Primary Care Update

Primary care docs Mark Ebell, Kate Rowland, Henry Barry and Gary Ferenchick tackle 4 new studies: health benefits of cocoa supplements, the best antibiotic for managing uncomplicated UTIs in women, left atrial appendage closure for AF with high bleeding or stroke risk, and evolocumab for primary (sort-of) prevention of MACE in patients with diabetes.

Essential Evidence Plus: www.essentialevidenceplus.com

https://www.iafp.org/2026ac

Cocoa and health: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35294962/

Antibiotics for UTI: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42026010/

Left atrial appendage closure and AF: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41849741/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41903215/

This week, primary care doctors Mark Ebell, Kate Rowland, Henry Barry and Gary Ferenchick discuss four new studies: whether water is better than diet drinks in diabetes, a new RCT of Paxlovid for COVID in contemporary patients, to switch or not to switch antiplatelet agents after a stroke, and the latest AHA 2026 dietary advice for heart health.

Drinks for diabetes: ttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41369640/

Antiplatelet agents after stroke on aspirin: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41347302/

New Paxlovid trial: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42019019/

AHA 2026 dietary guidance: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41914202/

This week Kate, Mark and Henry talk about empathetic robots, mother-baby singing groups for postpartum depression, and new American College of Cardiology lipid guidelines.

Indiana AFP POEMs course in French Link: https://www.iafp.org/2026ac

Empathetic robots: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41359230/

Weekly singing groups for postpartum depression: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41087020/

ACC/AHA/etc lipid guidelines: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41824552/

A 2025 study in the journal Family Practice finding that the two most trustworthy lipid guidelines recommended against using CAC, while all five less trustworthy guidelines due to poor methods or COI recommended it. Go figure.

Smartphones in schools: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41489912/

Join primary care faculty Gary Ferenchick, Kate Rowland, Henry Barry and Mark Ebell as they discuss 4 important new studies: the value (?) Of biomarkers in cognitive impairment, toilet training, bleeding risk with apixaban versus rivaroxaban for VTE, and diagnosing volume overload in adults  from the JAMA Rational Clinical Exam series.

This week, primary care doctors Kate, Gary, Mark and Henry discuss high vs low dose inhaled steroids for high risk patients with asthma, click based semaglutide titration to reduce GI problems, zoster vaccine and dementia risk, and whether we are trusting AI too much.  

This week primary care physicians Kate Rowland, Mark Ebell, Gary Ferenchick and Henry Barry tackle 4 new POEM-worthy studies: new therapy for elevated triglycerides, cannabinoids for chronic pain in adults, the best antithrombotic for patients with AF + drug eluting cardiac stent, and lower versus standard LDL targets for patients with heart disease

Essential Evidence Plus: https://www.essentialevidenceplus.com/

Lower triglycerides: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41211918/

Cannabinoids for pain: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41429020/

Antithrombotics for AF + stent: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41211917/

LDL target 55 vs 70 for CAD: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41910315/

This week, primary care physicians Henry Barry, Gary Ferenchick and Mark Ebell discuss several new studies: melatonin for older adults with cognitive impairment, new pulmonary embolism guidelines, and inhaled corticosteroid dosing for children and adults with asthma. Kate has the week off.

This week, primary care docs Mark, Kate, Henry and Gary discuss skin lotions to prevent eczema, adding an opioid to ibuprofen for kids with acute injuries, evolocumab (Repatha) for very high risk persons, and 10 year follow-up of antibiotics vs surgery for uncomplicated appendicitis.

This week, we cover a range of topics: urinary vs cervical HPV collection, the benefits and harms of Tramadol, whether patients need anticoagulation after successful ablation for afib, and the ongoing value of COVID vaccines in the omicron era. Plus a quiz: is TAVR now indicated for everyone with severe aortic stenosis? Stay tuned!

Join primary care faculty Kate Rowland, Gary Ferenchick, Henry Barry and Mark Ebell as they discuss 4 practice changing studies: norethindrone acetate for uterine bleeding with the contraceptive implant, introducing yourself to a new patient, avoiding LPs in febrile infants, and antithrombotic strategies after ischemic stroke with AF and atherosclerosis. And an Olympic quiz!