News Release

Another reason to drink red wine every day

Peer-Reviewed Publication

American College of Physicians

1. A glass of red wine with dinner may improve cardiovascular health in patients with diabetes

Both red and white wine can improve glucose control

Free content: go.annals.org/winewithdinner

Important: URL not live until embargo lifts

Drinking a glass of red wine every day as part of a healthy diet can help patients with well-controlled type 2 diabetes improve cardiac health and manage cholesterol, according to an article published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Both red and white wine can improve glucose control, depending on alcohol metabolism and genetic profiling.

People with diabetes are at increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease and have lower levels of "good" cholesterol. Some studies suggest that light drinking is associated with improvements in biomarkers for cardiovascular risk, but randomized, controlled trials are lacking to determine the benefits and harms of moderate alcohol consumption for patients with type 2 diabetes.

Researchers sought to assess the effects of moderate wine consumption in persons with type 2 diabetes. They also sought to determine if the type of wine consumed mattered. They randomly assigned 224 patients with well-controlled type 2 diabetes to drink 150 mL of mineral water, white wine, or red wine with dinner for two years and then measured lipid and glycemic control profiles, as well as other cardiovascular measures and quality of life. All participants were also encouraged to follow a Mediterranean diet without caloric restriction.

After two years, patients who drank wine had decreased cardiometabolic risks compared to patients who drank mineral water. The red wine drinkers experienced the most significant changes in lipid variables, suggesting the potential synergy of moderate alcohol intake with specific nonalcoholic wine constituents. The authors caution that the benefits of drinking wine should be weighed against potential risks when translated into clinical practice.

Note: For an embargoed PDF, please Cara Graeff. The lead author, Dr. Iris Shai, can be reached through Andrew Lavin at alc@alavin.com or 516-944-4486.

2. ACP says retail clinics best used as backup to a patient's primary care physician

Video soundbites available for download http://firstlinemedia.com/mnr/acp/ of ACP's president explaining how to use retail health clinics

Free summary of policy position: http://www.annals.org/article.aspx?doi=10.7326/M15-0571

URL live when the embargo lifts

In a new policy position paper, the American College of Physicians (ACP) says that retail health clinics - now commonly present in drugstores and/or big box retailers - are best used as a backup alternative to a patient's primary care physician for the diagnosis and treatment of episodic minor illnesses. A summary of Retail Health Clinics: A Policy Position Paper of the American College of Physicians is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

"Health care delivery models are changing and our patients are embracing and exploring alternatives to the traditional office practice," said Wayne J. Riley, MD, MPH, MBA, MACP, president of ACP. "ACP feels it is important to provide guidance to physicians and their patients allowing them to understand the role retail health clinics may have in providing quick, convenient and patient-centered care."

ACP's half-dozen recommendations and positions address the expansion of retail health clinics while underscoring the need for adherence to patient safety and quality protocols and strong communication and collaboration among patients and the retail health clinic providers, and physicians.

Note: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Cara Graeff or Angela Collom. To speak with the lead author, please contact David Kinsman at dkinsman@acponline.org or 202-261-4554.

3. Task Force recommends routine screening for high blood pressure for all adults

Ambulatory or home monitoring are recommended to confirm diagnosis

Free content: http://www.annals.org/article.aspx?doi=10.7326/M15-2223

Free patient summary: http://www.annals.org/article.aspx?doi=10.7326/P15-9036

URLs live when embargo lifts

Average risk adults between the ages of 18 and 39 should be screened for high blood pressure every 3 to 5 years, according to a recommendation statement from the United States Preventive Services Task Force. Adults aged 40 years and older or those who are at increased risk for high blood pressure should be screened annually. The Task Force recommends obtaining measurements outside of a clinical setting for diagnostic confirmation before starting treatment.

Nearly one in three U.S. adults has high blood pressure, the leading risk factor for premature death. Previous evidence reviews have shown that treatment of adults with high blood pressure can reduce cardiovascular events.

Researchers for the Task Force reviewed published studies to inform an update of its 2007 reaffirmation recommendation statement on screening for high blood pressure in adults. In addition to confirming the benefits of routine screening, the evidence suggests that ambulatory blood pressure monitoring should be considered a reference standard for confirming elevated office blood pressure screening results to avoid misdiagnosis and overtreatment. Home blood pressure monitoring may also be a reasonable confirmatory method but has less evidence to support its use. The full recommendation statement is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Note: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Cara Graeff. To speak with someone from the USPSTF, please contact Ana Fullmer or Nicole Raisch at newsroom@uspstf.net.

Also in this issue:

Effects on Clinical Outcomes of Adding Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitors Versus Sulfonylureas to Metformin Therapy in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Shuo-Ming Ou, MD*; Chia-Jen Shih, MD*; Pei-Wen Chao, MD; Hsi Chu, MD; Shu-Chen Kuo, MD, PhD; Yi-Jung Lee, MD; Shuu-Jiun Wang, MD; Chih-Yu Yang, MD; Chih-Ching Lin, MD, PhD; Tzeng-Ji Chen, MD, PhD; Der-Cherng Tarng, MD, PhD; Szu-Yuan Li, MD, PhD; and Yung-Tai Chen, MD

Original Research http://www.annals.org/article.aspx?doi=10.7326/M15-0308

Role of Ambulatory and Home Blood Pressure Monitoring in Clinical Practice: A Narrative Review Daichi Shimbo, MD; Marwah Abdalla, MD; Louise Falzon; Raymond R. Townsend, MD; and Paul Muntner, PhD

Review http://www.annals.org/article.aspx?doi=10.7326/M15-1270

Incident Hepatitis B Virus Infection in HIV-Infected and HIV-Uninfected Men Who Have Sex With Men From Pre-HAART to HAART Periods: A Cohort Study Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia, MD, MPH; Eric C. Seaberg, PhD; Anna E. Snider; Charles R. Rinaldo, PhD; John Phair, MD; Mallory D. Witt, MD; and Chloe L. Thio, MD

Original Research http://www.annals.org/article.aspx?doi=10.7326/M15-0547

Age-Associated Financial Vulnerability: An Emerging Public Health Issue Mark S. Lachs, MD, MPH, and S. Duke Han, PhD

Ideas and Opinions http://www.annals.org/article.aspx?doi=10.7326/M15-0882

Interrupting Ebola Transmission in Liberia Through Community-Based Initiatives Mosoka Fallah, PhD, MPH; Bernice Dahn, MD, MPH; Tolbert G. Nyenswah, Esq, MPH; Moses Massaquoi, MD, MPH; Laura A. Skrip, MPH; Dan Yamin, PhD; Martial Ndeffo Mbah, PhD; Netty Joe, MD; Siedoh Freeman, MD; Thomas Harris, BA; Zinnah Benson, BBA; and Alison P. Galvani, PhD

Ideas and Opinions http://www.annals.org/article.aspx?doi=10.7326/M15-1464

Outcomes of Basic Versus Advanced Life Support for Out-of-Hospital Medical Emergencies Prachi Sanghavi, PhD; Anupam B. Jena, MD, PhD; Joseph P. Newhouse, PhD; and Alan M. Zaslavsky, PhD

Original Research http://www.annals.org/article.aspx?doi=10.7326/M15-0557

Is Prehospital Advanced Life Support Harmful? Comilla Sasson, MD, PhD; Jason S. Haukoos, MD, MSc

Editorial http://www.annals.org/article.aspx?doi=10.7326/M15-2192

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