Which of these patient reasons for not getting vaccinated are too difficult to address?
“My child is healthy, so they don’t need vaccines.”
“I’m worried about getting three vaccines at once.”
“It’s not top of mind/I keep forgetting.”
“I’m worried about vaccine safety.”
“I didn’t know vaccination was recommended for me.”
“I’m not sure about getting vaccinated.”
None of these reasons.
You are correct. Given the urgent need to increase immunization coverage for influenza, COVID-19, and RSV this winter season, CDC is providing talking points & tools that clinicians can use to respond to patient concerns about vaccination:

"I didn't know vaccination was recommended for me." Make a strong recommendation, like "You are due for your flu and COVID-19 vaccines today. I've gotten these vaccines myself and recommend them for you, too." Conversation Guide for Healthcare Providers.

"It's not top of mind/I keep forgetting." Send a reminder message to your patients now via your patient portal or text message to remind them about the importance of getting vaccinated now. Script for patient portal reminder message in English and Spanish.

"I'm worried about vaccine safety." Give your patients accurate and up-to-date information about vaccine benefits and safety. Conversation Guide for Healthcare Providers.

"I'm not sure about getting vaccinated." Use motivational interviewing. Start with questions like "I hear you. If it's okay with you, I would like to spend a few minutes talking more about fall and winter respiratory vaccines." Conversation Guide for Healthcare Providers.

"I'm worried about getting three vaccines at once." Discuss the facts on coadministration and the most important thing--getting all the recommended vaccines. What to Know About Getting Flu, COVID-19, and RSV Vaccines at the Same Time.

"My child is healthy, so they don't need vaccines." Let families know that while children with some health conditions are at a higher risk of getting very sick, over half of the children under age 2 years hospitalized for COVID-19 and then admitted to the ICU were otherwise healthy. Conversation Guide for Healthcare Providers.

(2023, December 14). CDC. CDC. Health Alert Network. Urgent Need to Increase Immunization Coverage for Influenza, COVID-19, and RSV and Use of Authorized/Approved Therapeutics in the Setting of Increased Respiratory Disease Activity During the 2023- 2024 Winter Season.
Can you identify this pill?
eplerenone
ropinirole
azathioprine
cyclobenzaprine
You are correct. Cyclobenzaprine is a centrally-acting muscle relaxant indicated for muscle spasms and has been used off label in fibromyalgia patients.

As a reminder, you can use the Pill ID feature to identify a pill based on its imprint code or physical characteristics, including shape, color, and scoring. Find Pill ID in the epocrates app or on epocrates Web.
[Source: Pill ID]
All of these statements are true of the recent ACC/AHA update to guidelines for managing afib EXCEPT:
Since stroke risk may be lower than in clinical afib, the threshold for anticoagulation in device-detected afib is higher.
Antiarrhythmic drugs are considered first-line therapy before performing ablation.
A newly proposed classification recognizes afib as a disease continuum, requiring a variety of strategies at different stages, including prevention, lifestyle and risk factor modification, screening, and therapy.
Use of left atrial appendage occlusion devices is now more broadly recommended.
Early rhythm control is recommended in preference to a rate-control strategy.
You are correct. Recent RCTs have demonstrated the superiority of catheter ablation over drug therapy for rhythm control in appropriately selected afib patients. Catheter ablation has thus received a Class I indication as first-line therapy in selected patients, including those with HFrEF.

Source:
Joglar JA, et al. 2023 ACC/AHA/ACCP/HRS Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Atrial Fibrillation: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Circulation. (2023, November 30). PubMed®abstract.
By rray, 14 December, 2023

DVT