Nutritional support may be useful for people with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Key message: Nutritional supplementation should be considered in the management of malnourished people with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as there is growing evidence that it is beneficial in improving their weight, respiratory muscle strength and quality of life.

Loading with warfarin, what’s the quickest and safest dose?

Key message: There is not enough evidence to show whether 10mg or 5mg loading dose of warfarin is safer or quicker. It may be more appropriate to use smaller doses in elderly patients.

How best to prevent falls in older people in care homes and hospitals remains unclear despite large body of evidence

Key message: In care facilities, amongst people with low levels of vitamin D, vitamin D supplementation reduces the rate of falls. Evidence on other strategies to prevent falls in hospitals and care facilities is inconclusive.

Top dose Atorvastatin cuts bad cholesterol by 50%, but what about smaller doses?

Key message: The effect of atorvastatin on lowering total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride was proportional to the dose given. HDL-cholesterol was not significantly affected.

Cognitive behavioural therapy can help people manage chronic pain

Key message: Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), when delivered by experienced staff, can be helpful in the management of chronic pain, though it is not known which components of CBT work best for different types of patients and for which outcomes