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The article offers tips for attorneys to be considered to avoid negative scenarios while addressing personal injury claims due to professional negligence alongwith implications of Medicare regulations such in the U.S. Topics discussed include the significance of the Strengthening Medicare and Repaying Taxpayers Act of 2012 in settlement of personal injury claims, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), and Medicare laws.

Since neither angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE‐I) nor angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) can completely suppress aldosterone levels, there is a need for alternative/supplementary antihypertensive medications, such as the selective aldosterone blocker eplerenone (Inspra™). This multicenter study measured the safety and efficacy of add‐on eplerenone therapy to reduce blood pressure not controlled by ACE‐I or ARB monotherapy. An ad hoc analysis evaluated whether active plasma renin or serum aldosterone levels could predict blood pressure response to eplerenone therapy. Patients (N = 341) with a diastolic blood pressure > 95 mmHg on a fixed dose of ACE‐I or ARB were randomized to 8 weeks of double‐blind treatment with eplerenone 50 mg qd or placebo. If blood pressure remained uncontrolled following 2, 4, or 6 weeks of treatment, the eplerenone dose was increased to 100 mg qd. In a combined cohort analysis of these patients, the placebo‐adjusted change in systolic and diastolic blood pressure was −5.9/‐2.4 mmHg (p < 0.001 andp = 0.006, respectively). While adding eplerenone to an ACE‐I or ARB is safe and effective for blood pressure reduction, there was no baseline value or range of values of active plasma renin, serum aldosterone, or their ratio that predicted a favorable response to either of these drug combinations.

Background:Flushing related to niacin therapy is typically short-lived, occurring primarily during initiation of therapy. Aspirin significantly reduces flushing incidence and severity. We evaluated flushing-related troublesomeness, impact of flushing on usual daily activities, and sleep.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles published in previous issues, including Christina Applegate on the November 1, 2008 cover, "Clothes call," and "Is Grey's too gay?," on the November 17, 2008 issue.