Family Practice News articles from May 2004

Family Practice News archives from May 2004

Holistic approach for sick children: unique alternative.
May 1, 2004... A Connecticut family doctor has found a holistic alternative for helping children who face a life-threatening illness. To address the specific medical and emotional needs of these children, Dr. Roy Zagieboylo, along with the Connecticut...

Adding ezetimibe to statin yields 23% drop in LDL: compared to statin therapy alone: real-world study in the practices of 299 primary care doctors and cardiologists.(low density lipoprotein)
May 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- A 10-mg, daily dose of ezetimibe on top of stable statin therapy cut the serum level of low density lipoprotein cholesterol by 23% in a controlled study with more than 3,000 patients. The efficacy of ezetimibe (Zetia) was...

Sen. Frist continues to push liability legislation: incremental approaches: will bring up a bill every other month.
May 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) has vowed to bring some version of medical liability reform legislation up for a vote every other month--until he gets it passed. "What I'm giving [physicians] is a platform every 2...

Ten highest selling prescription drugs in 2003.(Vital Signs)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
May 1, 2004... Ten Highest Selling Prescription Drugs in 2003 2003 Sales % Growth ($Billions) From 2002 Lipitor (atorvastatin) 6.8 11 Zocor (simvastatin) 4.4 ...

States with the lowest ratio of civilians per one nonfederal physician, 2002.(Data Watch)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
May 1, 2004... States With the Lowest Ratio of Civilians per One Nonfederal Physician, 2002 Mass. 218 N.Y. 240 Md. 242 Conn. 252 Vt. 252 R.I. 271 N.J. 302 Pa. 309 Source: American Medical Association Note:...

Stroke risk negates estrogen in disease prevention: more WHI data.(News)(Women's Health Initiative)
May 1, 2004... Recently released data from the estrogen-only arm of the Women's Health Initiative, which was halted prematurely in February, confirm that estrogen therapy is associated with a significantly increased risk of stroke and venous thromboembolic...

Medical therapy often not satisfactory for menorrhagia: hysterectomy frequent outcome.(News)
May 1, 2004... Women with an unsatisfactory response to first-line medical therapy for excessive uterine bleeding who undergo further conservative therapy stand about a 50% chance of ultimately needing a hysterectomy, results of two randomized trials suggest....

FDA warns against Green Hornet, an herbal ecstasy: considered unapproved Rx.(News)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... The Food and Drug Administration is investigating Green Hornet, an herbal version of the street drug Ecstasy, in response to reports of adverse events experienced by four teenagers after consuming the product. The teenagers involved were...

Guidelines compared for identifying, treating group A strep pharyngitis: reducing antibiotic use.(News)
May 1, 2004... Guidelines that call for selective use of throat cultures--and that base antibiotic treatment for pharyngitis only on positive rapid test or throat culture results--are the most likely to reduce the unnecessary use of antibiotics, according to...

Don't rely on clinical criteria for adult strep throat diagnosis: avoid overtreatment.(News)
May 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- Clinical criteria alone are inadequate for the diagnosis of group A streptococcal pharyngitis in adults, Dr. Alan L. Bisno said at a meeting on infectious disease sponsored by the Center for Bio-Medical Communication. The goal...

Diuretics linked to worse heart failure outcomes: acute, decompensated heart failure.(News)
May 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Chronic diuretic therapy in combination with suboptimal therapy with a [beta]-blocker of an ACE inhibitor was associated with poor outcomes in patients with acute, decompensated heart failure. The finding was observed in a...

Few anaphylaxis patients in ER receive standard of care: need referral to allergist.(News)(emergency room)
May 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Less than one-quarter of patients with anaphylaxis at a tertiary care hospital received the standard of care, Dr. Yuhung J. Tsai said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. Over a...

Pertussis possible as next neonatal vaccination: expert predictions.(News)
May 1, 2004... MCLEAN, VA. -- New neonatal immunization recommendations are being considered with pertussis as the front-runner, participants predicted at a neonatal vaccination workshop sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There...

Calcium--an emerging element in weight management: mounting evidence.(Bell Institute Of Health And Nutrition)
May 1, 2004... Did you know that calcium may be important for weight management as well as for bone health? Researchers are drawing this conclusion as a growing number of studies show a relationship between calcium intake and body weight. Calcium's...

Small Fibroids, early pregnancy loss associated: community study.(News)
May 1, 2004... HOUSTON -- Fibroids so small they are ignored by the widely used Muram ultrasound criteria appear to have a profound association with spontaneous abortion, perhaps explaining many early pregnancy losses, especially among African American women....

Nutrition, delirium connected.(Letters)(Brief Article)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2004... The article on postoperative delirium highlighted an important problem but failed to consider one potentially common and easily treatable cause: acute deficiency of thiamine, magnesium, or other nutrients ("Inpatient Delirium Costly and Largely...

Tort reform opposition.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2004... I read with interest the article "Coalition Mounts Aggressive Liability Reform Effort" (March 1, 2004, p. 1). The article mentioned that 49 Republicans in the U.S Senate favor tort reform and 48 Democrats oppose it, implying that only...

Corrections.(Letters)(Correction Notice)
May 1, 2004... The Vital Signs "Limits on Noneconomic Damages for Medical Malpractice, September 2003" (April 1, 2004, p. 1) should have indicated that Oregon has no cap on noneconomic damages or total damages. In the article "Cover Four Bases When...

Antidepressants and suicidality.(Guest editorial)
May 1, 2004... The Food and Drug Administration's March 22, 2004, public health advisory regarding 10 commonly prescribed antidepressants could have disturbing ramifications. Patients who need those antidepressants might be reluctant to take them because...

Should all patients with a low ejection fraction get an implantable defibrillator?(Pro & Con)
May 1, 2004... [YES] Virtually all patients with coronary artery disease and a left ventricular ejection fraction of 30% or less are candidates for an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. Results from the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator...

Bariatric surgeons tweak patient eligibility criteria: controversial preop requirement.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... DENVER -- Requiring all morbidly obese candidates for gastric bypass surgery to lose more than 5% of their excess body weight preoperatively screens out insufficiently motivated patients, with resultant better outcomes, Dr Todd E. Drasin said...

Laparoscopic gastric bypass preserves lean body mass better: fewer pulmonary embolisms.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... DENVER -- Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery results in weight loss that's virtually identical to that achieved with the open version of the procedure--but with significantly greater preservation of lean body mass and more fat loss,...

Vitamins E, [B.sub.12] affect bladder, prostate ca rates: two epidemiologic studies.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- High vitamin intake can be a double-edged sword for cancer incidence, based on results from two epidemiologic studies reported at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research. A high level of vitamin...

Ambivalence level may flag prostate ca risk: attachment style.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Attachment style may be linked to prostate cancer risk, Dr. Michael A. Burke said at the annual meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society. Attachment style and the risk of a positive prostate biopsy were compared in a...

Treatment varies for severe Loxosceles spider bite: clinical features of bites discussed.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- A bite from the Loxosceles group of spiders is probably the only important cause of necrotic arachnidism in this country, Dr. David Swanson said at a meeting sponsored by the Skin Disease Education Foundation. Most...

Clinical management of syphilis full of lapses: report from California.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... PHILADELPHIA -- Patients with syphilis often are not diagnosed and treated promptly, according to a review of the soaring number of cases in California's STD surveillance database. "The presumptive treatment of syphilis appears to be...

Rapid HIV test helps in three clinical settings: useful in ER.(Clinical Rounds)(emergency room)
May 1, 2004... MIAMI -- The more immediate results that rapid HIV tests offer are particularly advantageous in three clinical scenarios, Lyn Stevens said at a conference sponsored by the American Foundation for AIDS Research. She cited these three...

New oral rapid HIV test expected by summer: safer screening for health workers.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... MIAMI -- A new rapid test that detects HIV antibodies in oral fluid will for the first time eliminate the need for a blood sample for HIV screening. The OraQuick rapid HIV-1 antibody test for use with oral fluid is expected to be available...

Overcoming obstacles to rapid HIV testing in private practice: document referrals.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... MIAMI -- Rapid testing for HIV infection in private practice has some clear advantages, but it also poses some challenges in terms of staff training, office logistics, privacy requirements, and potential increased liability. That's what...

Once-daily regimens are no match for HIV: mutations provide escape routes.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Some experimental once-daily antiretroviral regimens lacked the potency to suppress HIV and gave the virus a mutational escape route in several recent studies. The results suggest that simple, convenient, and relatively...

Hotline steers HIV-exposed clinicians to proper prophylaxis: regimens often changed.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- If you get exposed to HIV at work, calling a free 24-hour hotline for expert advice can help you choose the right medications with the least toxicity, even if you've already started prophylaxis, according to a recent study. ...

Cancer type, incidence shift with use of HIV treatments: non-aids-defining variations.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Even as the incidences of some cancers associated with AIDS decreased in the era of better anti-HIV medications, other cancers became more common in people with HIV, Dr. Pragna Patel reported at the 11th Conference on...

Minor revisions made to HIV guidelines: antiretroviral options.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... MIAMI -- Updated HIV treatment guidelines released by the Department of Health and Human Services contain minor changes to recommended antiretroviral treatment, Dr. Donna E. Sweet said at a conference sponsored by the American Foundation for...

Primary care is good venue for alcohol screening: U.S. preventive services task force.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... Primary care physicians should screen all adults and pregnant women for alcohol misuse, and refer them for counseling if necessary, according to an updated recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The task force found...

Processing of IVIg can affect its safety, efficacy: unwanted side effects.(Clinical Rounds)(intravenous immunoglobulin)
May 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- The inherent variability in the quality of current intravenous immunoglobulin products can lead to unwanted side effects, especially in patients who are vulnerable to the treatments" adverse events, several speakers reported at...

IVIg gains second-line utility for skin diseases: inflammatory, autoimmune diseases.(Clinical Rounds)(intravenous immunoglobulin therapy)
May 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Physicians have begun using intravenous immunoglobulin therapy as second-line therapy, and in some cases first-line therapy, in the treatment of a variety of inflammatory and autoimmune skin diseases. But intravenous...

Derm diagnosis.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... A 70-year-old kidney transplant patient was admitted with cellulitis of the left arm; a large, necrotic purpuric lesion on the left hand; and pitting edema on all extremities. He responded well to IV ampicillin and sulbactam, but developed...

New stages are proposed for self-inflicted skin disorders: severity, time course.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- A proposed classification system for self-inflicted psychodermatoses that groups diagnoses by severity and course of the behavior may be more useful to primary care physicians than existing approaches in the dermatology...

Desloratadine improves quality of life in chronic idiopathic urticaria patients: improved sleep, daily activity.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Once-daily desloratadine (5 mg) improved quality of life and decreased sleep disturbance and daily activity disturbance scores for patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria, Dr. J.J. Grob reported in a poster presentation at...

Melanoma: biopsy all suspicious lesions first: worry about prognosis later.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... SAN DIEGO -- When in doubt, get a biopsy of a lesion if you have any suspicion that it might be melanoma, Dr. David J. Barnette Jr. said at a melanoma update sponsored by the Scripps Clinic. Never let a patient with a worrisome lesion leave...

Follow-up is hardest part of melanoma care: prepare for emotional issues.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... SAN DIEGO -- Ensuring that melanoma patients receive appropriate follow-up care is more challenging than removing the lesion itself, Dr. Duane C. Whitaker said. Not all physicians are comfortable evaluating patients in follow-up visits,...

Shine on allergic rhinitis with rhinophototherapy: mixed UV/visible light.(Clinical Rounds)(ultraviolet)
May 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- A novel form of phototherapy decreased the symptoms of allergic rhinitis in a preliminary study of patients who did not respond adequately to traditional drug treatment, Dr. Alana Ildiko Koreck reported at the annual meeting of...

Experts lament asthma management, citing mortality: undertreated condition.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Despite progress in the past decade, asthma often goes underdiagnosed and undertreated, resulting in preventable hospital visits and deaths, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. In 2000,...

Respiratory aggravation common in recreational runners: symptoms of allergy, asthma.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Recreational runners, who inhale large quantities of air loaded with particulate matter when they exercise near roadways, often develop symptoms of asthma and allergy, Dr. Christopher Randolph said at the annual meeting of the...

Pet peeves: domestic animal allergens found in most American homes: nationwide survey.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Virtually all U.S. homes contain detectable levels of dog and cat allergen, a survey representative of the nation's 96 million permanently occupied, noninstitutional housing units has revealed. Dog and cat allergen are...

Frequent ejaculations associated with lower prostate cancer risk: prospective study.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... Frequent ejaculation is not associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer, Dr. Michael F. Leitzmann and his colleagues reported. In a prospective study of more than 29,000 middle-aged men, each increment of three ejaculations per...

MedRules, PDA backup cards.(Digital Assistance)(personal digital assistants)
May 1, 2004... Featured App: MedRules (ver. 3.3) Clinical Prediction Rules Clinical prediction aids and decision support tools have been a part of medicine for many years. Application of guidelines and algorithms in daily practice has facilitated our...

Indomethacin lassos pain in headache roundup: often specific triggers.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... CANCUN, MEXICO -- Indomethacin is the treatment of choice in a number of different types of short-lasting headache, Dr. Richard B. Lipton said at a symposium sponsored by the American Headache Society. Dr. Lipton of Albert Einstein College...

Myopericarditis rate stalls smallpox vaccine efforts: 'remarkably high incidence'.(Clinical Rounds)
May 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- The biggest surprise of the smallpox vaccination program has been myopericarditis, which has occurred with a "remarkably high incidence," Dr. Renata Engler said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma,...

Sunlight: a potent painkiller.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Sunshine on your patients' shoulders may help take away their pain, Dr. Jeffrey M. Walch reported in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society. In a randomized prospective study of 89 postoperative...

Use BNP to track pulmonary HT.(Clinical Capsules)(b-type natriuretic peptide)(hypertension)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Assessing plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels appears to be the simple, noninvasive means of monitoring clinical function and disease progression that physicians have been searching for in primary pulmonary hypertension, according to...

Rx for resistant pneumonia.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Linezolid is significantly more effective than vancomycin in treating drug-resistant pneumonia, reported Dr. Marin Kollef and colleagues at Washington University, St. Louis. In a combined analysis of two randomized, double-blind studies...

Smoking cessation motivation.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... A street-based smoking cessation intervention might be a good way to help otherwise unmotivated smokers quit, Sonia A. Duffy, Ph.D., of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, said in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the Society...

ID subclinical hypothyroidism before conception: American thyroid association statement.(Women's Health)
May 1, 2004... ALEXANDRIA, VA. -- A new statement published by the American Thyroid Association urges physicians to be aggressive in identifying and treating women with overt or subclinical thyroid dysfunction before they conceive. The statement includes...

Early blood levels predict preeclampsia: treatment implications.(Women's Health)
May 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Increased blood levels of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 during pregnancy and low levels of placental growth factor early in pregnancy each appear to predict development of preeclampsia, Dr. Richard Levine reported at the...

Fluvoxamine seems safe in pregnancy: preliminary data.(Women's Health)
May 1, 2004... MIAMI -- The use of fluvoxamine in pregnancy is not associated with an increased risk of major fetal malformations, according to preliminary results of an ongoing observational study. Investigators compared the pregnancy outcomes of 46...

Image quality key in nuchal translucency dx: the good, the bad, and the fuzzy.(Women's Health)
May 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- Ongoing sonographer training and quality control programs are essential for achieving accurate and consistent nuchal translucency measurements in the first trimester, Dr. Fergal D. Malone said at an obstetrics symposium sponsored by...

Maternal obesity provides matrix for pregnancy complications: more peeeclampsia, c-sections.(Women's Health)
May 1, 2004... HOUSTON -- Excess maternal weight and obesity rose an "alarming" 41% between 1991 and 2001 in the first statewide population study of pregnancy and body mass index, with profound implications in terms of complications and cesarean section...

Consider calcium supplements to alleviate PMS: a promising CAM treatment.(Women's Health)(premenstrual syndrome)(complementary and alternative medicine)
May 1, 2004... BIG SKY, MONT. -- Calcium supplementation is the most promising and best-supported alternative therapy to date for premenstrual syndrome, Dr. Eric J. Bieber said at a meeting on ob.gyn., gynecologic oncology, and reproductive endocrinology. ...

Military response to sexual abuse found lacking: congressional hearing.(Women's Health)
May 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- External rape counseling services could be used by the U.S. military to increase reporting of sexual assaults within its ranks, according to rape counseling advocate Scott Berkowitz. The use of external, civilian-run phone...

IOM calls for increased research on contraceptive methods: better choices needed.(Women's Health)(Institute of Medicine)
May 1, 2004... More research is needed to develop new contraceptive methods that also protect against sexually transmitted infections, the Institute of Medicine said in a report. The report, "New Frontiers in Contraceptive Research: A Blueprint for...

Mothers more likely to continue nursing with physicians' support: controversies persist.(Women's Health)
May 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Doctors who provide encouragement to breast-feeding mothers offer critical support and increase the likelihood moms will continue feeding their babies human milk, Dr. Joan Y. Meek said at a conference on care of the sick child...

Depression during pregnancy complicated: sparse data.(Women's Health)
May 1, 2004... TUCSON, ARIZ. -- Depression rates in women can be just as high in the third trimester of pregnancy as during the postpartum period. The challenges in treating cases in either phase of motherhood are complicated by concerns for the infant and a...

Osteoporosis and CV disease.(Clinical Capsules)(cardiovascular disease)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and those with cardiovascular disease are at increased risk of osteoporosis, Dr. Cheryl A. Keech reported in a poster presentation at a conference on...

Thromboembolism and IBD.(Clinical Capsules)(inflammatory bowel disease )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Patients with inflammatory bowel disease appear to be at high risk for thromboembolism, according to a prospective study of 618 IBD patients and 707 control subjects. Overall, 38 IBD patients (6%) had a history of radiologically proven...

Panic disorder Rx.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Venlafaxine was associated with significantly higher life satisfaction ratings among patients with panic disorder, compared with placebo, Dr. Michael R. Liebowitz said in a poster presented at a meeting sponsored by the International...

Loratadine and pregnancy.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... A group of women who took loratadine early in pregnancy did not appear to be at increased risk for giving birth to sons with second- or third-degree hypospadias, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analysis. The CDC...

Subantimicrobial doxycycline calms rosacea: results from large phase III study.(Women's Health)
May 1, 2004... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Subantimicrobial doses of doxycycline effectively reduced the inflammatory lesions of rosacea and improved the global severity rating score of patients with the disease, Dr. Diane Thiboutot reported at a meeting sponsored...

Sunscreen use, 24/7, called critical for rosacea control: avoid vasodilators that enhance flushing.(Women's Health)
May 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Daily, year-round-use of sunscreen and avoidance of spicy or hot foods and alcohol are critical for controlling rosacea, Dr. Marianne N. O'Donoghue said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. "Sunburn...

Tests predict tamoxifen's effect on breast cancer: assessing risk of recurrence.(Women's Health)
May 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- A pair of molecular tests that measured the expression of three genes flagged women with stage I, estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer who had a recurrence of their disease despite treatment with tamoxifen. This was...

No association between breast cancer and abortion: largest study of its kind.(Women's Health)
May 1, 2004... Having a spontaneous or induced abortion does not increase a woman's subsequent risk of developing breast cancer, according to results from the most comprehensive analysis of its kind. The finding comes from the Collaborative Group on...

Breast cancer recurrence risk not raised by pregnancy: wait for 14 months.(Women's Health)
May 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Women who have been treated for breast cancer can later become pregnant without triggering a recurrence of the disease, based on follow-up data from 444 women with a history of breast cancer. Many physicians tell breast...

Focus on heart disease.
May 1, 2004... Breakthroughs in the management of heart disease are occurring at a pulse-quickening pace. Some have immediate clinical relevance to your practice. Clearly, heart disease in women evolves differently than it does in men and requires a...

Screen all women with treadmill test: revised guidelines urged.(Focus on Heart Disease)
May 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Exercise stress testing as a screening tool in asymptomatic women provides valuable prognostic information, according to a major new study. "We believe that our findings will impact the American College of Cardiology/...

MI mortality declining for diabetic women: national registry data.(Focus on Heart Disease)(myocardial infarction)
May 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- In-hospital mortality among acute MI patients with diabetes has declined sharply during the past decade--and diabetic women have led the way, Dr. Darren K. McGuire said at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology....

New humility urged for heart disease in women: long-held dogmas are 'wishful thinking'.(Focus on Heart Disease)
May 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- It's high time for physicians to accept that many long-standing dogmas about heart disease in women are in fact wishful thinking, Dr. Carl J. Pepine declared in his presidential address at the annual meeting of the American...

Women appear to receive suboptimal treatment in cardiovascular care: registry data.(Focus on Heart Disease)
May 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- A pattern of gender bias against women with regard to the use of indicated cardiovascular therapies emerged as a recurring theme in large registry data presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology. ...

UTI: trigger for acute coronary syndromes? Early intervention urged.(Focus on Heart Disease)(urinary tract infection)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Subclinical urinary tract infection may be an important proximate cause of acute coronary syndromes, Dr. John B. Sims said at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology. His single-center, case-control,...

Chronic atrial fibrillation: try change of pace improved exercise capacity.(Focus on Heart Disease)
May 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Biventricular pacing resulted in markedly better functional capacity than standard right ventricular pacing in the first large multicenter randomized comparative trial in patients undergoing ablate and-pace therapy for chronic...

Preop BNP level predicts postop cardiac risks: powerful tool for prevention.(Focus on Heart Disease)(B-type natriuretic peptide )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- An elevated B-type natriuretic peptide level prior to cardiac surgery is a powerful predictor of postoperative atrial fibrillation, Dr. Oussama M. Wazni said at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology. This...

Modest drop in LDL level cuts ischemic episodes: coronary artery disease.(Focus on Heart Disease)
May 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- A modest drop in serum lipid levels in a patient with stable coronary artery disease can make a substantial dent in the patient's coronary ischemia, based on the results of a controlled study with 300 patients. "For...

Robotic surgery's future hinges on tech advances: trials raise questions.(Focus on Heart Disease)
May 1, 2004... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- If robotic surgery is to thrive, it is going to have to reinvent itself. That's the bottom line based on findings from the first round of multicenter prospective trials, which indicate that outcomes from the high-tech...

Aspirin, more hospitalizations linked in heart failure patients: comparing antithrombotic drugs.(Focus on Heart Disease)
May 1, 2004... NEW ORLEANS -- Three antithrombotic drugs--warfarin, clopidogrel, and aspirin--appeared to be roughly similar in their ability to prevent bad outcomes in patients with chronic heart failure in a controlled study with more than 1,500 patients....

Possible link between apo E and heart repair outcomes: congenital defect surgery in infants.(Focus on Heart Disease)(apolipoprotein E2 genotype)
May 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Infants who undergo repair of congenital heart defects have significantly worse neurodevelopmental outcomes at 1 year of age if they possess the apolipoprotein E2 genotype, Dr. J. William Gaynor said at the annual scientific...