Little is known about the association between the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the level and content of primary care delivery in the US.
To quantify national changes in the ...volume, type, and content of primary care delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially with regard to office-based vs telemedicine encounters.
Analysis of serial cross-sectional data from the IQVIA National Disease and Therapeutic Index, a 2-stage, stratified nationally representative audit of outpatient care in the US from the first calendar quarter (Q1) of 2018 to the second calendar quarter (Q2) of 2020.
Visit type (office-based or telemedicine), overall and stratified by patient population and geographic region; assessment of blood pressure or cholesterol measurement; and initiation or continuation of prescription medications.
In the 8 calendar quarters between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2019, between 122.4 million (95% CI, 117.3-127.5 million) and 130.3 million (95% CI, 124.7-135.9 million) quarterly primary care visits occurred in the US (mean, 125.8 million; 95% CI, 121.7-129.9 million), most of which were office-based (92.9%). In 2020, the total number of encounters decreased to 117.9 million (95% CI, 112.6-123.2 million) in Q1 and 99.3 million (95% CI, 94.9-103.8 million) in Q2, a decrease of 21.4% (27.0 million visits) from the average of Q2 levels during 2018 and 2019. Office-based visits decreased 50.2% (59.1 million visits) in Q2 of 2020 compared with Q2 2018-2019, while telemedicine visits increased from 1.1% of total Q2 2018-2019 visits (1.4 million quarterly visits) to 4.1% in Q1 of 2020 (4.8 million visits) and 35.3% in Q2 of 2020 (35.0 million visits). Decreases occurred in blood pressure level assessment (50.1% decrease, 44.4 million visits) and cholesterol level assessment (36.9% decrease, 10.2 million visits) in Q2 of 2020 compared with Q2 2018-2019 levels, and assessment was less common during telemedicine than during office-based visits (9.6% vs 69.7% for blood pressure; P < .001; 13.5% vs 21.6% for cholesterol; P < .001). New medication visits in Q2 of 2020 decreased by 26.0% (14.1 million visits) from Q2 2018-2019 levels. Telemedicine adoption occurred at similar rates among White individuals and Black individuals (19.3% vs 20.5% of patient visits, respectively, in Q1/Q2 of 2020), varied by region (low of 15.1% of visits East North Central region, high of 26.8% of visits Pacific region), and was not correlated with regional COVID-19 burden.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with changes in the structure of primary care delivery, with the content of telemedicine visits differing from that of office-based encounters.
Off-label prescribing is legal and common, but it is often done in the absence of adequate supporting data. Dr. Randall Stafford writes that although there is a strong rationale for greater FDA ...involvement in off-label use, it is moving toward relinquishing control in its new draft guidelines.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides a barrier to market entry and use of unproven and unsafe products. For prescription drugs, the FDA approval process requires substantial evidence of efficacy and safety for specific clinical situations. Although approval is indication-specific, the FDA has a limited role once a drug is on the market. Recent draft guidelines covering manufacturers' promotion of drugs through the distribution of journal articles suggest that the FDA is moving toward an even more minimal role.
1
Although off-label prescribing — the prescription of a medication in a manner different from that approved by the FDA — . . .
Abstract
BACKGROUND
To examine current patterns of hypertension (HTN) treatment in the United States, including blood pressure (BP) control, prevalence of different antihypertensive agents, and ...variations in treatment associated with patient and physician characteristics.
METHODS
We used data from the National Disease and Therapeutic Index (NDTI), a nationally representative physician survey produced by QuintilesIMS. We selected patients with a diagnosis of HTN and identified those prescribed antihypertensive therapies. We analyzed the type of antihypertensive agents prescribed. Extent of BP control, and associated patient and physician characteristics. We calculated 95% confidence intervals that accounted for the multistage NDTI sampling design.
RESULTS
Among those treated for HTN in 2014, BP control varied: systolic BP (SBP) ≥160 (15%) vs. SBP 150–159 (9%) vs. SBP 140–149 (19%) vs. SBP 130–139 (26%) vs. SBP <130 (32%). Of those treated for HTN, 29% used of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs); 24%, thiazide-like diuretics; 22%, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), 21%, calcium-channel blockers (CCBs); and 19% beta-blockers. Newer drugs had very limited uptake; no drugs approved after 2002 were used in more than 5% of patients. Selection of agents varied only modestly by patient and physician characteristics.
CONCLUSIONS
The treatment of HTN in 2014 predominantly involved older medications in 5 major classes of drugs: ACEIs, thiazide diuretics, ARBs, CCBs, and beta-blockers. Selection of antihypertensive agents showed limited variation by age, gender, race, and insurance type. Although 58% of treated patients had SBP <140, 24% had poorly controlled HTN with SBP ≥150, indicating the need for improved treatment.
The recently released 2017 High Blood Pressure Guidelines depart from past guidelines in both their approach and recommendations. Developed by multiple health organizations, including the American ...College of Preventive Medicine, the guidelines continue to define normal blood pressure as <120/80 mmHg, but now define hypertension as ≥130/80 mmHg (previously ≥140/90 mmHg). This change categorizes 101 million Americans (46% of adults) as hypertensive (compared to 32% previously). The guidelines rely heavily on findings from the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT). This clinical trial demonstrated substantial reductions in key adverse outcomes from intensive blood pressure management (goal systolic blood pressure <120 mmHg) compared to standard treatment (<140 mmHg). The guidelines emphasize non-drug strategies for blood pressure management, particularly healthy diet, several forms of physical activity, reduction in sodium intake, enhancement of potassium intake, reduction in alcohol use, and weight loss. A risk-based approach is recommended for drug therapy. Individuals with an elevated 10-year risk of future cardiovascular disease events should receive drug therapies for blood pressures ≥130/80 mmHg, whereas those at lower risk should receive antihypertensive medications for blood pressures ≥140/90 mmHg. Given that high blood pressure is poorly managed even with easier-to-reach goals, effective implementation of the guidelines will present significant challenges. The guidelines suggest that successful implementation requires the adoption of new models of chronic disease care, including team-based care, telehealth, a shift towards self-management, better approaches to patient adherence, and use of home blood pressure monitoring. Attention to systems level issues is much needed, including population-based management, aligned financial incentives, improved health literacy, community interventions, and improved access to primary care and medications.
Little is known regarding the adoption of direct thrombin inhibitors in clinical practice. We examine trends in oral anticoagulation for the prevention of thromboembolism in the United States.
We ...used the IMS Health National Disease and Therapeutic Index, a nationally representative audit of office-based providers, to quantify patterns of oral anticoagulant use among all subjects and stratified by clinical indication. We quantified oral anticoagulant expenditures using the IMS Health National Prescription Audit. Between 2007 and 2011, warfarin treatment visits declined from ≈2.1 million (M) quarterly visits to ≈1.6M visits. Dabigatran use increased from 0.062M quarterly visits (2010Q4) to 0.363M visits (2011Q4), reflecting its increasing share of oral anticoagulant visits from 3.1% to 18.9%. In contrast to warfarin, the majority of dabigatran visits have been for atrial fibrillation, though this proportion decreased from 92% (2010Q4) to 63% (2011Q4), with concomitant increases in dabigatran's off-label use. Among atrial fibrillation visits, warfarin use decreased from 55.8% visits (2010Q4) to 44.4% (2011Q4), whereas dabigatran use increased from 4.0% to 16.9%. Of atrial fibrillation visits, the fraction not treated with any oral anticoagulants has remained unchanged at ≈40%. Expenditures related to dabigatran increased rapidly from $16M in 2010Q4 to $166M in 2011Q4, exceeding expenditures on warfarin ($144M) in 2011Q4.
Dabigatran has been rapidly adopted into ambulatory practice in the United States, primarily for treatment of atrial fibrillation, but increasingly for off-label indications. We did not find evidence that it has increased overall atrial fibrillation treatment rates.
OBJECTIVE Type 2 diabetes is increasingly common and associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. This study examines trends in the patterns and costs of drug treatment of type 2 diabetes ...from 1997 to 2012. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We conducted descriptive analyses of cross-sectional data using the IMS Health National Disease and Therapeutic Index, a nationally representative audit of ambulatory physician practices in the U.S. We focused on visits for diabetes among patients 35 years of age or older. We used the IMS Health National Prescription Audit of pharmacy dispensing to derive information about drug expenditures. RESULTS Ambulatory diabetes visits increased from 23 million treatment visits in 1997 (95% CI 21-25) to 35 million (32-37) in 2007 and declined to 31 million visits by 2012 (27-31). Between 1997 and 2012 biguanide use increased, from 23% (20-26) to 53% (50-56) of treatment visits. Glitazone use grew from 6% (4-8) in 1997 (41% 39-43 of all visits in 2005), but declined to 16% (14-18) by 2012. Since 2005, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor use increased steadily, representing 21% (18-23) of treatment visits by 2012. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists accounted for 4% of treatment visits in 2012. Visits where two or more drug compounds were used increased nearly 40% from 1997 to 2012. Between 2008 and 2012, drug expenditures increased 61%, driven primarily by use of insulin glargine and DPP-4 inhibitors. CONCLUSIONS Declining sulfonylurea and glitazone use has been offset by increases in DPP-4 inhibitor use and, to a lesser degree, use of GLP-1 agonists. Treatment of diabetes has grown in complexity while older treatments continue to be replaced or supplemented by newer therapies.
Prevention of myopia, China Jan, Catherine; Li, Ling; Keay, Lisa ...
Bulletin of the World Health Organization,
06/2020, Letnik:
98, Številka:
6
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Myopia (or short-sightedness) is a global health and social problem. Researchers have estimated that in China, myopia caused a 244 billion United States dollars loss in productivity in 2015.1 China s ...approach to its burden of childhood myopia illustrates the problem s magnitude, but also outlines solutions that could be potentially relevant to other countries. Here we outline China s national myopia policy, discuss the related scientific evidence and conclude with specific recommendations for the way forward.
We sought to examine changes in regional and sex disparities in stunting, thinness, and overweight among Chinese school-aged children from 1985 to 2014.
We analyzed data on 1,489,953 children aged ...7-18 years in the Chinese National Survey on Students' Constitution and Health. Stunting, thinness, and overweight were defined according to WHO anthropomorphic definitions. After adjustment for age, socioeconomic status, and school, logistic regression was used to estimate the prevalence of stunting, thinness, and overweight by region and sex over 30 years' time.
From 1985 to 2014, the prevalence of stunting progressively decreased from 16.4% in 1985 to 2.3% in 2014, thinness prevalence also declined overtime, from 8.4 to 4.0% and overweight prevalence continually increased from 1.1% in 1985 to 20.4% in 2014 in Chinese school-aged children. Stunting and thinness were more common in rural areas, although urban/rural differences declined over time. Overweight was a greater problem in urban than rural areas, and this difference increased over time. Some provinces showed high levels of stunting, thinness, and overweight. The stunting prevalence of boys was higher than girls from 1985 and 1995, but lower than girls for the past 15 years. Thinness was consistently more common in boys than girls across regions and time. Overweight continuously increased for boys and girls; however, the increase was more rapid in boys.
Over the past 30 years, Chinese children have shifted in anthropomorphic measures indicating a shift from problems of under-nutrition to measures consistent with over-nutrition, particularly in urban areas and among boys. Some regions are burdened by problems of both under- and over-nutrition. Regional and sex-specific guidelines and public health policies for childhood nutrition are needed in China.
Evidence Gaps and Future Directionse208 Appendix 1 Author Relationships With Industry and Other Entities (Relevant)e238 Appendix 2 Reviewer Relationships With Industry and Other Entities ...(Comprehensive)e240 Preamble Since 1980, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) have translated scientific evidence into clinical practice guidelines (guidelines) with recommendations to improve cardiovascular health.In 2013, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Advisory Council recommended that the NHLBI focus specifically on reviewing the highest-quality evidence and partner with other organizations to develop recommendations (P-1,P-2)....the ACC and AHA collaborated with the NHLBI and stakeholder and professional organizations to complete and publish 4 guidelines (on assessment of cardiovascular risk, lifestyle modifications to reduce cardiovascular risk, management of blood cholesterol in adults, and management of overweight and obesity in adults) to make them available to the widest possible constituency.Adherence to recommendations can be enhanced by shared decision making between clinicians and patients, with patient engagement in selecting interventions on the basis of individual values, preferences, and associated conditions and comorbidities.Methodology and Modernization The ACC/AHA Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines (Task Force) continuously reviews, updates, and modifies guideline methodology on the basis of published standards from organizations, including the Institute of Medicine (P-3,P-4), and on the basis of internal reevaluation.
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