Vascular health and risk management
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Vasc Health Risk Manag · Jan 2010
ReviewPrevention of the renarrowing of coronary arteries using drug-eluting stents in the perioperative period: an update.
The management of patients scheduled for surgery with a coronary stent, and receiving 1 or more antiplatelet drugs, has many controversies. The premature discontinuation of antiplatelet drugs substantially increases the risk of stent thrombosis (ST), myocardial infarction, and cardiac death, and surgery under an altered platelet function could also lead to an increased risk of bleeding in the perioperative period. Because of the conflict in the recommendations, this article reviews the current antiplatelet protocols after positioning a coronary stent, the evidence of increased risk of ST associated with the withdrawal of antiplatelet drugs and increased bleeding risk associated with its maintenance, the different perioperative antiplatelet protocols when patients are scheduled for surgery or need an urgent operation, and the therapeutic options if excessive bleeding occurs.
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Vasc Health Risk Manag · Jan 2010
ReviewRecent advances in the management of chronic stable angina II. Anti-ischemic therapy, options for refractory angina, risk factor reduction, and revascularization.
The objectives in treating angina are relief of pain and prevention of disease progression through risk reduction. Mechanisms, indications, clinical forms, doses, and side effects of the traditional antianginal agents - nitrates, β-blockers, and calcium channel blockers - are reviewed. A number of patients have contraindications or remain unrelieved from anginal discomfort with these drugs. ⋯ Asymptomatic patients with CAD and those with stable angina may defer intervention without additional risk to see if they will improve on optimum medical therapy. For many patients, coronary artery bypass surgery offers the best opportunity for relieving angina, reducing the need for additional revascularization procedures and improving survival. Optimal medical therapy, percutaneous coronary intervention, and surgery are not competing therapies, but are complementary and form a continuum, each filling an important evidence-based need in modern comprehensive management.
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Vasc Health Risk Manag · Jan 2010
Levosimendan neither improves nor worsens mortality in patients with cardiogenic shock due to ST-elevation myocardial infarction.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of levosimendan on mortality in cardiogenic shock (CS) after ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). ⋯ The use of levosimendan neither improves nor worsens mortality in patients with CS due to STEMI. Well-designed randomized clinical trials are needed to define the role of inotropic therapy in the treatment of CS.
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Vasc Health Risk Manag · Jan 2010
Management of high-risk popliteal vascular blunt trauma: clinical experience with 62 cases.
The purpose of this study is to report the clinical and functional outcomes of patients, treated between 2004 and 2009, with high-risk popliteal vascular injuries due to compound fractures about the knee. ⋯ Expeditious recognition of vascular injury, transport to repair, and repair of associated venous injury when possible are necessary to optimize limb salvage. The importance of a high level of suspicion and low threshold for timely amputation has been emphasized when limb salvage was deemed impossible to prevent life-threatening complication. Delays in surgery, extensive soft tissue defect, compound tibia-fibula fracture, and other factors are associated with high amputation rate following popliteal artery injury.
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Vasc Health Risk Manag · Jan 2010
ReviewArgatroban in the management of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.
Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is an immunoglobulin-mediated serious complication of heparin therapy characterized by thrombocytopenia and high risk for venous and arterial thrombosis: HIT and thrombosis syndrome (HITTS). Argatroban, a direct thrombin inhibitor, is indicated as the anticoagulant for the treatment and prophylaxis of thrombosis in patients with HIT and in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) who have HIT. The aim of this review is to examine the pharmacological characteristics and the clinical efficacy and safety of this drug in adults with HIT, including those undergoing PCI. ⋯ Argatroban was evaluated as the anticoagulant therapy in 3 prospective, multicenter, open-label studies in HIT patients who underwent PCI. The studies were similar in design with respect to patient inclusion and exclusion criteria, the argatroban dosing regimen, and primary efficacy outcomes. The investigators performed a pooled analysis of these studies, which showed that most (≥95%) patients achieved a satisfactory outcome from the procedure and adequate anticoagulation (coprimary end points).