Primary Care
Physician perspectives on preventive care, chronic disease management, and evidence-based primary care practice.
Recent Discussions
In what clinical situation would you consider using benzodiazepines in patients with dementia?
I would avoid long-term benzodiazepines treatment if someone has full-blown dementia syndrome or frontal lobe syndrome due to the potential of paradoxical disinhibitions along with amnestic and ataxic side effects. However, I would consider clonazepam for RBD and related REM sleep issues in dementia...
Would you recommend changing a patient from the pill form of levothyroxine to Tirosint-SOL if they are started on a proton pump inhibitor?
While it is true that PPI's may lead to a decrease in levothyroxine absorption due to decreased tablet dissolution in the stomach (Guzman-Prado et al., PMID 33469743), and that liquid formulations are not susceptible to this effect (Seng Yue et al., PMID 38554774), the decrease in levothyroxine abso...
Would you recommend PFO closure in patients >60 years old with presumed paradoxical embolism as their mechanism of stroke?
Technically, based on the available clinical trial evidence, PFO closure is not indicated for patients over age 60 or for patients whose stroke was > 6 months ago. However, we frequently need to extrapolate from clinical trial populations to manage the patients we see in practice. Also, presumably, ...
What is the expected timeframe for the development of radiation myelitis and therapies that have helped with neurologic symptoms?
The incidence and the timeframe of the development of radiation myelopathy are influenced by total radiation dose, radiation dose per fraction, time between courses of radiation, and associated chemotherapy or immunotherapy. Older age, the presence of diabetes, and previous exposure to radiation are...
How do you approach management of bone marrow involvement in sarcoidosis?
This is an excellent question that certainly comes up frequently enough among sarcoidosis patients, and unfortunately with little guidance. Osseous involvement of sarcoidosis can include the bone marrow, leading to cytopenias. The levels of cytopenias can vary, and risk versus benefit should be take...
When would you pursue genetic testing for severe recalcitrant atopic dermatitis?
Not an easy question to answer, but severe and treatment-refractory AD, especially if early onset, is concerning for immune dysregulation and should warrant immune evaluation early. By treatment-refractory, I do not just mean topical therapies, but attempts to control the Th2 pathway that fail repea...
Is it safe to continue azathioprine in a patient with severe bilateral panuveitis (thought to be related to sarcoidosis) and benign ethnic neutropenia, given worsening neutropenia since starting the medication, or should an alternative immunosuppressive agent be considered?
In this case, I would consider stopping azathioprine and switching to an alternative medication, such as an anti-TNF agent. Although not a large drop in the PMN, azathioprine is known to cause leukopenia, and in a patient with known neutropenia, extra precaution should be taken. In the case of uveit...
How do you discuss harms of MGUS screening with other medical providers?
I understand the intent of the question, but - as always - real life is more complicated. I agree that the evidence for screening completely healthy patients for MGUS does not currently exist. But, for patients with unexplained pertinent lab/imaging findings or symptoms, it's not unreasonable. In th...
How do you discuss harms of MGUS screening with other medical providers?
I understand the intent of the question, but - as always - real life is more complicated. I agree that the evidence for screening completely healthy patients for MGUS does not currently exist. But, for patients with unexplained pertinent lab/imaging findings or symptoms, it's not unreasonable. In th...
What considerations do you take in starting stimulant medications for the management of adult ADHD?
Adult stimulant prescriptions for ADHD and The Journal of the American College of Cardiology in particular have published several articles in the last few years investigating the cardiovascular risk of long-term use of these medications. There have been three already in 2024 and data remains mixed.I...