Frankly Speaking About Family Medicine

I’ve Got Rhythm: Catheter Ablation Therapy for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Heart Failure - Frankly Speaking EP 62

Management of patients with atrial fibrillation has long centered on the relative merits of rate control versus rhythm control. The CASTLE-AF trial evaluated catheter ablation as a treatment for patients with both heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and atrial fibrillation. Listen to this week’s podcast episode to learn about the results of this new trial and how the catheter ablation impacted clinical outcomes.  Guest: Alan Ehrlich MD

How to Best Treat Cognitive Impairment – 2018 AAN Recommendations - Frankly Speaking EP 61

In this week’s episode, we’ll be continuing the discussion on the AAN’s updated practice guideline on mild cognitive impairment. Last week’s podcast episode provided overview of the updated practice guideline, and this week’s episode focuses on treatment recommendations. Guest: Robert A. Baldor, MD, FAAFP

Screening for Dementia; Better Than MMSE (Mini Mental Status Exam) - Frankly Speaking EP 60

The American Academy of Neurology recently published the first updated practice guideline on mild cognitive impairment since 2001. Listen to this week’s episode for an overview of the updated practice guideline, which includes a systematic review of prevalence, prognosis, screening, and treatment research with clear recommendations for practicing clinicians. Guest: Robert A. Baldor, MD, FAAFP

GET UP: A Small Bit of Movement Makes a Big Impact - Frankly Speaking EP 59

This observational study found adding very little activity, akin to going for a 30-minute walk or converting to a standing desk for half your workday, lowered all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Guest: Alan Ehrlich, MD

Do We Still Use Warfarin? - Frankly Speaking EP 58

Direct acting oral anticoagulants are increasingly used for stroke prevention for individuals with atrial fibrillation. Whether these agents are as safe and effective as warfarin has been a concern for many clinicians, but recent comparative effectiveness analyses are providing answers. In this week’s podcast episode, we will review these recent studies and draw some conclusions about which agents are best. Guest: Robert A. Baldor, MD, FAAFP

Helping Depressed Patients Change: Behavioral Activation - Frankly Speaking EP 57

Listen to this week’s episode to learn about the basic concepts of behavioral activation (BA), what research has demonstrated about its use in depression, and how to apply BA in everyday care.  Guest: Susan Feeney, DNP, FNP-BC

The Flu is Bad for Your Heart - Frankly Speaking EP 56

Patients with chronic diseases, including coronary artery disease, are advised to get yearly flu shots because they are at higher risk for having a more severe illness. Canadian researchers have found that in the week following being diagnosed with the flu, adults over 65 years old have a significantly increased risk of myocardial infection.

Too Little, Too Much: How Much Sleep is Just Right? - Frankly Speaking EP 55

In this session we discuss the impact of length of sleep on obesity and DM II.

Your Morning “Cup of Joe” Could Be Doing More Than Starting Your Day - Frankly Speaking EP 54

This session will review the existing evidence between coffee consumption and multiple health outcomes. 

An Oral Fecal Transplant for Lunch?- Frankly Speaking EP 53

Treating recurrent C. difficile colitis can be difficult, but recent trials have demonstrated the benefit of treating with fecal transplantation. Questions exist, however, about around the best mode of administration. Listen to this week’s episode to learn about a recent RCT that compares oral and colonoscopic delivery methods and provides an answer.   Learning Objectives:  Appreciate the current guidelines for treating recurrent difficile colitis Understand the pharmacology of fecal transplantation Learn about the latest research on how best to administer such treatment