News Release

Annals of Internal Medicine, Tip Sheet, July 3, 2001

Peer-Reviewed Publication

American College of Physicians

Annals of Internal Medicine is published by the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine (ACP-ASIM), an organization of more than 115,000 internal medicine physicians and medical students. The following highlights are not intended to substitute for articles as sources of information. For an embargoed fax of an article, call 1-800-523-1546, ext. 2656 or 215-351-2656.

Hormone Replacement Increases Short-Term Risk but Decreases Long-Term Risk for Recurrent Heart Disease

An analysis of data from the Nurses' Health Study found that postmenopausal women with a prior heart attack or heart disease who had taken hormone replacement therapy for less than one year had a 25 percent increase in risk for recurrent heart disease (Article, p. 1). But those who took hormones for two years or longer had decreased risk for recurrent heart disease.

UTI Patients Successfully Diagnosed and Managed Their Own Care

One hundred seventy-two women with two or more urinary tract infections (UTIs) within a year were taught to manage suspected subsequent UTIs with short-term antibiotics (Article, p. 9). Tests showed that the women accurately recognized 95 percent of the infections and successfully treated 96 percent of the infections. An editorial says that the study shows that patient self-management is feasible and is likely to save time and money (Editorial, p. 51). "More important, the study should stimulate physicians to consider more systematic involvement of patients in the management of a range of different health problems," the writer says. Finally, a review article in today's Annals describes the increasing problem of antimicrobial resistant urinary tract infections and recommends appropriate treatments (Review, p. 41).

ACP-ASIM Paper Discusses Delirium in Patients Near the End of Life (Academia and Clinic, p 32. Call for news release.)


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