The timing of mitral valve surgery in patients with severe organic mitral regurgitation (MR), but without symptoms, is controversial.
Current indications for cardiac-resynchronization therapy (CRT) require that patients have New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class III or Class IV heart-failure symptoms. However, long-standing ventricular dyssynchrony can lead to left-ventricular remodeling and decreased left-ventricular ejection fraction.
Dabigatran etexilate is an oral compound that is converted after absorption by a serum esterase to dabigatran, a direct competitive inhibitor of thrombin.
Erratic intraindividual INR values on chronic warfarin therapy are thought to be due to variability in vitamin K intake in the diet. Thus, de Assis et al from Brazil hypothesized that a dietary, vitamin K management strategy would result in improved long-term anticoagulation as compared to traditional systems based upon drug-dose adjustments alone.
