Cardiology
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Clinical Practice Guidelines for Platelet Transfusion
Based on a recent systematic review of the literature, clinical guidelines were developed by the American Association of Blood Banks with the goal of providing platelet transfusion thresholds for adult patients in common clinical scenarios. -
Critical Care Alert - Full January 2015 Issue in PDF
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Should Long-acting Bronchodilators Be Used in Acute Exacerbations of COPD?
In this study of administrative data from patients admitted to 421 U.S. hospitals with acute chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations, 41% received long-acting bronchodilators, which are not recommended in this setting. Comparison with patients who did not receive the long-acting agents showed no evidence for clinical or economic benefit from their use. -
Statins Not Helpful in Treating ARDS
Although studies in animals and preliminary reports in patients with ARDS suggested that statin administration might be beneficial in patients with the syndrome, this multicenter, double-blind clinical trial showed no benefit from simvastatin by any measure examined. -
Treatment of Pulmonary Embolism in the ICU
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the third most common cardiovascular condition behind myocardial infarction and stroke, with an incidence rate of about one per 1000 person-years.1,2 Nearly 5% of the population will experience -
Side Effects of Opioids
More than 40% of ED visits are related to pain.1 The Joint Commission has made the assessment and treatment of pain in the ED one of its standards.2 The use of opioid medications has been increasing in both adults and children.3-5 In 2009 there were more than 200 million prescriptions for opioid medications, with enough medication dispensed to supply every adult in the United States with the equivalent of 5 mg of hydrocodone every four hours for one month.
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If Less is More, How Can We Get There?
This study, done at a tertiary care university hospital here in the U.S., was initiated in an attempt to improve patient safety, conserve a vital resource, and reduce costs a laudable tripartite goal. -
Thienopyridine Pretreatment in Patients with Non-ST Elevation Acute Coronary Syndromes: Where’s the Evidence?
Each year when I lecture the incoming cardiology fellows on the management of non-ST elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS), we embark on a discussion of optimal guideline-driven treatment vs. real-world practicalities. -
Hospital Medicine Alert - Full January 2015 Issue in PDF
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The Choosing Wisely ® Top 5 List in Critical Care Medicine
he Choosing Wisely Campaign was introduced in 2011 by the American Board of Internal Medicine to identify practices and procedures physicians and patients should question. The critical care top 5 list was developed through a collaborative effort of several critical care societies.