Primary Care Update

This week primary care physicians Kate Rowland, Mark Ebell, Gary Ferenchick and Henry Barry discuss four new studies: screentime for children, discontinuing levothyroxine, a new mRNA flu vaccine from Moderna, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) Supplementation for healthy aging. Links to articles: AAP screen time policy Discontinuing levothyroxine study mRNA flu vaccine from Moderna NAD su...

Primary care docs Mark Ebell, Kate Rowland, Henry Barry and Gary Ferenchick tackle 4 new studies: health benefits of cocoa supplements, the best antibiotic for managing uncomplicated UTIs in women, left atrial appendage closure for AF with high bleeding or stroke risk, and evolocumab for primary (sort-of) prevention of MACE in patients with diabetes. Essential Evidence Plus: www.essentialevidencep...

This week, primary care doctors Mark Ebell, Kate Rowland, Henry Barry and Gary Ferenchick discuss four new studies: whether water is better than diet drinks in diabetes, a new RCT of Paxlovid for COVID in contemporary patients, to switch or not to switch antiplatelet agents after a stroke, and the latest AHA 2026 dietary advice for heart health. Drinks for diabetes: ttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/...

This week Kate, Mark and Henry talk about empathetic robots, mother-baby singing groups for postpartum depression, and new American College of Cardiology lipid guidelines. Indiana AFP POEMs course in French Link: https://www.iafp.org/2026ac Empathetic robots: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41359230/ Weekly singing groups for postpartum depression: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41087020/ ACC/AHA...

Join primary care faculty Gary Ferenchick, Kate Rowland, Henry Barry and Mark Ebell as they discuss 4 important new studies: the value (?) Of biomarkers in cognitive impairment, toilet training, bleeding risk with apixaban versus rivaroxaban for VTE, and diagnosing volume overload in adults  from the JAMA Rational Clinical Exam series.

This week, primary care doctors Kate, Gary, Mark and Henry discuss high vs low dose inhaled steroids for high risk patients with asthma, click based semaglutide titration to reduce GI problems, zoster vaccine and dementia risk, and whether we are trusting AI too much.  

This week primary care physicians Kate Rowland, Mark Ebell, Gary Ferenchick and Henry Barry tackle 4 new POEM-worthy studies: new therapy for elevated triglycerides, cannabinoids for chronic pain in adults, the best antithrombotic for patients with AF + drug eluting cardiac stent, and lower versus standard LDL targets for patients with heart disease Essential Evidence Plus: https://www.essentialev...

This week, primary care physicians Henry Barry, Gary Ferenchick and Mark Ebell discuss several new studies: melatonin for older adults with cognitive impairment, new pulmonary embolism guidelines, and inhaled corticosteroid dosing for children and adults with asthma. Kate has the week off.

This week, primary care docs Mark, Kate, Henry and Gary discuss skin lotions to prevent eczema, adding an opioid to ibuprofen for kids with acute injuries, evolocumab (Repatha) for very high risk persons, and 10 year follow-up of antibiotics vs surgery for uncomplicated appendicitis.

This week, we cover a range of topics: urinary vs cervical HPV collection, the benefits and harms of Tramadol, whether patients need anticoagulation after successful ablation for afib, and the ongoing value of COVID vaccines in the omicron era. Plus a quiz: is TAVR now indicated for everyone with severe aortic stenosis? Stay tuned!

Join primary care faculty Kate Rowland, Gary Ferenchick, Henry Barry and Mark Ebell as they discuss 4 practice changing studies: norethindrone acetate for uterine bleeding with the contraceptive implant, introducing yourself to a new patient, avoiding LPs in febrile infants, and antithrombotic strategies after ischemic stroke with AF and atherosclerosis. And an Olympic quiz!

Join primary care physicians Kate Rowland, Gary Ferenchick, Henry Barry and Mark Ebell as they discuss 4 new POEMs (Patient Oriented Evidence that Matters): cardiovascular outcomes of GIPs (vs GLP), risk-based breast cancer screening (WISDOM Trial), whether a single dose of HPV vaccine is as good as two, and surgery (or not) for shoulder impingement syndrome. Plus Kate has a great Groundhog Day qu...

Join Mark, Kate, Henry and Gary as they discuss 4 new POEMs (Patient Oriented Evidence that Matters, studies with the potential to change practice): a summary of the evidence on tirzepatide (Zepbound) for weight loss, using the Beers list with your patients, high vs standard dose flu vaccine and the risk of hospitalization, and whether stent or endarterectomy are better than maximal medical therap...

This week, primary care physicians Kate Rowland, Mark Ebell, Gary Ferenchick and Henry Barry tackle 4 new practice changing studies (POEMs): bathing frequency for people with eczema, tirzepatide in obese children and adolescents with T2DM, a new flu vaccine, and whether beta-blockers still matter after MI.

Join primary care physicians Kate, Gary, Henry and Mark as they discuss 4 new POEM (Patient Oriented Evidence that Matters), chosen for their potential to change practice and improve patient outcomes: Mediterranean diet to prevent diabetes, an update to the community-acquired pneumonia guideline, coffee or decaf for afib, and safety of meds for acute agitation in the elderly. North Dakota Academy...

Join Kate, Gary and Mark (Henry has the day off) as we discuss 3 useful new studies: colorectal cancer screening reminders, aspirin or clopidogrel for secondary prevention of CV events, and lipid lowering drugs and dementia risk

This week primary care physicians Gary, Henry, Kate and Mark discuss the safety of CBD, a new guideline for managing adults with hypertension, whether COVID-19 vaccines are still effective, and a living guideline from the BMJ to help us choose the best diabetes drugs. Links to stuff Essential Evidence Plus Illinois Academy of Family Physicians meeting Dec 6 in Naperville, IL (Kate, Gary and Mark)...

Primary care physicians Gary Ferenchick, Kate Rowland, Henry Barry and Mark Ebell want you to know about 4 new studies: the best choice of pharmacotherapy in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, benefits and harms of intensive BP lowering, elinzanetant for therapy-induced vasomotor symptoms in women with breast cancer, and 23 year follow up of the European Prostate Cancer Screening Trial. Plus a c...

This week, Gary, Kate, Mark and Henry discuss the optimal duration of anticoagulation after a provoked DVT, using low doses of mirtazapine or amitriptyline in adults with insomnia, whether a lower dose of semaglutide is still effective for weight loss, and adding aspirin for patients with coronary heart disease, a stent and who are also on a DOAC for another indication. Links: NICE Barrett Esophag...

This week, primary care physicians Kate Rowland, Mark Ebell, and Henry Barry want to arm our primary care colleagues with the best evidence on whether acetaminophen causes autism, whether MMR causes autism, and whether leucovorin can treat autism. Gary then turns to a study of the value of continuity in primary care, and its association with better health outcomes. Links: Henry's essay on Igna...

Today Kate, Gary, Mark and Henry discuss influenza vaccines and dementia incidence, therapies for endometriosis-related pain, colchicine for secondary prevention of heart disease, and green tea and drug absorption. Links: IgNobel prizes: IgNobel Prizes were recently awarded: https://improbable.com/ig/winners/   www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/40601364   https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40373315/ Colchi...

This week Gary, Kate, Henry and Mark discuss 4 important new studies that are potential POEMs: A new(ish) rescue therapy for asthma, IV thrombolytics for adults with acute minor stroke, whether exercise reduces cancer mortality, and digitoxin (with a t!) as add-on therapy for adults with heart failure.

Join Kate, Mark, Gary and Henry as they discuss 4 great new POEMs (studies with the potential to change practice): a digital mental health intervention, the risk of DKA in patients using SGLT2 inhibitors, esketamine’s effects on suicidal ideation and unresponsive depression, and whether “one-size-fits-all” thyroid reference ranges misleading. Links: Essential Evidence Plus: www.essentialevidencepl...

This week, we found 4 great new studies for primary care physicians (and their patients): the health benefits of “incidental” activity, real world data and the amyloid cascade theory for Alzheimer’s disease, a new blood test for colorectal cancer screening, and DORAs for sleep. Check out Essential Evidence Plus: www.essentialevidenceplus.com Incidental activity: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/402...

Kate, Mark, Gary and Henry discuss 4 important new studies relevant to primary care clinicians: negative pressure wound therapy for wounds healing by secondary intention, comparative effectiveness of acute migraine treatments, contrast enhanced mammography, US, or MRI for women with dense breasts, and metformin for knee pain in patients without diabetes. Negative pressure wound therapy: https://pu...