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VIDEO: 5 commonly overused medications, tests

PHILADELPHIA — There are several medications and tests that are commonly overused in primary care and hospital settings that may be causing more harm than benefit, according to a presenter at the ACP Internal Medicine Meeting 2019.

In this video interview with Healio Primary Care Today, Leonard Feldman, MD, associate professor in internal medicine and pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, discussed five major high-value care topics, including the use of:

• antihypertensive medications for patients who develop hypertension suddenly in the hospital;
• metered dose inhalers and nebulizers for patients with asthma or COPD;
• potassium level tests for acute myocardial infarction;
• ammonia level tests in patients with chronic liver disease to identify hepatic encephalopathy; and
• PPIs and other acid suppressive medications for nosocomial bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding and prophylaxis. – by Alaina Tedesco

Disclosure: Feldman reports no relevant financial disclosures.