Cardiology

This is a randomized controlled study of 612 pregnant smokers of a low-income, inner city population in the west of Scotland, United Kingdom.

This study was a randomized, controlled trial of 240 adults with metabolic syndrome who were assigned to follow either the single-component dietary recommendation of increased fiber consumption (≥30g/d), or the multi-component American Heart Association (AHA) dietary guidelines. The primary outcome measure was weight loss at 12 months.

Some key classes of antidiabetes agents could play a dual physiologic role. Find out which ones hold most promise in this at-a-glance summary.

For more than a decade, it has been an annual ritual to read headlines about a crisis brewing in Congress as it struggled to avert a looming Medicare disaster stemming from the imminent pay cut to Medicare physicians mandated by the "SGR". Like a broken record each time, spurred by warnings of physician groups of the dire consequences the slash in Medicare fees would have on medical practices and Medicare patients, Congress scrambled at the 12th hour to put off the mandated cuts for another year.

A 51 year-old man with a history of well-controlled hypertension presents to his primary physician's office for an acute care visit with chest discomfort that would come and go.

As new medications and agents are developed organizations like the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association update their guidelines on treating a variety of conditions. Recently work was completed to help doctors treating acute coronary syndromes.

Sometimes even the most routine appearing patients can have results on their EKG that that can catch even the most veteran cardiologists off guard. This can be especially true for people who have had relatives suffer an unexpected cardiac fatality.

When heart patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation do not respond to antiarrhythmic medications, physicians may turn to percutaneous catheter ablation. The unanswered treatment question has been how extensive that ablation should be. A new study indicates several techniques achieve the same results.

There have been demonstrated benefits to implementing antimicrobial stewardship programs in medical facilities of all sizes. While they have become more popular, there are several factors that need to be considered before making that move.

When a patient goes to see their primary care physician they often do so with the hopes of getting the care they need with their doctor. Whether they need to be seen by a specialist is often a more subjective decision by their healthcare provider.

When doctors are considering medications to prescribe to patients there are several factors they need to consider, not the least of which is cost.

Rivaroxaban, also known as Xarelto has been on the market for many years but was recently approved for use in patients with DVT and pulmonary embolism.

With primary care physicians treating such a broad spectrum of conditions they also have a number of medications they can prescribe to help their patients. While some of these are more beneficial than others it is important to consider which might be more effective for patients.

Hypertension is a common diagnosis in patients and can often require patients to visit their doctors on a regular basis. A new approach to treatment could mean fewer trips for patients while providing a high level of care at the same time.

When patients are initially diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, clinicians usually recommend several lifestyle changes, including weight loss. Few studies have looked at weight changes in patients with type 2 diabetes around initial diagnosis, although it's clear that it is more difficult for patients with diabetes to lose weight than it is for others.

People who have blunted cardiovascular responses to psychologically stressful tasks have an increased risk of dying. Poor blood pressure responses to this stress can be associated with adverse outcomes.

In addition to recent research that used genetic factors to predict the severity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), another development suggests that patients have an increased risk of a surprise heart attack even without showing symptoms.

Individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are more likely to experience sudden cardiac death, according to a team of Dutch researchers.

In a multicenter observational study reported April 29 at the Asian Pacific Society of Cardiology Congress 2015, held in Abu Dhabi, researchers examined the relationship between the severity and presence of coronary artery disease in male patients and the number of wives they have. The more wives, the more heart disease.

Across the United States, especially within the Veterans Affairs healthcare system, heart failure (HF) is reported to cause hospitalization, disability, and death.

In a perspectives piece published in the April 2015 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine, physicians from Montefiore Medical Center in New York City underscored the importance of removing language barriers.

Generally, surgeons are gravitating toward shorter courses of antibiotics for surgical prophylaxis to reduce toxicity, selection of resistant organisms, Clostridium difficile infection, and cost.

LDL-C was reduced in RA patients who took tocilizumab compared to placebo in a study published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

When it comes to developing heart disease, patients who have non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) liver disease are at greater risk of both cardiovascular illness and death than patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease a UK team reported today at the International Liver Congress in Vienna, Austria.

Rheumatoid arthritis patients have increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, but tofacitinib can reduce these issues, according to research published in Arthritis & Rheumatology.

Huntington's Disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant progressive neurodegenerative disorder. In addition to the central nervous system disturbance the ailment causes, there is increasing evidence the genetic abnormality also affects peripheral organs and tissues.

The Choosing Wisely project offers specific, evidence-based recommendations providers and patients should discuss to make determine each individual patient's most appropriate care.

The American Diabetes Association recommends eating fewer calories of better quality to prevent diabetes. Researchers looked at the available evidence from studies that examined a variety of diets and found that any healthy diet reduces the risk of diabetes by about 20%.