[2016 Update in general internal medicine : Good intentions, possible bad outcomes]

Abstract

Ideally, our clinical practices and decisions should be based on evidence derived from randomized clinical trials. Yet, we often have to determine the potential side effects (including interactions) of drugs that we prescribed using other level of evidence; clinical trials being obviously not appropriate for such situations. Results from observational studies published in 2016 should be of interest to primary care physicians. In this review, we present six of them. Once the limitations of these non-interventional studies acknowledged, primary care physicians should consider these results and be particularly attentive when prescribing these drugs.