By Dr. Steve Wong on December 14, 2017
It’s hard to believe that this is our 7th year at This Changed My Practice. Thanks for being part of our TCMP family. On behalf of all of us at This Changed My Practice, I wish all of you a happy, healthy holiday season!
By Dr. David Topps on November 29, 2017
Ever been frustrated by the number of passwords you have to keep track of in your daily life as a professional? At one time, you might have only a few – some simple ones for unimportant sites, some stronger ones and perhaps a really good one for your most important data.
By By Dr. Christy Sutherland and Emily Wagner on November 15, 2017
I no longer offer rapid methadone tapers to my patients. Buprenorphine/naloxone is now recommended as the first-line opioid agonist treatment for opioid use disorder in British Columbia. This is because of its superior safety profile when compared with methadone as well as an easier transition to take home dosing.
By Dr. Roberto Leon on November 1, 2017
I came across a publication in the British Medical Journal by Sarah A. Schoeman: Assessment of best single sample for finding chlamydia in women with and without symptoms: a diagnostic test study. Participants took a vaginal swab before a routine gynecological exam, and clinicians then took an endocervical swab during examination.
By Dr. Jennifer Robinson on October 18, 2017
MOVE an injury: Movement, not rest. Options: offer other options for cross training. Vary rehabilitation with strength, balance and agility drills. Ease back to activity early for emotional strength.
By Dr. Eileen Murray on October 3, 2017
When I started out in dermatology, corticosteroids were the only systemic drug available to treat patients with severe allergic contact dermatitis (ACD), atopic dermatitis (AD), drug reactions and those with bullous diseases. Corticosteroids are potent and excellent immunosuppressive agents. The main problem with systemic use is the high risk of drug interactions, as well as multiple serious acute and long-term side effects.
By Dr. Taryl Felhaber on September 20, 2017
Why should physicians encourage early and ultimate return to work whenever they can? In a nutshell, because it is usually in the patient’s best interest to remain in the workforce.
By Dr. Jennifer Grant on September 6, 2017
Recent data show that up to 90% of patients with a reported penicillin allergy are mislabelled and of those who are allergic, many beta-lactams can still be safely prescribed due to low risk of cross-reactivity. Mislabelling of penicillin allergy is due to many things including misdiagnosis (confusing a viral exanthema for allergy), purer formulations of antibiotics, loss of allergy and differences in side-chain structure.
By Drs. Christopher Cheung and Kenneth Gin on August 9, 2017
Perioperative management of anticoagulation is challenging as physicians must consider the risks of stroke, systemic embolism, and perioperative bleeding.
By Michael Lee & Isabeau Iqual on August 8, 2017
Like many teachers, I begin to plan my course by creating course-level learning objectives and after that design the course to meet these.
By Dr. Anne Antrim on July 18, 2017
The current definition of Autism Spectrum Disorder has 2 criteria: “persistent impairment in reciprocal social communication and social interactions” AND “restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior”. The symptoms must be present from early childhood, but may not manifest till the social demands exceed the capacity of the child to respond.
By Dr. Roberto Leon on June 20, 2017
One of the most complex decisions that women (and their physicians) occasionally need to take in mid-life is whether to use prescription medications for their menopausal symptoms. Previously known as Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT) is an effective and evidence based treatment for moderate to severe hot flashes and/or night sweats (defined as bothersome enough to interfere with daily activities, impair quality of life and/or interrupt sleep).
By Cait O'Sullivan on May 31, 2017
When I identify strong drug therapy recommendations of particular relevance to my practice scope, I seek collateral information and there are two resources I routinely incorporate into my literature search. I start with the Cochrane Library and then check to see whether a FDA advisory committee has weighed in on key issues.
By Dr. Randall White on May 10, 2017
When psychiatric patients are treated in an emergency department, they are often hypervigilant, manic, or otherwise in an excited, agitated state. The current standard of care to manage acute agitation in adults is using an antipsychotic medication and a benzodiazepine, often loxapine or haloperidol and lorazepam.
By Dr. Gordon Francis on April 26, 2017
High Lp(a) is a major CVD risk factor that should be measured and acted upon in patients and families where there is history of premature CV events but lack of clear risk factors, and in patients with known CVD and recurrent events despite treatment to LDL-C target.
By Drs. Charlie Chen and Hayden Rubensohn on April 12, 2017
What is the patient willing to consent to as treatment if his/her condition were to seriously deteriorate? The Serious Illness Conversation Guide developed by Ariadne Labs provides a framework for physicians to engage in care planning with patients in a manner acceptable to the patient.
By Drs. Terence Yung and Erin Morley on March 22, 2017
Physicians who see patients for preoperative assessment often face the dilemma of accurately determining a patients’ cardiac risk. Patients may have limited mobility and thus do not necessarily elicit cardiac symptoms even if there is significant flow-limiting coronary artery disease.
By Dr. Dan Bilsker on March 8, 2017
Treatment plan should specifically target psychological problems that are barriers to occupational, relationship or emotional function, rather than broadly defined issues. Being able to return to work is a substantial benefit for the individual: staying at home for an extended time is damaging to the individual’s self-esteem, coping ability and psychological health. Practice “positive psychology”, emphasizing the outcomes that determine the meaning and success of one’s life and focus on individual’s strengths to reach goals.
By Heather Buckley and Nawaaz Nathoo on March 1, 2017
I wondered why new learners just transitioning to new clinical experiences sometimes seemed hesitant to participate and thus appeared less engaged in clinics and journal clubs. I found that some learners would jump in and take part in conversations, discussions, and even engaging with patients.
By Dr. Martha Spencer on February 22, 2017
Martha Spencer, MD, FRCPC, Providence Health Care, Clinical Instructor, UBC (biography and disclosures) Disclosures: Education grant from Pfizer to help support my incontinence fellowship in Edmonton, Grant from Pfizer ($10 000) to support start-up costs for the Geriatric Continence Clinic at SPH. Mitigating potential bias: Only published trial data is presented and recommendations are consistent […]
By Dr. Ric Arseneau on February 8, 2017
The PLEASE trial (Persistent Lyme Empiric Antibiotic Study Europe) was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in March 2016. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study assessed whether longer-term antibiotic treatment of persistent symptoms attributed to Lyme disease leads to better outcomes than does shorter-term treatment.
By Dr. Alissa Wright on January 25, 2017
Canadians travel a lot and are increasingly traveling to more exotic and remote destinations. Unfortunately, travel does carry certain risks with respect to infection. Post-travel assessment of a febrile patient must be comprehensive, but completed in a timely manner so that patients get the care they need.
By Dr. Joseph Lam on January 10, 2017
Pyogenic granulomas or lobular capillary hemangiomas are common acquired vascular tumors accounting for 0.5% of all skin nodules in children. They occur predominantly on the head and neck. Although they are benign vascular proliferations, treatment is often sought because of recurrent episodes of bleeding due to a propensity to superficial ulceration and bleeding.
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