We’ve been busy at ClinCalc — we’ve officially released four new features on the website, a number of small features, and we’re finishing development on a new mobile application targeted at pharmacy and medical students! Below is an overview of the four newest pages on ClinCalc: Continue reading
Should enteral feeds be held when giving oral ciprofloxacin?
Ciprofloxacin binds to divalent and trivalent cations (calcium, magnesium, etc). Are there any recommendations regarding giving crushed ciprofloxacin via an enteral feeding tube, such as holding nutrition or increasing the dose?
What is the best evidence for pharmacologic VTE prophylaxis in trauma patients?
Is there a preferred agent for VTE prophylaxis in trauma patients? Is there a superior dosing strategy for these high-risk patients?
The selection and dosing of pharmacologic VTE prophylaxis in trauma patients has a troubled, controversial past. The literature surrounding the topic is riddled with small, conflicting trials and methodological flaws.
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ASPIRE Trial – Aspirin for VTE Prophylaxis
The ASPIRE trial, recently published in the NEJM, examined the role of aspirin after patients with VTE’s had completed at least 6 weeks of full anticoagulation (although most completed 6+ months). This is the sister trial to the WARFASA trial, which required 6-18 months of warfarin therapy.
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New Calculator – Phenytoin Correction for Concurrent Valproic Acid
Phenytoin (PHT) and valproic acid (VPA) compete for the same binding sites on albumin. In patients taking both PHT and VPA, the free fraction of phenytoin will be increased, which causes a total PHT level to falsely represent a patient’s active PHT status.
To supplement the recent video on Total vs. Free Phenytoin and the existing correction calculator for hypoalbuminemia, a new correction calculator for concurrent valproic acid has been released.
Understanding Total vs Free Phenytoin [VIDEO]
Links Mentioned in Video
- Online calculator to correct total phenytoin for low albumin: http://clincalc.com/Phenytoin/Correction.aspx
- Online calculator to correct total phenytoin for concurrent valproic acid: http://clincalc.com/Phenytoin/WithValproicAcid.aspx
Video Transcript
How should aspiration pneumonia be treated?
How should aspiration pneumonia be treated? Is anaerobic coverage required?
The concept of aspiration pneumonia and anaerobic coverage is a complex, controversial topic. Like most controversial topics, there is paucity of evidence, and the literature that does exist is controversial.
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Is there a maximum insulin glargine (Lantus) dose?
Is there a maximum insulin glargine (Lantus) single-injection dose? Anecdotally, I have heard that patients receiving more than 50 units should split the dose from daily dosing to twice-daily. What’s the evidence?
The question of a maximum insulin glargine dose is not straightforward because it encompasses several issues: Continue reading
New Painless Tool for Finding MIC Breakpoints
MIC breakpoints for antimicrobials are not easy to look up — until now.
CLSI, the governing body in the United States for breakpoints, hides their data behind a $250+ book called M100. For clinicians who do not work in a microbiology lab or have access to the M100 book, it is difficult to find published breakpoints for antimicrobial agents. Continue reading
New Statistical Calculators on ClinCalc.com
Now available on ClinCalc – sample size and post-hoc power calculators!
Sample Size Calculator
Prior to designing a trial, authors must determine how many subjects should be included in a trial in order to have adequate statistical power. There are a variety of different equations depending on the trial design and the type of outcome being measured. Check out the ClinCalc Sample Size Calculator.
Post-hoc Power Calculator
Following the completion of a trial, authors (or reviewers) may want to calculate the statistical power of a trial. Although there are pitfalls in using post-hoc power analysis, which are described in the article, post-hoc power is commonly used in medical literature. Check out the ClinCalc Post-hoc Power Calculator. Continue reading
