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Severe Hepatic Steatosis and Thrombocytopenia Increase Risk of All-Cause, Cardiovascular-Related MortalityNo studies to-date have looked at the combined risk of mortality for patients with thrombocytopenia and severe hepatic steatosis.
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Can the Hadron Collider Cure Cancer?Russian researchers say high-energy particle colliders may hold the key to curing cancer.
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Contemplating Suicide: A Physician's Guide to Dealing with the Suicidal PatientSuicide is often viewed as "a permanent fix to a temporary problem." Unfortunately, for many individuals, attempting suicide is the answer. Estimates suggest there are from 8 to 25 suicide attempts for every one completion. As more lethal methods are used, the number of completed suicides increases. Physicians often see patients in the month before completion of the act. To provide effective treatment, they must be aware of the risks, particularly the red flags that indicate imminent risk in their patients.
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Are statins cardioprotective in patients undergoing major vascular surgery?We evaluated the cardioprotective effects of intensive statin therapy before major vascular surgery in a prospective study of 359 subjects. After multivariate analysis, lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was associated with decreased myocardial ischemia, troponin T release, and 30-day and late cardiac events. Furthermore, higher doses of statins were associated with better cardiac outcome, even after adjusting for LDL cholesterol.
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How Do you Ask a Patient to OK Postmortem Brain Donation?It sounds like a difficult conversation but it's well worth having. Tips from an MD.
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A systematic review of metformin treatment in persons at risk for diabetes mellitusA recent meta-analysis of 31 randomized controlled trials with 4500 participants showed that metformin treatment significantly decreased weight, improved dyslipidemia and insulin resistance, and reduced the incidence of new-onset diabetes by 40%, with beneficial effects maintained over time. Further studies will show whether the metabolic improvements achieved with metformin treatment will ultimately result in a decrease in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
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Is warfarin a safe alternative to aspirin in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation?We recruited 973 patients (mean age, 81 years) with atrial fibrillation from the primary care setting and randomly assigned them to receive anticoagulation with warfarin or aspirin.
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Is There a Relationship between Early Statin Compliance and a Reduction in Healthcare Utilization?Compliance with statin therapy in the first two years of use may reduce hospitalization rates and direct medical costs in the subsequent year.
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NO-Naproxen May Protect Against Colorectal CancerA study presented at the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010 by researchers from the Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, provides further evidence that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are promising chemopreventive agents with activity against colorectal cancer.
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Impaired insulin sensitivity in patients with stable chronic heart failureWe showed that impaired insulin sensitivity in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) significantly predicted impaired survival. Insulin resistance relates to an advanced disease state and higher mortality independent of body composition and established prognosticators, implicating a pathophysiologic role for insulin sensitivity in CHF. Patients with CHF may possibly benefit from early treatment of impaired insulin sensitivity, but further research is needed.
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Navigating the EHR Marketplace How to Choose the Right EHR for Your Oncology PracticeNavigating the EHR marketplace can be dizzying, with numerous products available to choose from, including locally installed client/server systems that require server hardware, local networks, data backup, and IT support, as well as hosted, Web-based systems.
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Statin use not linked to cancerNEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Although lower levels of LDL-cholesterol seem to correlate with higher rates of cancer, treatment with statin agents does not increase the risk of malignant neoplasia, according to a report in the August 20th online issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Acquired Angioedema: A Challenging DiagnosisAngioedema is a hypersensitivity disorder that presents as edema of the subcutaneous tissues and mucosa, typically involving the upper airways or gastrointestinal tract, and often accompanied by urticaria. Although this condition could be either hereditary or acquired, the causes often overlap, with similar clinical manifestations. Diagnosis requires laboratory testing to determine serum complement levels. Treatment must be directed toward the resolution of the acute symptoms and prevention of recurrence.
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Anti-inflammatory effects of pioglitazone and/or simvastatin in patients with distinct clinical risk for cardiovascular complicationsStatins are the most commonly used pharmacologic intervention in patients with increased cardiovascular risk. In addition to their beneficial effect on the atherogenic lipid profile, they have been shown to exert several pleiotrophic effects, including the reduction of low-grade inflammation. Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are a new class of antidiabetic drugs that have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and to reduce cardiovascular risk in patients with type 2 diabetes. Our study is the first to show a complementary effect of TZD and statin treatment on several cardiovascular risk factors in subjects without diabetes. These findings may have important implications for further discussion on cardiovascular risk reduction, especially for patients with metabolic syndrome.
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Video Capsule Endoscopy: Recent Advances in DiagnosisInvestigation of the small intestine or the esophagus with conventional diagnostic and imaging modalities can be challenging. Video capsule endoscopy is a relatively new and noninvasive technique that allows direct visualization of the small bowel or the esophagus and can obviate the need for or guide the use of more invasive procedures. The capsule contains a miniature camera that takes pictures of the lining of the small intestine or the esophagus. Unlike conventional diagnostic procedures, video capsule endoscopy can often successfully identify the source of the problem quickly and painlessly. It is also useful in assessing patients with a variety of other conditions affecting the small intestine or the esophagus, including Crohn's disease, celiac disease, tumors, reflux disease, esophagitis, and Barrett's esophagus.
