Internal Medicine Alert – December 15, 2011

December 15, 2011

• Is Hershey's Heart Healthy?

  Eating chocolate may be part of a healthy lifestyle.

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• Predicting Sudden Cardiac Death in Women with CAD: Are We There Yet?

  Sudden cardiac death (SCD) among postmenopausal women with coronary artery disease is common. The presence of congestive heart failure, reduced kidney function, atrial fibrillation, physical inactivity, and diabetes are independent risk factors for SCD. Some of these factors can be modified and SCD can be prevented.

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• Which Is Better: Open, Laparoscopic, or Robotic? How Meaningful Is This Question?

  This commentary challenges the urologic medical community to get past its "collective obsession with technology" and try to figure out why some surgeons have better outcomes, irrespective of the surgical approach taken.

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• Rivaroxaban Tablets (Xarelto®)

  Rivaroxaban, an oral factor XA inhibitor, has been approved for reducing the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The drug joins dabigatran (Pradaxa) as the second "nonwarfarin" oral anticoagulant approved for this indication.

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• Clinical Briefs By Louis Kuritzky, MD

  For unknown reasons, adenocarcinoma of the esophagus (E-ca) is experiencing the most rapid increase of any known cancer in the United States.

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• The Regular SVT Differential

  Interpret the rhythm for the 12-lead ECG and lead II rhythm strip shown above. The patient was aware of "rapid heart beat" but was hemodynamically stable at the time the tracing was recorded. What is your differential diagnosis? What diagnostic maneuver might help to determine what the rhythm is?

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