Cardiology
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Diagnosis Sepsis: Is Newer Better?
Sepsis-3 criteria may be the favored method for prognostication, whereas SIRS-based criteria may be the preferred method to screen patients for consideration of ICU admission. Future studies are necessary to continue to explore the benefits of qSOFA and potentially reveal a more precise and reliable screening tool. Most importantly, it is paramount to remember that neither set of criteria is diagnostic. Using clinical judgment along with these guides remains the ideal approach.
A Combination of Commonly Measured Clinical Variables May Predict Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation
The results of this study validate a clinical tool using common ICU variables for predicting prolonged mechanical ventilation. However, one must consider both the implications and strength of any predictive model for clinical decision-making.
Antipsychotics Do Not Shorten the Duration of ICU Delirium
These results support minimizing the use of haloperidol and ziprasidone in delirious patients who are not agitated. Current best practice is to adhere to the ABCDE bundle, remove causative agents when possible, and continue antipsychotics (only if they appear effective and for the minimum time necessary). The jury is still out regarding how to manage agitated delirium.
What Does the Sinus P Look Like?
The ECG in the figure was obtained from a woman in her 50s who complained of intermittent chest discomfort in recent weeks. She was hemodynamically stable at the time this tracing was obtained. How might one interpret the ECG?
Sufentanil Sublingual Tablets (Dsuvia) CII
Sufentanil sublingual tablets are for adults with acute pain that is severe enough to require an opioid analgesic for which different treatments have proven insufficient.
Should Aspirin Be Used for Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Events?
The conclusion from a series of groundbreaking studies is that primary prevention of cardiovascular disease and death by using daily low-dose aspirin is not recommended and should be reserved for those instances in which secondary prevention has been demonstrated to be effective in randomized, clinical trials.
Costs and Consequences of Chronic Pain Among U.S. Adults
Annually, chronic pain accounts for an estimated $560 billion in direct medical costs, lost productivity, and disability programs. Identifying populations at risk is the first step for developing targeted interventions for pain management.
Risk of Infective Endocarditis Revisited
In a comparison of patients with infective endocarditis (IE) and either bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) or mitral valve prolapse (MVP) vs. other IE patients at high or low-to-moderate risk of IE, BAV and MVP patients were more likely to exhibit viridans group streptococci infections of suspected odontogenic origin and cardiac complications at similar rates to high-risk patients.
Effect of Diet on Hippocampal Volume in a Population at Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease
MRI of the brain in community-dwelling people (average age, 60 years) revealed that a long-term, high-quality diet was associated with larger hippocampal volumes after an average interval of 11 years.
Acupuncture as Adjunct Therapy for Infertility in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy for treating infertility in Chinese women with polycystic ovary syndrome receiving clomiphene citrate or placebo offered no benefit over sham acupuncture.