Articles: treatment.
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Mayo Clinic proceedings · Sep 2024
ReviewReview of Recent Literature and Updates in Nonstatin Cholesterol Management.
The guidelines for cholesterol management have been updated over the years from treat-to-target using any drug class to emphasis on statins without treatment targets to a hybrid of the 2 approaches. The most recent guideline updates include newer nonstatin lipid-lowering therapies (LLTs), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction goals, and LDL-C thresholds considering secondary prevention and cardiovascular risk. Although statins have been the mainstay of LLT for years, newer pharmacological agents such as proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 inhibitor(s) (PCSK9i) monoclonal antibodies, small interfering RNA PCSK9i, and bempedoic acid to optimize LDL-C levels may be underutilized in clinical practice. ⋯ Cost may be a barrier to initiating these agents for patients who are underinsured or uninsured. Clinicians should reference the most up-to-date guidance for LLT for primary and secondary prevention of ASCVD. Additionally, clinicians must diligently continue to optimize statin and nonstatin LLT to improve cardiovascular health outcomes.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · Sep 2024
ReviewContemporary Treatment of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: A US Perspective.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a complex fatal condition that requires aggressive treatment with close monitoring. Significant progress has been made over the last three decades in the treatment of PAH, but, despite this progress, survival has remained unacceptably low. In the quest to improve survival, therapeutic interventions play a central role. ⋯ S. patient population. This review also provides an expert opinion of the current treatment algorithm in important subgroups of patients with comorbidities from the U. S. perspective.
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OSA is a widespread condition that significantly affects both health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). If left untreated, OSA can lead to accidents, decreased productivity, and medical complications, resulting in significant economic burdens including the direct costs of managing the disorder. Given the constraints on health care resources, understanding the cost-effectiveness of OSA management is crucial. A key factor in cost-effectiveness is whether OSA therapies reduce medical costs associated with OSA-related complications. ⋯ OSA management is cost-effective, although uncertainties persist regarding the therapy's impact on medical costs. Future studies should focus on reducing bias, particularly the healthy adherer effect, and addressing other confounding factors to clarify potential medical cost savings. Promising avenues to further understanding include using quasiexperimental designs, incorporating more sophisticated characterization of OSA severity and symptoms, and leveraging newer technologies (eg, big data, wearables, and artificial intelligence).
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Measures of physical activity and pain-related patient-reported outcomes are important components of patient recovery after surgery. However, little is known about their association in the early post-operative period. This study aims to increase this knowledge. Our primary objective was to determine the association between average pain intensity and activity (in steps) 1 week after surgery. Secondary objectives were the association of activity with other patient-reported outcomes, age, sex, comorbidities and body mass index. ⋯ Measuring recovery is a multi-dimensional challenge. After surgery, clinicians need to be aware that neither pain intensity nor activity levels tell the whole story. Each can hint to problems and treatment requirements.
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Comparative Study Observational Study
Early Physician Gestalt Versus Usual Screening Tools for the Prediction of Sepsis in Critically Ill Emergency Patients.
Compare physician gestalt to existing screening tools for identifying sepsis in the initial minutes of presentation when time-sensitive treatments must be initiated. ⋯ Among adults presenting to an ED with an undifferentiated critical illness, physician gestalt in the first 15 minutes of the encounter outperformed other screening methods in identifying sepsis.