Internal Medicine Alert – May 30, 2008
May 30, 2008
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LDL Lowering - Should Ezetimibe Ever Be Used?
Lifestyle changes such as improving diet and exercise are always the first important approach for the treatment of hyperlipidemia however, if the target LDL-C level is not achieved using statins and niacin, fibrates, and/or resins, at this time, ezetimibe should definitely be utilized to achieve these target goals if there are no specific contraindications to the use of the drug in each individual patient. -
So You Took Hormones, Now What?
For those women who were randomized to estrogen plus progesterone in the Women's Health Initiative Trial, the increased risk of breast cancer has persisted since stopping the replacement therapy, but the increased risk of cardiovascular events has returned to that of the placebo group. -
Ten-Year Update on AAAs
One-time screening for abdominal aortic Aneurysms (AAA) is recommended in older men, but there is little long-term data on the value of such screening, especially in women. -
Viral Influenza Complications
Clinicians are becoming more attuned to the many complications of influenza, particularly with the high morbidity and mortality seen with H5N1 strains spreading around the world. -
Certolizumab Pegol Injection (Cimzia®)
Another monoclonal antibody to TNF-a has been approved for the treatment of Crohn's Disease. -
Clinical Briefs by Louis Kuritzky, MD
In 2007, the ACCF/AHA published a consensus statement in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology endorsing a role for coronary artery calcium scoring (CAC) in cardiovascular risk stratification.