Articles related to GUIDELINES/RECOMMENDATIONS

A literature review involving 24 recent studies yielded an update to ASCO’s recommendations on appropriate use of breast cancer biomarker assay results to guide adjuvant endocrine and chemotherapy decisions in early-stage breast cancer.

“The guideline was never intended to set a standard of care in the treatment of pain, much less was it intended to serve as a means to criminally prosecute clinicians. While the new guideline is a substantial improvement, harm from the 2016 guideline will not be easily erased and will require more specific wording than is currently present.” (Requires free registration / login)

CVD is the leading cause of death in the US, accounting for more than one in four deaths. Following a systematic review, the US Preventive Services Task Force has provided an update on the effectiveness of aspirin to reduce the risk of CVD events.

New guidelines recommend that internists treat uncomplicated diverticulitis in an outpatient setting without the use of antibiotics. The new guidelines on diagnosis and management of patients with diverticulitis have been published by the Annals of Internal Medicine. And they are stirring up debate among physicians.

Published in its entirety in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society and available here from Guideline Central, the AGS Beers Criteria® also includes a host of resources— from mobile apps to a pocket reference card. The five lists included describe particular medications with evidence suggesting they should be avoided, used in caution, or dosed differently.

The CDC has released updated guidelines for prescribing opioids. The newest guidelines focus on patient-centered decisions and reduce some limitations on prescribing that were put in place back in 2016. The updated guidance recognizes the ongoing increase in opioid-related deaths, but seeks to give physicians and patients more direction in managing individual therapy.