The American journal of emergency medicine
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Review Case Reports
Acute myocardial infarction from embolization of Lambl's excrescences: A case report.
While coronary artery embolism remains an infrequent cause of myocardial infarction (MI), it may present in patients at otherwise low risk for coronary artery disease. When clinicians apply typical risk stratification in these cases, they may be led away from a full evaluation for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). A diagnosis of MI in an otherwise healthy patient should prompt consideration of embolic sources, including Lambl's excrescences (LEs), and echocardiographic evaluation may be necessary to make a final diagnosis. We present a case of LEs in an otherwise healthy 43-year-old male presenting with chest pain and elevated cardiac enzymes, and also review the cases of this rare event found in the literature.
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Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a critical condition with poor outcomes. Although the survival rate increases in those who undergo defibrillation, the utility of on-time defibrillation among bystanders remained low. An evaluation of the deployment strategy for public access defibrillators (PADs) is necessary to increase their use and accessibility. This study was to conduct a systematic review for deployment strategies of PADs. ⋯ Three deployment strategies were presented. Although the optimal method could not be fully identified, a more efficient PAD deployment could benefit the population in terms of OHCA coverage and survival among patients with OHCA.
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Review
Pulmonary arterial hypertension in the emergency department: A focus on medication management.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a chronic progressive incurable condition associated with a high degree of morbidity and mortality. With over five drug classes FDA approved in the last decade, the significant advancements in the pharmacologic management of PAH has improved long-term outcomes. ⋯ Given these consequences, PAH medications are classified as high-risk, and the transitions of care process to and from the hospital setting are a vulnerable area for medication errors in this population. Thus, it is crucial for the emergency department provider to appropriately identify, manage, and triage these patients through close collaboration with a multidisciplinary team to ensure safe and effective medication management for PAH patients in the acute care setting.
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Review Meta Analysis
The efficacy of telemedical care for heart failure: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
The efficacy of telemedical care for the treatment of heart failure remains controversial. We conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the impact of telemedical care on heart failure. ⋯ Telemedical care may provide no additional benefits for heart failure.
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Review Meta Analysis
Revascularization rates with coronary angioplasty and mortality in type 2 myocardial infarction: A meta-regression analysis.
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) represents the best therapeutic option for type-1 myocardial infarction (T1MI) in the majority of clinical settings; its role in the treatment of type-2 myocardial infarction (T2MI), however, remains unclear. We therefore sought to assess in a meta-regression analysis the impact of PCI rates on mortality in patients with T2MI according to available observational studies. ⋯ In a meta-regression analysis higher rates of PCI on T2MI in-patients were associated with lower mortality rates both in-hospital and at 1 year. Whether this association is related to the direct effect of PCI or better general conditions of T2MI patients undergoing a PCI still remains unclear.