Allergy & Immunology

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.

• Is Penicillin Safe in a Patient Allergic to Cephalosporins? Can a patient who is allergic to cephalosporins receive a penicillin-class antimicrobial?
  Pharmacotherapy, August 2008
• Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Cardiovascular Mortality in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment of RA-associated PAH may require aggressive immunomodulatory therapy in addition to the standard PAH drugs.
  Pulmonary Hypertension, June 2008
• Should Patients With Asthma Receive Beta-Blockers for Heart Problems? Given the risk for bronchospasm associated with beta-blockers, should patients with asthma be taking these medications?
  Pharmacotherapy, January 2008
• Declaring Treatment Failure in PAH How long should we wait before declaring a patient's failure to respond to a new PAH therapy?
  Pulmonary Hypertension, October 2007
• Steroid Use for PAH in Scleroderma A reader asks about the use of steroids for treating PAH associated with scleroderma.
  Pulmonary Hypertension, October 2007
• Scleroderma and Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension A reader asks about the use of steroids for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension in scleroderma patients.
  Pulmonary Hypertension, August 2007
• What Happens to Epinephrine After the Expiration Date? Is it acceptable to use epinephrine that is older than the expiration date stamped on the container?
  Pharmacotherapy, August 2007
• Do Inhaled Steroids Affect Barrett's Esophagus? Do inhaled steroids that are used for shortness of breath or asthma affect the conversion of Barrett's metaplasia to carcinoma?
  Pharmacotherapy, May 2007
• Reynaud's Syndrome and PAH Do all patients with Reynaud's syndrome have pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)?
  Pulmonary Hypertension, May 2007
• Evaluating the Lung in Connective Tissue Disease How do we evaluate the lung in connective tissue disease?
  Pulmonary Hypertension, April 2007
• Initiating Anti-TNF Therapy in a Patient With RA When should treatment with TNF blockers in a patient with RA be initiated?
  Rheumatoid Arthritis and Related Conditions, April 2007
• Approach to the Patient Infected With Precore Mutant HBV? What parameters are used to guide the response and duration of therapy in patients infected with precore mutant HBV? William Balistreri, MD, explores the issues.
  Liver Disease, February 2007
• How Can I Accurately Test a Patient for Loss of Ability to Smell? I have a patient (nonsmoker) who presents with a 6-month history of loss of ability to smell. How do I evaluate and treat her lost sense of smell?
  Primary Care for Advanced Practice Nurses, November 2006
• Postnasal Drip, Immunotherapy, and Asthma: Is There a Link? Is postnasal drip syndrome linked to the development of asthma? How long does an allergic reaction to allergy shots last, and can it be managed?
  General Allergy & Clinical Immunology, November 2006
• Can Leukotriene Modifiers Benefit Severe Drug-Induced Skin Reactions? "What is the role of leukotriene modifiers (montelukast) in severe drug-induced skin reaction? I have used it in a case of Stevens-Johnson syndrome, with very good results."
  General Allergy & Clinical Immunology, November 2006
• How Long Should Inhaled Corticosteroids Be Prescribed to Children Aged 3 Years and Over? Children from the age of 3 years with asthma have been prescribed inhaled corticosteroids. How long do you think they could continue on this regimen even after the cessation of their symptoms?
  Asthma, November 2006
• Which Inhaler Therapy Is Recommended for Elderly Patients With Asthma/COPD and Hypertension? In your opinion, is budesonide/formoterol (Symbicort) inhaler a better choice than seretide (Advair) for elderly patients with asthma/COPD and hypertension?
  Asthma, November 2006
• Does Systemic Furosemide Have a Role in Chronic Asthma? Does systemic furosemide have a role in chronic asthma?
  General Allergy & Clinical Immunology, July 2006
• Can Xolair and Immunotherapy Be Administered During the Same Clinic Visit? Can Xolair and immunotherapy be administered during the same clinic visit?
  Asthma, July 2006
• Differentiating Infective From Allergic Rhinosinusitis How can we differentiate infective rhinosinusitis from allergic rhinosinusitis on a clinical basis?
  Asthma, June 2006

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