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Archive for August, 2012

SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth): How common is it, and how should we diagnose it?

M. Brian Fennerty • August 29th, 2012

Categories: Health policy, Patient care

(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Our hospital used to provide hydrogen breath testing for the community but recently discontinued this practice. I was asked to comment on whether it should be discontinued and how often I used the test. It surprised me that I had not ordered a hydrogen breath test in the 2 decades I have been here but [...]

PPIs: Are the risk issues being overplayed?

M. Brian Fennerty • August 5th, 2012

Categories: Uncategorized

(3 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5)

 I have been using PPIs to manage GERD and acid-sensitive dyspepsia since omeprazole first became available in 1989. Although no drug class is absolutely safe, there is, as yet, not a single case report of a death related to this drug class, despite hundreds of millions of patient-years of exposure. Despite this remarkable safety profile, [...]