AHRQ’s commitment to improving care for the nearly one of three American adults living with multiple chronic conditions (MCC) is the subject of a new blog post by Arlene S. Bierman, M.D., M.S., director of AHRQ’s Center for Evidence and Practice Improvement, and Gopal Khanna, M.B.A., director of AHRQ. Central to AHRQ’s efforts will be research investments that identify areas of unmet need and explore treatment models that are less disease-specific and emphasize whole-person care. In a previous post, Director Khanna identified improving care for people with MCC as one of three urgent challenges that will guide the Agency’s future activities. Future blog posts will outline the Agency’s two additional areas of emphasis: establishing a data and analytics platform to support healthcare decision making, and using evidence-based strategies to reduce diagnostic errors.
In The News
Advancing Patient-Centered Care For People with Multiple Chronic Conditions
Food, beverage companies commit to WHO trans fat elimination goal
Trans fat intake is responsible for over 500,000 deaths from coronary heart disease each year globally. WHO welcomes the commitment by the International Food and Beverage Alliance (IFBA) to align with the WHO target to eliminate industrially produced trans fat from the global food supply by 2023.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus met with IFBA representatives to discuss actions to take to eliminate industrial trans fats, and reduce salt, sugar and saturated fats in processed foods.
"Eliminating industrially-produced trans fat is one of the simplest and most effective ways to save lives and create a healthier food supply,” said Dr Tedros.
Patient-Centered Care Is Key to Best Practices in Pain Management
By: Vanila M. Singh , MD, MACM
Summary: Dr. Vanila Singh explains the work of the Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force.
NIH statement on World Asthma Day 2019
NIH supports increasing knowledge of asthma and better treatment and prevention options
Guidelines proposed for newly defined Alzheimer’s-like brain disorder
Recommendations for scientists and public emerge from NIH-funded workshop.
FDA MedWatch - Certain Prescription Insomnia Medicines: New Boxed Warning
MedWatch - The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program
A new MedWatch Safety Alert was just added to the FDA MedWatch webpage.
TOPIC: Certain Prescription Insomnia Medicines: New Boxed Warning - Due to Risk of Serious Injuries Caused by Sleepwalking, Sleep Driving and Engaging in Other Activities While Not Fully Awake
AUDIENCE: Patient, Health Professional, Pharmacy
ISSUE: FDA is advising that rare but serious injuries have happened with certain common prescription insomnia medicines because of sleep behaviors, including sleepwalking, sleep driving, and engaging in other activities while not fully awake. These complex sleep behaviors have also resulted in deaths. These behaviors appear to be more common with Lunesta (eszopiclone), Sonata (zaleplon), Ambien, Ambien CR, Edluar, Intermezzo, Zolpimist (zolpidem) than other prescription medicines used for sleep and we are requiring a Boxed Warning, our most prominent warning, to be added to the prescribing information and the patient Medication Guides for these medicines.
AHRQ Evidence-Based Practice Update
Telehealth for Acute and Chronic Care Consultations
Panel highlights need for further innovative research approaches to inform appropriate long-term use of osteoporosis drug therapies
It is projected that by 2025, the total U.S. health care costs attributable to fractures will reach $25 billion annually.
What's New at AHRQ
FDA MedWatch - Opioid Pain Medicines: Drug Safety Communication
MedWatch - The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program
A new MedWatch Safety Alert was just added to the FDA Drug Safety Communication webpage.
TOPIC: Opioid Pain Medicines: Drug Safety Communication - Harm to Patient Reported From Sudden Discontinuation of Opioid Pain Medicine
AUDIENCE: Patient, Health Professional, Pain Management, Pharmacy
ISSUE: FDA has received reports of serious harm in patients who are physically dependent on opioid pain medicines suddenly having these medicines discontinued or the dose rapidly decreased. These include serious withdrawal symptoms, uncontrolled pain, psychological distress, and suicide.
Rapid discontinuation can result in uncontrolled pain or withdrawal symptoms. In turn, these symptoms can lead patients to seek other sources of opioid pain medicines, which may be confused with drug-seeking for abuse. Patients may attempt to treat their pain or withdrawal symptoms with illicit opioids, such as heroin, and other substances.