Heart, lung and vessels
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Heart, lung and vessels · Jan 2015
ReviewThe attractiveness of network meta-analysis: a comprehensive systematic and narrative review.
Network meta-analysis provides a global estimate of comparative treatment effectiveness combining both direct and indirect evidence. In the past decade, the medical literature has witnessed a rapid increase in the possibility to combine evidence from different treatment comparisons. This opportunity is attractive for clinicians since their major concern is to identify the single best available treatment. ⋯ Out of 340 articles included according to our selection criteria, encompassing 248 treatment networks, cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases were the most prevalent topics, with an average of 5 treatments being compared stemming from an average of 10 controlled trials. In conclusion, network meta-analyses are becoming increasingly attractive as they offer a comprehensive framework for decision-making. Whether they will also contribute to improvements in patient outlook remains to be proven.
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Heart, lung and vessels · Jan 2015
ReviewParacetamol: a review with specific focus on the haemodynamic effects of intravenous administration.
Paracetamol is one of the most commonly used drugs worldwide with non-prescription sales exceeding 25 thousand million doses per year in the United States of America. The haemodynamic effects of the intravenous paracetamol formulations are largely understudied. There is an emerging body of evidence suggesting that intravenous paracetamol may cause iatrogenic hypotension. ⋯ It is unknown if mannitol is a contributing factor in the observed hypotension. In this review, we outline the development of paracetamol's current intravenous formulations, describe the composition of these formulations, and overview the literature pertaining to the proposed phenomenon of paracetamol-induced altered hypotension. Understanding the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodymanic properties of intravenous paracetamol may have important clinical implications for vulnerable patients in subgroups where haemodynamic stability is at risk such as those undergoing elective and emergency surgery.
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Heart, lung and vessels · Jan 2015
ReviewBiomarkers, diagnosis and management of sepsis-induced acute kidney injury: a narrative review.
Sepsis is a leading cause of acute kidney injury in clinical practice. The diagnosis of sepsis-induced acute kidney injury requires the diagnosis of sepsis and subsequent occurrence of acute kidney injury. The current definition for acute kidney injury is based on Scr and urine output, which is limited by the delayed identification of such patients. ⋯ It is well known that fluid overload is harmful in septic patients with established acute kidney injury and should be avoided. Renal replacement therapy is the mainstay treatment for the severe form of sepsis-induced acute kidney injury. However, there is still no consensus on the definition of timing and dosing in clinical practice, and the optimal timing and dosing are still unknown.
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Anesthesiologist's involvement for the purpose of diagnostic and interventional procedures in cardiac catheterization laboratory has been evolving particularly since last two decades. Catheterization laboratory environment poses certain challenges for the anesthesiologist including unfamiliar remote location, exposure to radiation, limited help from colleagues and communication with cardiologists. Anesthesiologists working in catheterization laboratory are required to have adequate knowledge of the environment, personnel, fluoroscope, echocardiography and type of radio contrast dye during the procedure. ⋯ Since more complex procedures are being done in cardiac catheterization laboratory, it is the responsibility of anesthesia department to train and assign dedicated anesthesiologists for new challenges. Role of anesthetist should be well defined so that there is no confrontation during patient management. Sedation in cardiac catheterization laboratory by non-anesthetists is also an issue, which can be sorted out by making policies and protocol in consultation with cardiologists.
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Heart, lung and vessels · Jan 2013
ReviewLevosimendan: current data, clinical use and future development.
Levosimendan is an inodilator indicated for the short-term treatment of acutely decompensated severe chronic heart failure, and in situations where conventional therapy is not considered adequate. The principal pharmacological effects of levosimendan are (a) increased cardiac contractility by calcium sensitisation of troponin C, (b) vasodilation, and (c) cardioprotection. These last two effects are related to the opening of sarcolemmal and mitochondrial potassium-ATP channels, respectively. ⋯ Levosimendan is generally well tolerated in acute heart failure patients: the most common adverse events encountered in this setting are hypotension, headache, atrial fibrillation, hypokalaemia and tachycardia. Levosimendan has also been studied in other therapeutic applications, particularly cardiac surgery - in which it has shown a range of beneficial haemodynamic and cardioprotective effects, and a favourable influence on clinical outcomes - and has been evaluated in repetitive dosing protocols in patients with advanced chronic heart failure. Levosimendan has shown preliminary positive effects in a range of conditions requiring inotropic support, including right ventricular failure, cardiogenic shock, septic shock, and Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.