Cardiology

In a case reported in a poster session, a team describes a patient whose infection with E. cloacae caused a stroke.

Flare ups from rheumatoid arthritis can increase the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, according to research from the Mayo Clinic.

Patients with atrial fibrillation at low risk of stroke treated with antithrombotic agents experienced low rates of stroke-related events, but the rate increased significantly in patients with even one additional risk factor.

Study results indicate that obstructive sleep apnea is an independent predictor of atrial fibrillation in cardiac surgery.

There are no adverse cognitive effects associated with the use of statins, according to a literature review published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Abdominal complaints are not the result of exocrine pancreatic function in Fabry disease patients, suggests a study by researchers in Slovenia.

The US Food and Drug Administration today announced it has approved Amgen's Corlanor (ivabradine) to reduce hospitalization from worsening heart failure.

Albumin -- the most abundant protein in the human body -- has many roles. It transports hormones, fatty acids, and other compounds. It buffers serum pH, and maintains osmotic pressure. Now, it appears that albumin may be a tool that could be used in diabetes management.

Patients at risk for stroke due to clinically significant carotid stenosis benefit from carotid endarterectomy (CEA), a procedure that prevents neurologic sequelae. The best surgical outcomes occur when patients undergo revascularization on diagnosis. Studies report that white patients are more likely to have CEA and experience good postoperative outcomes than black patients.

Researchers from a number of leading academic facilities across the United States have published a study that details post-surgical MACE prevalence and risk factors in patients with Williams syndrome.

Results from a recent study may help physicians decide when to use pulmonary vein isolation on patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and when to try an alternative treatment.

Analysis of a large patient cohort indicates that "isolated" events of atrial fibrillation precipitated by temporary secondary conditions tend to become chronic long-term cases of atrial fibrillation.

FDA approval of the left atrial appendage closure device after a long review process provides a potentially useful alternative to warfarin.

One of the advantages of using electronic health records is the amount of information they place at doctors' fingertips, enabling them (in theory) to provide the highest level of care for their patients.

Lack of sleep and chronic kidney disease (CKD) independently lead to hypertension, diabetes mellitus, lower quality of life, and shorter life expectancy. Severity of CKD and sleep disturbances may also worsen diabetes and hypertension synergistically.

While TORe has been a significant development in the treatment of overweight and obese patients who have undergone gastric bypass surgery there are more procedures on the horizon that could provide even greater benefits in the future.

Even more so than gastric bypass surgery, the work of the patient determines how effective TORe can be in helping them keep from re-gaining excess weight. With diet, exercise, and working with their healthcare professionals the results can be positive for everyone involved.

While gastric bypass has provided benefits for millions of patients it has not been without its share of complications and difficulties after the procedure. Over the past few years work has been done to find ways to help patients after undergoing the original operation.

Across the country millions of people have undergone gastric bypass surgery in an effort to lose weight and improve their overall health. For those patients who have seen their results diminish a relatively new procedure could get them back on the road to a healthy lifestyle.

As one of the largest school districts in the country, the Los Angeles Unified School District serves more than 600,000 students on a daily basis. With so many children come a wide variety of health issues and individual health insurance complications that also must be addressed.

Viewers have plenty of choices when it comes to medical talk shows on television. With all their recommendations a recent study looked at whether they are doing more harm than good to the potential patient pool.

People whose short stature is due to genetics have a higher risk of developing coronary artery disease (CAD) a UK team has determined.

Adding to the seemingly endless list of health problems, researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine found that cigarette smoke is to blame for making a deadly bacteria even worse.

A 28-year old man comes in who recently arrived in southern California from South America and suddenly developed a "cold." His symptoms included productive cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, fever, weakness and malaise. He also reported unexplained weight loss. Sputum and blood specimens were obtained for acid-fast smear examination and culture. A single posterior-anterior chest radiograph was obtained as part of his initial evaluation.

A 75-year-old woman with a history of coronary artery disease, hypertension and hyperlipidemia presents with shortness of breath with exertion.

Dietary sodium restriction is frequently recommended as a means to manage hypertension, congestive heart failure and cardiovascular disease. However, with the growing focus on patient-centered outcomes rather than disease-centered outcomes, the importance of sodium restriction becomes less clear.

Although the obesity epidemic in the United States seems to have reached a plateau over the past few years, the prevalence of obesity continues to be high with 30% of Americans classified as obese, defined as having a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or more, and an additional 30% overweight, with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 kg/m2.

The increased insulin resistance seen in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients compared to non-RA controls did not contribute to additional atherosclerosis risk, according to research published in Arthritis & Rheumatology.

Pollution can be a major problem no matter where patients live, and reversing its effects can be a difficult process. However, with the right approach small steps can be taken that can eventually make a big difference.

Along with the issues pollution poses for asthma and allergy patients, developing research shows it can also affect cardiovascular health as well.