Cardiology
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Decision-Making Capacity in the ICU
A multicenter, one-day prevalence, prospective, observational, double-blind study in 19 ICUs revealed that the decisionmaking capacity of ICU patients was widely overestimated by all clinicians as compared with a capacity score measured by the Mini-Mental Status Examination and the Aid to Capacity Evaluation.
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Acute Kidney Injury With Combination Antibiotics in the Critically Ill
In this retrospective study, a short course (24 to < 72 hours) of combination antibiotic therapy with piperacillin-tazobactam and vancomycin was not associated with an increased risk of acute kidney injury among critically ill patients when compared with other β-lactam and vancomycin combinations.
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NOACs vs. Warfarin: What Are the Data in Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury and Intracranial Hemorrhage?
A three-year analysis of a prospectively maintained database with traumatic brain injury patients revealed that novel oral anticoagulant use is associated with increased risk of intracranial hemorrhage progression, neurosurgical intervention, and mortality.
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Early Neuromuscular Blockade in Moderate-to-Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
When the early use of a continuous infusion of cisatracurium was compared to contemporary supportive care for moderate-to-severe ARDS, including a light sedation target, high positive-end expiratory pressure, and conservative fluid strategy, there was no difference in 90-day mortality. Patients in the early neuromuscular blockade group more frequently experienced a severe cardiovascular event and ICU-acquired weakness by day 28.
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Glucagon Nasal Powder (Baqsimi)
Glucagon nasal powder is indicated for the treatment of severe hypoglycemia in patients (≥ 4 years of age) with diabetes.
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Do Defibrillators Improve Mortality in Dialysis Patients?
In patients with left ventricular ejection fraction ≥ 35% undergoing dialysis, the insertion of a prophylactic implantable cardioverter defibrillator carries a relatively high risk for adverse events and does not significantly decrease sudden cardiac death or mortality.
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Lower Systolic Blood Pressure Associated With Increased Mortality in Systolic Heart Failure Patients
Systolic blood pressure less than 130 mmHg was associated with increased mortality in a Medicare population with systolic heart failure.
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More Experience Leads to Better Outcomes With MitraClip
In this analysis of MitraClip procedures from the Transcatheter Valve Therapy registry, the authors demonstrated improvements in procedure success and safety with increasing institutional experience with the device.
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Enterococcus faecalis Endocarditis Risk Factors
A large, prospective observational study of echocardiography in all patients with Enterococcus faecalis bacteremia showed a high incidence of infective endocarditis.
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Life Expectancy After Aortic Valve Replacement
This Swedish national study of longevity following aortic valve surgery showed that, overall, life expectancy declined by about two years, but was higher for patients younger than 50 years of age.