Medscape's Ask the Experts allows you to ask members of a panel of leading experts for advice or information. You also have the opportunity to share your own views and insights by clicking the "Discuss this" link at the top of each response.

• What Should Patients Do With Unused Narcotics? Clinicians often tell patients to save their remaining narcotics for "next time." According to guidelines, this may not be the best advice.
  Ask the Experts, November 2009
• Opioid Contracts in Primary Care Opioid contracts are not prevalent in primary care.
  Ask the Experts, November 2009
• Do Blood Transfusions Affect the INR? Whether or not the international normalized ratio (INR) will be "preserved" depends on the type of blood transfusion given.
  Ask the Experts, November 2009
• Is Red Yeast Rice Effective in Lowering Lipid Levels? A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine has prompted clinicians to seek more information about this controversial supplement.
  Ask the Experts, November 2009
• Antiviral Treatment for Suspected H1N1 Influenza James Wilde, MD, discusses the recommendations for initiating antiviral treatment for patients with suspected H1N1 influenza.
  Ask the Experts, November 2009
• Are Bioidentical Hormones Safe? Our expert helps clinicians respond to women who request compounded bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.
  Ask the Experts, November 2009
• How Should I Manage Patients With Sickle Cell Anemia and Hepatitis C? Patients with sickle cell anemia who received blood transfusions before 1992 are at increased risk of developing chronic hepatitis C. Find out the treatment options for these patients.
  Ask the Experts, October 2009
• Which Antidepressants Treat Comorbid Anxiety and Depression? Certain antidepressants may be useful for patients with coexisting depression and anxiety.
  Ask the Experts, October 2009
• How Aggressively Should We Treat Diabetes? When it comes to glucose control in patients with diabetes, how low should we go? Turns out, it depends on the patient.
  Ask the Experts, October 2009
• What Risks Are Associated With High-Dose Rosuvastatin? Although some clinicians prescribe off-label, high-dose rosuvastatin, such dosing may place patients at higher risk for myopathy and renal toxicity.
  Ask the Experts, October 2009
• Chronic Pain in Primary Care Primary care physicians are reluctant to prescribe opioids.
  Ask the Experts, October 2009
• What Risk Factors Are Associated With Antithyroid Drug-Induced Agranulocytosis? Although rare, agranulocytosis associated with propylthiouracil and methimazole may be related to patient factors and drug dosing.
  Ask the Experts, October 2009
• How Should I Manage the Pregnant HBeAg-Positive Woman? New 2009 guidelines address the management of the HBeAg-positive pregnancy.
  Ask the Experts, September 2009
• Do Statins Reduce a Patient's Hormone Levels? Using statins to lower cholesterol levels may benefit certain patients, but is endogenous hormone production decreased in the process?
  Ask the Experts, September 2009
• How Should We Manage Drug Interactions Between Clopidogrel and Proton-Pump Inhibitors? Patients taking clopidogrel often receive PPIs prophylactically to reduce GI bleeding risk. Recent evidence of a drug interaction suggests that this coadministration may not be safe for all patients.
  Ask the Experts, September 2009
• Does Coenzyme Q10 Relieve Statin-Induced Myopathy? Does coenzyme Q10 alleviate muscle tenderness or spasm associated with statin therapy?
  Ask the Experts, September 2009
• What Are the Latest Childhood Vaccine Recommendations? A quick review to keep you in the know.
  Ask the Experts, September 2009
• Can Opioid Tolerance Be Treated by Increasing the Opioid Dose? Treatment for reduced pain control in patients receiving long-term opioid treatment depends on the etiology of the breakthrough pain.
  Ask the Experts, September 2009
• Do Antibiotics Interact With Combination Oral Contraceptives? Should women on combination oral contraceptives receive alternative forms of contraception when receiving antibiotics?
  Ask the Experts, August 2009
• Should Young Men Be Vaccinated With Gardasil®? Although indicated for young women, clinicians question whether Gardasil® vaccination has been studied in young men to help prevent infection and spread of HPV.
  Ask the Experts, August 2009

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