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Mild, perivalvular regurgitation cannot be used as a diagnostic criteria for prosthetic valve endocarditis.
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These data should force us to look at factors other than the traditional variables we have used to assess risks among patients with a history of ventricular arrhythmias.
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Folic acid and B vitamins may yet be proven to have a positive role through decreasing HC levels, but enthusiasm for such an approach is no longer appropriate.
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The basic conclusion is that we should give the patient just what he or she needs and the devices we implant should be designed to fit the patient.
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Autologous bone marrow stem cells injected into the infarct-related artery, after successful PCI, improves LVEF at 6 months, compared to controls.
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An abnormal stress MRS, indicative of myocardial ischemia in symptomatic women without CAD, predicts cardiovascular events, especially hospitalization for unstable angina.
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Cryoablation offers an alternative approach to radiofrequency ablation.
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The Q-wave/non-Q-wave distinction is useful clinically, and the primary determinant of the presence of Q-waves is the total size of the underlying infarction, rather than its transmural extent.
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The AFFIRM study was a randomized comparison of 2 strategies for management of patients with atrial fibrillation. Patients with atrial fibrillation requiring therapy, who also had one or more risk factors for stroke or death, were randomized to either a rate control strategy of cardioversion and treatment with antiarrhythmic drugs or a rate control strategy using atrioventricular (AV) nodal blocking agents to control ventricular response. Results of this study suggest that if an effective method for maintaining sinus rhythm with fewer adverse effects were available, it might improve survival.
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Enalapril improves effort tolerance and reduces dyspnea in patients with symptomatic aortic stenosis, but may cause hypotension in those with congestive heart failure, left ventricular dysfunction, or systolic blood pressure < 100 mm Hg.