Long-Term Use, Unsafe Doses
Most people who received prescriptions for benzodiazepines and related drugs were not long-term users and did not escalate to higher-than-recommended doses, according to a large population-based longitudinalstudy inAJP in Advance.Benzodiazepine receptor agonists (BZRAs), which include benzodiazepines and the so-called “Z-drugs” (zopiclone, eszopiclone, zaleplon, and zolpidem), are the most commonly used drugs for treating insomnia and anxiety. However, because people may build up a tolerance to the drugs and can abuse them, many countries have sought to restrict their prescription. In 2020, the Food and Drug Administra...
Source: Psychiatr News - September 25, 2023 Category: Psychiatry Tags: anxiety benzodiazepine prescriptions Benzodiazepine receptor agonists benzodiazepines insomnia Thomas Rosenqvist Z drugs Source Type: research

Cognitive phenotypes in late-onset epilepsy: results from the atherosclerosis risk in communities study
In this study, we identify cognitive phenotypes in older adults with late-onset epilepsy (LOE) and examine their demographic, clinical, and vascular profiles. Further, we examine whether specific phenotypes pose an increased risk for progressive cognitive decline.METHODS: Participants were part of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC), a prospective longitudinal community-based cohort study of 15,792 individuals initially enrolled in 1987-1989. LOE was identified from linked Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services claims data. Ninety-one participants with LOE completed comprehensive testing either prior t...
Source: Atherosclerosis - September 25, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Anny Reyes Andrea L C Schneider Anna M Kucharska-Newton Rebecca F Gottesman Emily L Johnson Carrie R McDonald Source Type: research

ASMBS Statement on Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery for Beneficiaries of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) with a Review of the Literature
Metabolic and Bariatric surgery (MBS) was first offered to the public in the 1960s. The introduction of laparoscopy in the late 1990 ’s revolutionized the field with a significant increase in the number of MBS procedures. The rapid growth of MBS led to more scrutiny regarding the outcomes of MBS especially in CMS Medicare beneficiaries.1-3 In November 2005, the Centers for Medicare& Medicaid services (CMS) considered a proposal to end coverage for MBS for Medicare beneficiaries>65 years of age due to safety concerns and increased surgical risk. (Source: Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases)
Source: Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases - September 25, 2023 Category: Surgery Authors: Abdelrahman Nimeri, Rodolfo Oviedo, Wesley R. Vosburg, John Fam, Cynthia A. Blalock, Maria S. Altieri, Toms Augustin, Peter Hallowell, Jonathan T. Carter, for the Clinical Issues Committee of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Tags: ASMBS Guidelines/Statements Source Type: research

Cloudiness in price transparency for hernia repair
This study by Gaffney et al. emphasizes the challenges that consumers face in making informed decisions about healthcare costs surrounding elective hernia repair despite this regulatory mandate.1 Though all hospitals included in this study had a online cost calculator per regulatory stand ards, many of these cost calculators could not be identified by independent online reviewers who had a background in healthcare. (Source: American Journal of Surgery)
Source: American Journal of Surgery - September 4, 2023 Category: Surgery Authors: Hannah Ficarino, Robert H. Hollis Tags: Invited Commentary Source Type: research

Adoption of Telehealth in the Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization defined COVID-19 as a pandemic.1 From March 18 to April 27, 2020, following expert recommendations from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), many states issued executive orders to restrict all procedures that were non-emergent.2 Resource limitation and quarantine policies also affected the care of patients with non-COVID-19 related conditions such as those seen in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS). Telehealth became an integral part of many healthcare systems to continue the provision of care. (Source: Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery)
Source: Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery - September 1, 2023 Category: ENT & OMF Authors: Saxon T. Day, Michael J. Cimba, Puhan He, Kevin Francois, Trinh Chau, Annachristine Hoover, Rabie M. Shanti, Anh D. Le Tags: Other Source Type: research

Autumn in New York: The case of long-term care facilities in the "Safe Staffing" lawsuit with less staffing but similar COVID-19 outcomes
DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: LTCFs involved in the lawsuit were deemed by policymakers as reducing staff, earning excess profits, and placing residents at-risk. While these LTCFs reported lower staffing levels, we observed no differences in resident outcomes during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers and policy makers should develop more nuanced perspectives concerning the relationship among LTCF staffing, outcomes, and organizational profitability.PMID:37638966 | DOI:10.1093/geront/gnad118 (Source: The Gerontologist)
Source: The Gerontologist - August 28, 2023 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Jason Semprini Brian Kaskie Source Type: research

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Variations in Use, Charges, and Geography in the United States
We examined the average number of TAVRs performed per 100,000 MBs, the average number of TAVRs performed per individual cardiologist, and the average submitted charge (ASC) per procedure. (Source: The American Journal of Cardiology)
Source: The American Journal of Cardiology - August 28, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Ayman R. Fath, Amro Aglan, Aditya Khurana, Jumanah Abuasbeh, Abdullah S. Eldaly, Yogamaya Mantha, Bishoy Abraham, Abdulbaril Olagunju, Anand Prasad Source Type: research

Cognitive phenotypes in late-onset epilepsy: results from the atherosclerosis risk in communities study
In this study, we identify cognitive phenotypes in older adults with late-onset epilepsy (LOE) and examine their demographic, clinical, and vascular profiles. Further, we examine whether specific phenotypes pose an increased risk for progressive cognitive decline.MethodsParticipants were part of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC), a prospective longitudinal community-based cohort study of 15,792 individuals initially enrolled in 1987–1989. LOE was identified from linked Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services claims data. Ninety-one participants with LOE completed comprehensive testing either prior t...
Source: Frontiers in Neurology - August 24, 2023 Category: Neurology Source Type: research

One Provider Anesthesia Model in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
The one provider anesthesia model used in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) practices has been a subject of debate due to concerns about patient safety, inadequate attention, and mortality and morbidity rates. Historically, OMS specialists have made significant contributions to modern anesthesia; however, recent changes in Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have led to increased scrutiny of the OMS anesthesia model. Proponents argue that the model is safe and effective, thanks to well-trained Dental Anesthesia Assistants and OMS surgeons' extensive experience in dental anesthesia cases. (Source: Dental Clinics of North America)
Source: Dental Clinics of North America - August 23, 2023 Category: Dentistry Authors: Anh Thieu Nguyen, Earl Clarkson Source Type: research

Remaining questions in a brave new world of Alzheimer's disease care
The last year has seen dramatic changes in the opportunities available to clinicians who care for people living with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias. One amyloid-lowering drug, lecanemab, has received full Food and Drug Administration approval for the treatment of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild dementia due to AD and another, donanemab, seems poised to join it.1 The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have agreed to cover the costs of these therapies for appropriate patients, including the diagnostic costs for amyloid imaging, which is currently necessary to confirm appro...
Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - August 19, 2023 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Joshua D. Grill Tags: Editorial Source Type: research

Assessing transfer of value from industry to physicians: the importance of studying and reporting the appropriate population
In this study, Murayama and Hirota analysed general and research payments made to pathologists in the USA from 2013 to 2021 using the Open Payments database. The results reported by the authors may have significant implications for physician–industry relationships, biomedical researchers and the overall healthcare system in the USA. Therefore, we believe it is important to consider several limitations not addressed by the authors in their study. The Open Payments database was established by the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (42 U.S.C. § 1320a–7b), which requires manufacturers of drugs, medical devices, b...
Source: Journal of Clinical Pathology - August 17, 2023 Category: Pathology Authors: Jacobs, J. W., Adkins, B. D., Booth, G. S. Tags: PostScript Source Type: research

Efficacy, safety, and cost-minimization analysis of axicabtagene ciloleucel and tisagenlecleucel CAR T-Cell therapies for treatment of relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma
AbstractAxicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) and tisagenlecleucel (tisa-cel) are chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies used to treat adult patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (rrFL) after two or more lines of systemic therapy. In the absence of head-to-head clinical trials, this study aimed to compare the efficacy, safety, and cost of axi-cel and tisa-cel in the treatment of rrFL after at least two lines of treatment. Overall response rate (ORR) and safety signals were compared using reporting odds ratios (RORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) at p < 0.05. Progression-free survival...
Source: Investigational New Drugs - August 12, 2023 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research