October's top internal medicine stories

Healio.com/Internal Medicine presents the month’s top news stories, which included the topics medical cannabis, arsenic levels and high-intensity workouts.

Arsenic levels found in US wines, food and beverages

Arsenic levels above the 10 parts per billion limit on drinking water issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency were found in U.S. wines, beverages and foods, according to data published in two Journal of Environmental Health studies. Denise Wilson, PhD, a professor in the department of electrical engineering at the University of Washington, wrote that entire diets should be taken into consideration when assessing exposure to arsenic. Read more.

Medical cannabis reasonably safe for chronic pain management

Patients with previous cannabis use experienced significant improvement in chronic pain, according to findings published in the Journal of Pain. Mark A. Ware, MBBS, MRCP, MSc, departments of anesthesia and family medicine, McGill University, Montreal, and colleagues reported that their prospective cohort study also demonstrated a "reasonable" safety profile for quality-controlled cannabis. Read more.

Aripiprazole effective for treatment-resistant depression in older adults

Adding aripiprazole to existing treatment was effective in achieving and sustaining remission for treatment-resistant depression, according to data published in The Lancet. Findings also showed aripiprazole treatment demonstrated tolerability concerns in some patients, Eric J. Lenze, MD, Washington University School of Medicine, and colleagues reported. Read more.

High-intensity interval training improves autonomic, vascular function in adolescents

Novel cardiovascular disease risk factors improved in adolescents after 2 weeks of high-intensity interval training, according to data published in the American Journal of Physiology - Heart and Circulatory Physiology. Bert Bond, PhD, MSc, associate lecturer and associate research fellow, department of sport and health sciences, University of Exeter, United Kingdom, and colleagues reported traditional CVD risk factors did not improve after high-intensity interval training. Read more.

Benzodiazepine prescribing increases in older adults

In spite of safety concerns, the use of benzodiazepines in adults aged 85 and older in EDs and ambulatory clinics has increased, according to data published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Erin M. Marra , MD, department of emergency medicine, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, New York, and colleagues wrote that several guidelines have been developed, including the Beers criteria and the Screening Tool of Older Persons' Prescriptions criteria, to reduce the prescribing of benzodiazepines. Read more.