Cardiology

What factors must be considered to ensure optimal management of perioperative cardiac arrest in the cardiac surgery patient?

The reaction to an editorial claiming that exercise alone will not help patients lose weight is illustrative of the biases held by certain groups and underscores the need for greater education and awareness of the science of weight loss for patients and clinicians.

A recent study out of Finland found that men who ate chicken eggs on a regular basis had a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. Like a number of other recent studies this article stands in contrast to what was once the conventional wisdom: that eating foods high in cholesterol would increase your risk of heart disease and its risk factors.

Bacterial endocarditis increased the risk of stroke 4 months before and up to 5 months after the infection is diagnosed, a New York City research team reports.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will require manufacturers to update labels in order to red flag possible serious side effects associated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Cardiac disease could be a predictive factor for Alzheimer's disease and dementia, according to research published in Circulation.

A multi-year study of rivaroxaban in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation demonstrated that the drug is about as safe in real-world usage as it was in phase 3 trials.

There are difficult patients, and ideal patients. A cardiologist offers advice on relating to them all.

Patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) commonly experience joint pain. They are also at higher risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD).

The US Food and Drug Administration announced the approval of Entresto for the treatment of heart failure.

Researchers have found a genetic cause for the increased coronary artery disease risk experienced by some patients with migraine; however, this relationship may be limited to those who suffer from a specific kind of migraine.

A recent study assessed patients with diabetes for the effects of perceived racial discrimination encountered during care, focusing on treatment outcomes such as glycemic control, blood pressure, and LDL cholesterol levels.

A 36-year-old man presents to his primary care physician's office for follow-up after being told he had an abnormal ECG at a health fair he attended. He has no complaints. He is sedentary and does not participate in any exercise or athletic activity.

While treating our patients' depression is a crucial aspect of sound pain management practice in primary care, the analgesic effects of certain antidepressants, particularly for select types of chronic pain, should also not be underestimated.

With much fanfare earlier this month, the Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee of the Food and Drug Administration endorsed approval of 2 new highly-anticipated, injectable agents for lowering cholesterol, alirocumab and evolocumab. Although the FDA is not obliged to follow these recommendations, it is a only a matter of time before these two proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin 9 inhibitors will be available by prescription in the United States.

You see a 48-year-old white man for his annual examination. He is in good health with no major medical problems and an unremarkable medical history. He states he regularly drinks one or two beers a day on the weekend but not usually on weekdays. He denies blood transfusions, tattoos or intravenous drugs. His father had diabetes. Physical examination is notable for the patient being mildly obese with a body mass index of 32.

Dr. Arruda is a hematology researcher at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and an associate professor of Pediatrics in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. His laboratory focuses on gene-based strategies for the treatment of bleeding and thrombotic diseases.

There is consistent observational data that identifies concomitant use of proton pump inhibitors for gastroesophageal reflux disease and clopidogrel following acute coronary syndrome increases the risk of recurrent cardiovascular events. While a variety of theories exist (lower pH alters absorption, etc.), no clear factor has been identified.

This study was a meta-analysis that examined the association between sedentary behavior and hospitalizations, all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer in adults.

This prospective epidemiological study compares the capabilities of the new 2013 American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology ASCVD risk calculator against several alternative cardiovascular risk calculators and explores the potential effect of preventive therapy on risk overestimation in the AHA-ACC-ASCVD model.

Pediatric-onset lupus erythematosus (pSLE) frequently involves care coordination between rheumatologists and nephrologists. Almost half of all patients with pSLE will develop some form of lupus nephritis, which requires prolonged (and often toxic) therapy.

Public health ad campaigns are not so prevalent as they were a few decades ago. Primary care doctors in South Carolina have taken over where Madison Avenue left off. Cardiovascular disease has since fallen.

As the US population ages, better primary care is essential to keeping costs down. But so far, the new focus on that specialty has not resulted in adequate reimbursement, said Brent Egan, MD, speaking June 27 at a meeting of primary care physicians in Charleston, SC. He believes that will change.

Researchers have shown that the tendency of atrial fibrillation to impair cognitive function stems, at least in part, from a reduction in blood flow to the brain.

The "sweet spot" where blood pressure control reduces cardiovascular risk without undue side effects may actually be a little higher than traditionally recommended for people with diabetes between ages 60 and 85.

While everyone has the fibroblast 23 hormone there has been some research into whether it can be linked to diseases and other conditions that can make some people sick.

An aging population of hemophilia patients is at risk for various cardiovascular diseases.

Mark Twain said, "When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in 7 years."

What's the story with salt? Dietary guidelines for adults – especially those who are older, black, have elevated blood pressures, diabetes or chronic kidney disease – recommend consuming less than 1500 mg daily.

Colorectal surgery is often performed for inflammatory disease or malignancy-known risk factors for venous thromboembolism (VTE). Although a patient safety priority, comprehensive recommendations for these VTE patients are lacking. Most patients receive perioperative and in-hospital VTE chemoprophylaxis, but extended prophylaxis rates lag.