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BNP in Mitral Valve Disease: Too Good to be True?

The timing of mitral valve surgery in patients with severe organic mitral regurgitation (MR), but without symptoms, is controversial.

Immediate Angiography or Wait until the Next Working Day for Non-ST Elevation ACS?

Many clinical trials have confirmed the benefit of early invasive therapy for high-risk patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). However, the optimal timing of cardiac catheterization in this group remains unknown.

CRT Plus ICD vs. ICD Alone in Heart Failure and Wide QRS Patients

Current indications for cardiac-resynchronization therapy (CRT) require that patients have New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class III or Class IV heart-failure symptoms. However, long-standing ventricular dyssynchrony can lead to left-ventricular remodeling and decreased left-ventricular ejection fraction.

Direct Thrombin Inhibitor for Atrial Fibrillation

Dabigatran etexilate is an oral compound that is converted after absorption by a serum esterase to dabigatran, a direct competitive inhibitor of thrombin.

Coffee Consumption and Incident Heart Failure in Men

The effects of coffee on the heart remain incompletely described. There are conflicting reports of coffee's effects on the incidence of coronary artery disease, heart failure (HF), atrial fibrillation, and glucose homeostasis.

Dietary Manipulation to Stabilize INR

Erratic intraindividual INR values on chronic warfarin therapy are thought to be due to variability in vitamin K intake in the diet. Thus, de Assis et al from Brazil hypothesized that a dietary, vitamin K management strategy would result in improved long-term anticoagulation as compared to traditional systems based upon drug-dose adjustments alone.

Clinical Briefs in Primary Care Supplement

Pharmacology Watch

Depression and pregnancy, new vaccine recommendations from the CDC, cortico-steroids and/or antivirals for Bell's palsy, rasagiline and Parkinson's disease, and FDA Actions.

Clinical Cardiology Alert – November 1, 2009

November 1, 2009