The American journal of medicine
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Little is known about the long-term prognostic value of N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and C-reactive protein (CRP) in low-risk patients with chest pain. ⋯ A positive biomarker panel discriminates patients with rule-out acute coronary syndrome chest pain with a normal or nondiagnostic ECG who have a high risk for long-term cardiovascular mortality.
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Fewer than half of eligible hospitalized medical patients receive appropriate venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis. One reason for this low rate is the complexity of existing risk assessment models. A simple set of easily identifiable risk factors that are highly predictive of VTE among hospitalized medical patients may enhance appropriate thromboprophylaxis. ⋯ The 4-element RAM identified in this study may be used to identify patients at risk for VTE and improve rates of thromboprophylaxis. This simple and accurate RAM is an alternative to more complicated published VTE risk assessment tools that currently exist.
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As pain is the cardinal symptom of fibromyalgia, it is logical that treatments directed toward pain relief will be commonly used. Analgesic drug therapy remains the traditional treatment intervention for most chronic pain conditions, with a progressive increased use of opioids in the past 20 years. Concerns about efficacy, risk-benefit ratio, and possible long-term effects of chronic opioid therapy have been raised. There is limited information about opioid treatment in fibromyalgia, with all current guidelines discouraging opioid use. ⋯ We have observed negative health and psychosocial status in patients using opioids and labeled as fibromyalgia. Prolonged use of opioids in fibromyalgia requires evaluation.
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In the United States, the prevalence of adults who are overweight or obese is higher in Hispanics/Latinos compared with non-Hispanic whites. In addition, data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) indicate that the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus is consistently greater in racial/ethnic minority groups, such as Hispanics/Latinos, compared with non-Hispanic whites. In fact, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 2007 to 2009 suggest that the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is almost twice as high in Hispanics/Latinos compared with non-Hispanic whites (11.8% vs. 7.1%, respectively). ⋯ Because individuals with type 2 diabetes have a 2- to 4-fold increased risk of cardiovascular disease compared with individuals with normal glucose levels, there is consensus that targeting environmental factors, particularly the development of obesity at an early age, is the most cost-effective approach to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes and its broad spectrum of complications, including cardiovascular disease. Cultural and socioeconomic barriers, such as language, cost, and access to goods and services, must be overcome to improve management of type 2 diabetes in this high-risk population. By increasing healthcare provider awareness and the availability of programs tailored to Hispanic/Latino individuals, the current treatment gap among ethnic minorities in the United States will progressively narrow, and eventually, disappear.