Lesley and colleagues analyzed a 5% national sample of Medicare inpatient, outpatient, and carrier files to examine the use of ICD therapy for both primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death.
Although ECG is the standard initial screening test for acute coronary syndromes, its value for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (MI) is difficult to determine because of the vagaries of serum biomarkers.
Exceptional attention has been paid to the recent publication of the COURAGE Trial (April 2007) regarding the efficacy of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in stable coronary disease patients, whereas in acute coronary syndromes, including STEMI and unstable angina, there is reasonable consensus as to an interventional approach in patients with either PCI or CABG as opposed to medical therapy.
Are thiazolidinediones safe? New study shows Zometa reduces risk of hip fractures and improves survival; Merck HIV vaccine proven ineffective in clinical trials; no causal association found between exposure to mercury from thimerosal; and FDA approvals.
The effectiveness of off-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery (OPCAB) is controversial. Thus, Hannan and colleagues from New York evaluated the short-term and long-term results of OPCAB with sternotomy vs on-pump CABG in New York State between 2001-2004.
This paper reports the results of the Search AV Extension and Managed Ventricular Pacing for Promoting Atrioventricular Conduction (SAVE PACe) Trial. This study evaluated the use of pacing algorithms that were designed to minimize the percentage of ventricular pacing in patients with symptomatic sinus-node dysfunction.
This paper gives the results of 2 trials that evaluated the effects of dronedarone, a new antiarrhythmic agent, on the recurrence of atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter.
Over half of patients with atrial fibrillation are over age 75 years, yet there is concern about the risk of serious hemorrhage in these patients on warfarin.
