Join us as we discuss a recent report on the use of telemedicine for primary care visits, and debate the benefits and challenges of this healthcare delivery method.

Immunization practices are constantly in flux as new vaccines are approved and guidelines are updated. Recently, the FDA approved a 2-dose hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine and a new 2-dose herpes zoster (HZ) vaccine. Additionally, the CDC now recommends a 2-dose human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine schedule, a change from the previous recommendation for a 3-dose schedule. This session will discuss the changing landscape of immunization practices and recent changes to recommendations.

Management of patients with atrial fibrillation has long centered on the relative merits of rate control versus rhythm control. The CASTLE-AF trial evaluated catheter ablation as a treatment for patients with both heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and atrial fibrillation. Listen to this week’s podcast episode to learn about the results of this new trial and how the catheter ablation impacted clinical outcomes.

Measles were declared eliminated in 2000; however, in June 2019, the CDC announced that there were > 1,000 cases identified in the US—the largest number of cases since 1992. Join us as we discuss the causes of this increase in a vaccine-preventable disease (VPD) and strategies for containing this looming public health concern.

In this week’s episode, we’ll be continuing the discussion on the AAN’s updated practice guideline on mild cognitive impairment. Last week’s podcast episode provided an overview of the updated practice guideline, and this week’s episode focuses on treatment recommendations.

A recently-published study looked at the association between a perceived life purpose (using modified Ryff and Keyes Scales of Psychological Wellbeing) and mortality in individuals participating in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). The results seem to indicate that a strong sense of purpose to one’s life is associated with decreased mortality. Join us as we discuss the implications of this study and how to apply it in practice to improve your patients’ health and wellbeing as well as your own.

The American Academy of Neurology recently published the first updated practice guideline on mild cognitive impairment since 2001. Listen to this week’s episode for an overview of the updated practice guideline, which includes a systematic review of prevalence, prognosis, screening, and treatment research with clear recommendations for practicing clinicians

This observational study found adding very little activity, akin to going for a 30 minute walk or converting to a standing desk for half your workday, lowered all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

Direct acting oral anticoagulants are increasingly used for stroke prevention for individuals with atrial fibrillation. Whether these agents are as safe and effective as warfarin has been a concern for many clinicians, but recent comparative effectiveness analyses are providing answers. In this week’s podcast episode, we will review these recent studies and draw some conclusions about which agents are best.

Listen to this week’s episode to learn about the basic concepts of behavioral activation (BA), what research has demonstrated about its use in depression, and how to apply BA in everyday care.

This study looked at hospitalizations following legislation that legalized marijuana use in Colorado compared to two states that have not legalized marijuana, New York and Oklahoma. The goal was to determine what impact this law might have on common and chronic conditions. It found hospitalizations for some conditions increased while issues of social anxiety disorder decreased.