Practice Management
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the combination of acetaminophen 325 mg and naproxen sodium 110 mg tablets as the first fixed-dose, over-the-counter (OTC) product to pair these 2 pain relief ingredients. The label recommends 1 dose every 12 hours for adults and children aged 12 years and older. It is indicated for temporary relief of common complaints such as headache, muscular aches, and back pain. And like other naproxen products, it should …
Read More
Sore throat is among the top complaints presenting to urgent care, and determining the best options for treatment is essential to avoid unnecessary antibiotic prescribing, according to a study recently published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases. In a small sample of 200 urgent care patients with acute pharyngitis or fever—including pediatric and higher-risk adult populations—researchers evaluated a rapid multiplex nucleic acid amplification test that detects 14 bacterial and viral pathogens. At least 1 pathogen was …
Read More
Exertional heat illness is a largely preventable cause of illness and death among physically active people, including athletes and outdoor workers, and the New England Journal of Medicine is promoting a comprehensive review article that was published this spring to remind clinicians of best practices during these sizzling summer months. The review emphasizes that heat illness can occur even in moderate weather when metabolic heat production exceeds the body’s ability to dissipate heat. Clinicians should …
Read More
Low back pain remains a leading cause of pain and disability worldwide, and 90% of patients presenting for care have nonspecific low back pain rather than a serious spinal disorder, according to a new clinical review published in JAMA. Nonspecific low back pain is defined as pain below the costal margin and above the inferior gluteal folds that does not have clinical features associated with an underlying condition or referred pain, according to the authors. …
Read More
Researchers found adults with underlying high-risk conditions (HRCs)—such as asthma, congenital immunodeficiency, chronic kidney disease, and others—had a higher risk of severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection than those without such conditions. A community-based study published in Open Forum Infectious Disease followed 7,501 adults aged 18–64 years over 2 RSV seasons. Overall, RSV acute respiratory infection rates were similar in adults with and without HRCs (17.9 cases per 1,000 person-years vs 14.8 cases per 1,000 …
Read More
Many patients presenting to urgent care with flu symptoms just want relief from the annoyance of their sore throat or body aches. A new study of 724 U.S. adults with confirmed influenza during the 2024–2025 season published in BMC Infectious Diseases found flu symptoms were greatest during the first few days of the illness but often continued on beyond the expected time to recover. In a survey with a selection of 12 flu-related symptoms, participants …
Read More
Researchers found the oral antiviral drug nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid) is safe for kids as young as age 6 with mild/moderate COVID-19 who were at increased risk for severe disease, as published in Pediatrics. Of the in 75 children in the international study, 81% had 1 risk factor for severe COVID-19, most commonly obesity (49%) or chronic lung disease (40%). Additionally, 56% were unvaccinated. Children aged 6–17 years who weighed 40 kg or more received 300 mg …
Read More
A structured approach to evaluating acute musculoskeletal injuries may help reduce missed diagnoses and unnecessary imaging, according to a review article published in Cureus. Musculoskeletal complaints account for an estimated 20%–25% of emergency department visits, and the authors explain that combining injury mechanism, functional assessment, focused physical examination, and targeted imaging can help identify significant injuries. Validated clinical decision tools can safely reduce unnecessary radiographs while still achieving accurate diagnosis, they say. For example, the …
Read More
A new international expert consensus document from leading cardiology groups offers an update on the definition of heart failure, taking into consideration advances in diagnosis and clinical understanding of the disease, as published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. While the statement isn’t a clinical practice guideline—and does not include treatment recommendations—it aims to clarify the definition and adopt it universally. For urgent care clinicians, the most relevant point is that heart …
Read More
Several state health departments are actively investigating a growing outbreak of cyclosporiasis. In late June, Michigan reported 177 cases of cyclosporiasis, then by July 4, the case count more than tripled to 572 cases, then grew again on July 9 to 1,251, according to local news reports. The figure represents more than 10 times the usual case counts for the state at this time of year. Ohio, Illinois, and New York are beginning to see …
Read More