Seasonal Influenza A(H3N2) Activity and Antiviral Treatment of Patients with Influenza Summary The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is providing: a notice about increased influenza A(H3N2) activity and its clinical implications; a summary of influenza antiviral drug treatment recommendations; an update about approved treatment drugs and supply this season; and background information for patients about influenza treatment. Background In the United States (U.S.), influenza activity has increased significantly over recent weeks with influenza A(H3N2) viruses predominating so far this… Read More

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is one of the primary causes of heart attack and stroke. Arkansas leads the nation for the highest heart attack death rates and is number five for the highest stroke death… Read More

The Arkansas State Crime Laboratory and Medical Examiner’s Office report that hundreds of Arkansans died in 2016 from drug overdoses, with nearly 40 percent of those deaths from Pulaski, Sebastian, and Washington counties. Arkansas Attorney… Read More

Rifampin/Penicillin-Resistant Strain of RB51 Brucella Contracted from Consumption of Raw Milk Summary: The Texas Department of State Health Services, with assistance from CDC, is investigating Brucella RB51 exposures and illnesses that may be connected to… Read More

Naloxone saves lives The nation’s opioid epidemic claimed more than 33,000 lives in 2015, but that figure would have been even higher if it wasn’t for the life-saving opioid overdose antidote naloxone. For more than… Read More

On September 5, Vice President Pence swore in Jerome Adams, MD, as the new surgeon general. Dr. Adams, an anesthesiologist with a master’s degree in public health, said that he is eager to start helping… Read More

Summary The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), State and Local Health Departments, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are investigating an increase in reported cases of cyclosporiasis. The purpose of this HAN Advisory is… Read More

Patients Receiving Eculizumab (Soliris®) at High Risk for Invasive Meningococcal Disease Despite Vaccination Summary Eculizumab (Soliris®) recipients have a 1,000 to 2,000-fold greater risk of invasive meningococcal disease compared to the general U.S. population. The Food… Read More

“Where’s my doctor?” We get that question a lot. It happens often when a physician leaves a practice, usually as an employee. Under most employment contracts the practice – either under hospital or physician ownership – retains ownership… Read More

Summary The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a safety communication warning about the use of Magellan Diagnostics’ LeadCare® analyzers (LeadCare, LeadCare II, LeadCare Ultra and LeadCare Plus) with venous blood samples because… Read More

The AMS office has received several calls over the past couple of weeks about Act 820, which mandates checking the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program prior to prescribing certain medications. Apparently, some hospitals are incorrectly telling… Read More