The American journal of cardiology
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It is important to identify the factors related to survival of patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction. Our objective was to determine the interactive effect of the door-to-balloon (DTB) time and onset-to-door (OTD) time on longer term mortality for patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction. The present study was a retrospective cohort analysis of the effect of the DTB time and OTD time on longer term (median follow-up 413 days) mortality for patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention in New York from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2006, adjusting for the effect of other important risk factors. ⋯ Patients with a DTB time <90 minutes and OTD time of >or =4 hours had significantly greater mortality than patients with an OTD time of <4 hours and DTB time of <90 minutes (adjusted hazard ratio 1.54, 95% confidence interval 1.04 to 2.30), as did patients with a DTB time of > or =90 minutes and OTD time of > or =4 hours (adjusted hazard ratio 1.48, 95% confidence interval 1.05 to 2.09). For an OTD time of <4 hours and DTB time of > or =90 minutes, mortality showed a trend toward being greater compared to shorter OTD and DTB times (adjusted hazard ratio 1.29, 95% confidence interval 0.95 to 1.77). In conclusion, the combination of short (<90 minutes) DTB time and short (<4 hours) OTD time was associated with the lowest longer term mortality rate.
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An in-office linguistic study was conducted to assess physician-patient discussions of mixed dyslipidemia. Naturally occurring interactions among 12 cardiologists, 12 primary care physicians, and 45 of their patients diagnosed with low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and being treated with prescription niacin extended-release were recorded. The participants were interviewed separately after the visit. ⋯ Also, missing from the dialogue was a balanced discussion of risks and benefits. Communication gaps were observed in the discussions regarding mixed dyslipidemia and its treatment with niacin extended-release. In conclusion, additional research is warranted to assess the efficacy of communication strategies to educate both physicians and patients about this condition and its treatment.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Continuous versus bolus dosing of Furosemide for patients hospitalized for heart failure.
Intravenous diuretics are the cornerstone of management for patients hospitalized for heart failure. Physiologic data suggest that intermittent high-dose furosemide promotes neurohormonal activation, which a slow continuous infusion might remediate. However, the limited clinical data comparing dosing schemes are confounded. ⋯ All patients survived to discharge. In conclusion, there were no substantial differences between bolus injection and continuous infusion of equal doses of furosemide for the treatment of patients hospitalized with heart failure. Given the high prevalence of heart failure hospitalization and the disparate results of small studies regarding optimal dosing of loop diuretics to treat these patients, larger multicenter blinded studies are needed.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Comparison of outcomes among moderate alcohol drinkers before acute myocardial infarction to effect of continued versus discontinuing alcohol intake after the infarct.
Light-to-moderate alcohol consumption has been previously associated with a lower risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and mortality. The association of changes in drinking behavior after an AMI with health status and long-term outcomes is unknown. Using a prospective cohort of patients with AMI evaluated with the World Health Organization's Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, we investigated changes in drinking patterns in 325 patients who reported moderate drinking at the time of their AMI. ⋯ In fully adjusted models, Physical Component Scale scores (beta 6.47, 95% confidence interval 3.73 to 9.21, p <0.01) were significantly higher during follow-up in those who remained drinking. Persistent moderate drinkers had a trend toward less angina (relative risk 0.65, 95% confidence interval 0.39 to 1.10, p = 0.11), fewer rehospitalizations (hazard ratio 0.79, 95% confidence interval 0.44 to 1.41, p = 0.42), lower 3-year mortality (relative risk 0.75, 95% confidence interval 0.23 to 2.51, p = 0.64), and better disease-specific quality of life (Seattle Angina Questionnaire Quality of Life, beta 3.88, 95% confidence interval -0.79 to 8.55, p = 0.10) and mental health (Mental Component Scale, beta 0.83, 95% confidence interval -1.62 to 3.27, p = 0.51) than quitters. In conclusion, these data suggest that there are no adverse effects for moderate drinkers to continue consuming alcohol and that they may have better physical functioning compared to those who quit drinking after an AMI.
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Percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents (DES) may achieve midterm outcomes comparable to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for unprotected left main coronary artery disease, but few real-world, long-term studies have been reported. In this study, 376 patients with unprotected left main coronary artery disease who underwent DES implantation (n = 131) or CABG (n = 245) were evaluated, and outcomes were compared using propensity analyses to adjust for baseline differences. Overall, 367 patients (98%) had complete clinical follow-up for a median of 4.0 years (interquartile range 3.2 to 4.7). ⋯ No differences were detected in the occurrence of composite major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events between DES and CABG (27% vs 22%, p = 0.42). In conclusion, during 4-year follow-up, overall composite major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events were similar after DES and CABG treatment of unprotected left main coronary artery disease, with a trend toward lower mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention with DES. DES were associated with a higher rate of TVR compared to CABG, but ischemic TVR was not significantly different between the 2 groups.