The American journal of the medical sciences
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To test whether dietary magnesium is associated with 10-year risk of a first hard atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease event. ⋯ Dietary magnesium intake was inversely associated with the predicted 10-year risk of a first hard atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease event.
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The aim of this study was to compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes of gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) between cancer patients (CP) and non-cancer patients (NCP). ⋯ CP with GIB are less likely to have diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy and have higher mortality than NCP. Steps to identify CP at risk for GIB and to improve their outcomes merit further investigation.
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Patients with prior COVID-19 infections often develop chronic post-COVID symptoms, such as fatigue and dyspnea. Some patients have residual pulmonary disorders with abnormal pulmonary function tests and/or chest radiographs to explain their dyspnea. However, other patients appear to have dyspnea that is out of proportion to any measurable change in lung function. ⋯ Consequently, their control of breathing is impaired, and this may represent residual effects from prior COVID-19 infection involving the central nervous system. Alternatively, patients may have acquired "a memory" of respiratory symptoms during their infection which persists post-infection. These patients should participate in pulmonary rehabilitation and breathing retraining.
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The aim of this study was to investigate the optimal CVP range in sepsis and septic shock patients admitted to intensive care unit. ⋯ We observed U-shaped association between mean CVP level and hospital mortality in septic shock patients and J-shaped association in non-septic shock patients. This may imply that patients with different severity of sepsis have different CVP requirements. We need to monitor and manage CVP according to the circulatory status of the sepsis patient.
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Review
The Role of Blood Testing in Prevention, Diagnosis, and Management of Chronic Diseases: A Review.
Blood tests are vital to prevention, diagnosis, and management of chronic diseases. Despite this, it can be challenging to construct a comprehensive view of the clinical importance of blood testing because relevant literature is typically fragmented across different disease areas and patient populations. ⋯ Thus, this review article synthesizes the recommendations for, and importance of, blood testing across several common chronic conditions encountered in primary care and internal medicine, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, vitamin D deficiency, iron deficiency, and rheumatoid arthritis. Future research is needed to continue improving chronic disease management through clearer dissemination and awareness of clinical guidelines among providers, and better access to blood testing for patients (e.g., via pre-visit laboratory testing).