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The FDA has approved the first once-daily protease inhibitor (PI) for the treatment of HIV-1 infections. Atazanavir (Bristol-Myers Squibb) is the newest PI to enter this relatively crowded class. It is marketed under the trade name Reyataz.
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Elevated homocysteine levels have been associated with atherosclerosis. Folic acid supplementation is a simple, inexpensive way to reduce homocysteine levels, which has become popular for secondary prevention in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), despite a paucity of long-term clinical trial data. Thus, Liem and colleagues studied 593 patients with stable CAD on statins who were randomized to open-label folic acid 0.5 mg/d or standard care, which included aggressive pursuit of lipid goals.
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In 1998, Beyth and colleagues developed a modified outpatient bleeding risk index. In this prospective study conducted at the University of Ottawa, 222 patients with diagnosed pulmonary embolism or deep venous thrombosis were observed for an average of 18.5 months.
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The FDA has approved Genentechs omalizumab, the first biotechnology drug for the treatment of asthma.
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Metformin and Thiazolidinedione Use in Medicare Patients with Heart Failure; Alcohol Consumption Patterns and Biologic Markers of Glycemic Control Among 459 Women; Azelaic Acid Gel as a New Treatment for Papulopustular Rosacea
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The ECG in the Figure was obtained from a 57-year-old woman with palpitations. Is there a short run of VT (ventricular tachycardia) in lead V1? What else may be wrong with the tracing?
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Serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing is frequently used in early detection programs for prostate cancer. While PSA testing has resulted in an increase in prostate cancer detection, its routine use has been questioned because of a lack of specificity. The objective of this study was to determine whether year-to-year fluctuations in prostate-specific antigen levels are due to natural variation and render a single PSA test result unreliable.
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Jneid and associates critically analyzed the results of the Clopidogrel in Unstable Angina to Prevent Recurrent Events (CURE) study and several other antiplatelet trials to provide guidance to the physician regarding the use of aspirin and/or clopidogrel in patients with ACS.
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Pulmonary function can help predict cardiovascular death risk in individuals in the intermediate-risk group of Framingham Risk Scores.
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Dabigatran is indicated for reducing the risk of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.
