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Duplex ultrasonography should be used in asymptomatic patients with known or suspected carotid arterial stenosis and should be considered for use in asymptomatic patients who have symptomatic peripheral arterial disease, coronary artery disease, or an atherosclerotic aortic aneurysm, and even in the asymptomatic patients who simply are at high cardiovascular risk.
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Sleep-disordered breathing is a significant risk factor for cognitive decline and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy may prevent or slow this process.
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The authors conclude that in a population-based cohort undergoing 4 years of follow-up, the prevalence of diastolic dysfunction increased and that diastolic dysfunction was associated with development of heart failure during 6 years of subsequent follow-up.
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It has been customary to ask patients on warfarin, once controlled and stable, to return on a monthly basis for recheck.
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Important differences in adherence to antihypertensive drug therapy occurred depending on the drug class prescribed with the lowest adherence noted to occur with diuretics and beta-blocker therapy and the highest adherence was observed with ARB or ACI therapy.
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A third dipetdyl peptidase-4 (dpp-4) inhibitor has been approved by the FDA. Linagliptin follows sitagliptin and saxagliptin to the market. It is marketed by Boehringer Ingelheim as Tradjenta.
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In a population-based study using hospital discharge diagnosis codes, patients with sleep apnea who underwent knee arthroplasty or open abdominal procedures were more likely to require invasive mechanical ventilation and to be diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia or ARDS than were matched patients without sleep apnea. Knee-replacement patients, but not those undergoing laparotomy, also were more likely to be diagnosed with pulmonary embolism.
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In the Medicare population, obesity was not associated with mortality, except for those with a BMI of at least 35. However, both overweight and obesity were associated with new or worsening disability within 2 years.
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In most communities in the United States, hepatitis C (HEPc) treatment is provided by gastroenterologists. Because HEPc is now the most common cause of end-stage liver disease, and unless trends reverse will continue to be so for the foreseeable future, it is important that identification of HEPc infection be continued vigorously in the primary care community, since most at-risk persons see primary care clinicians as their point of initial contact with the health care system.
