Internal Medicine News articles from October 2005

Internal Medicine News archives from October 2005

Hospital system takes on MRSA.(News)(Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus )
October 1, 2005... A Chicago-area hospital system has launched an ambitious effort to sharply reduce the rate of in-hospital methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections by screening all patients. The new admissions screening process at each of...

Information technology used mostly for electronic billing in 2003.(VITAL SIGNS)(Illustration)
October 1, 2005... Information Technology Used Mostly For Electronic Billing in 2003 Electronic billing 73% Electronic medical recards 17% Computerized prescription order entry 8% Note: Based on estimated data from...

Homocysteine hypothesis of CV disease is 'dead': lowering plasma levels may be dangerous.(News)
October 1, 2005... STOCKHOLM -- Lowering plasma homocysteine with B vitamin therapy does not prevent subsequent MIs and strokes in patients who have had an MI--to the contrary, it may even be harmful, according to the results of the first large randomized...

Act now to disaster-proof clinical, business records.(News)
October 1, 2005... The recent disaster along the Gulf coast may be a wake up call for all physicians to establish some kind of emergency backup system for their businesses. "Physicians don't always think of themselves as running a business, but they're going...

Feds delay OTC decision for Plan B.(over the counter drugs)
October 1, 2005... Citing difficult and novel regulatory issues, the Food and Drug Administration delayed its decision on over-the-counter marketing status for the emergency contraceptive Plan B (levonorgestrel), to seek public comment. The FDA cannot decide...

Prevention is key to curbing MDR gram-negative bugs.(persistent multidrug-resistant)
October 1, 2005... BETHESDA, MD. -- The supply of weapons against multidrug-resistant gram-negative pathogens is running low, Henry M. Blumberg, M.D., said at an annual conference on antimicrobial resistance sponsored by the National Foundation for Infectious...

Pennsylvania agency pushes hospitals to fess up about inpatient infections.(News)
October 1, 2005... In the wake of what appears to be underreporting of nosocomial infections, a Pennsylvania state agency is poised to use its leverage to force hospitals to divulge more accurate and full information. This summer, the Pennsylvania Health Care...

Displaced medical schools find alternative locations.(News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Medical schools affected by Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath scrambled to find alternative locations and resources, to ensure that their students and residents would be able to continue practicing medicine. At press time, most of the...

Emergency physicians share their storm stories.(News)
October 1, 2005... While television relentlessly conveyed Hurricane Katrina's destructive impact on property, the catastrophe's human costs emerged most powerfully in the clarity of individual voices. In the following e-mails, emergency physicians shared their...

Florida needs bariatric coverage.(insurers seriously restricted access to bariatric surgery)
October 1, 2005... In January of this year major Florida insurers, including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, seriously restricted access to bariatric surgery, the only proven treatment for the morbidly obese. As reported in the media, Blue Cross Blue Shield of...

Pay-for-performance pitfalls for AMA.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... The article regarding the American Medical Association policy debate demonstrates the reason many doctors do not want to be involved with the organization ("AMA Targets 'Pay for Performance' but Hits Resistance," July 15, 2005, p. 1). The...

PT for joint hypermobility syndrome.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... We are hopeful that your excellent article on JHS will help raise awareness of this common condition, which too often goes overlooked by primary care physicians and specialists alike ("Joint Hypermobility Syndrome Often Overlooked," May 15,...

Pain relievers.(Opinion)(Cartoon)
October 1, 2005... "I already diagnosed myself on the Internet. I'm just here for a second opinion."

Assuming cost is not an issue, should every patient with RA receive biologic therapy?(PRO & CON)(rheumatoid arthritis)
October 1, 2005... YES Therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has three goals: preventing joint damage, preventing loss of function, and fostering self-understanding in our patients. It's clear that we're most likely to reach those goals with early diagnosis...

New drugs scale high-altitude pulmonary edema: novel therapies for prevention and treatment include inhaled [beta]-agonists, sildenafil, and dexamethasone.(Pulmonary Medicine)
October 1, 2005... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- Physicians have recently gained a brace of new pharmacologic options for preventing and treating high-altitude pulmonary edema, Peter Hackett, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Wilderness Medical Society. The novel...

Cyclophosphamide may prop up lung function in scleroderma.(Pulmonary Medicine)
October 1, 2005... The immunosuppressant drug cyclophosphamide may attenuate the decline in lung function that comes with scleroderma, according to a recent multicenter trial. The study suggests that differences in lung function as small as 2%-3% may...

Oral appliances offer option for sleep apnea: if patients can't tolerate CPAP, they may want to try a dental appliance before undergoing surgery.(Pulmonary Medicine)(continuous positive airway pressure device)
October 1, 2005... When a patient with obstructive sleep apnea can't tolerate using a continuous positive airway pressure device, what's the next step? "The option people end up thinking about when CPAP fails is typically surgery," said Kent Moore, M.D.,...

Heavy snoring in pregnancy endangers the fetus.(Pulmonary Medicine)
October 1, 2005... DENVER -- Obstructive sleep apnea is far more common during pregnancy than most physicians realize, and in its more severe forms it can jeopardize the fetus, Meir H. Kryger, M.D., said at a satellite symposium held in conjunction with the...

Treating apnea may help correct PCOS hormonal abnormalities.(Pulmonary Medicine)
October 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- A small but intriguing study has found that treating obstructive sleep apnea in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome lowered their cortisol levels not only at night, but during the daytime as well. Obstructive sleep apnea...

Sleep apnea detected in 70% of candidates for gastric bypass.(Pulmonary Medicine)(Brief article)
October 1, 2005... DENVER -- All patients who are candidates for gastric bypass surgery should be evaluated for obstructive sleep apnea. Brian Abaluck, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies. The prevalence of this...

Armodafinil useful adjunct to CPAP in apnea.(Pulmonary Medicine)
October 1, 2005... DENVER -- The investigational drug armodafinil significantly increased daytime wakefulness in patients with obstructive sleep apnea who experienced excessive sleepiness despite regular use of nighttime continuous positive airway pressure...

CPAP may improve cognitive function in Alzheimer's patients.(Pulmonary Medicine)(continuous positive airway pressure)
October 1, 2005... DENVER -- Continuous positive airway pressure improved both excessive daytime sleepiness and--in a particularly encouraging finding--cognitive function in a randomized trial involving Alzheimer's disease patients with obstructive sleep apnea,...

Apnea may link apo E4, Alzheimer's.(Pulmonary Medicine)
October 1, 2005... DENVER -- The well-documented association between the apolipoprotein E4 allele and development of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease may be mediated at least in part by obstructive sleep apnea, Ruth O'Hara, Ph.D., said at the annual...

Nearby natural asbestos deposits increase mesothelioma risk.(Pulmonary Medicine)
October 1, 2005... Mesothelioma is significantly more likely to occur in people who live near deposits of naturally occurring asbestos, Marc Schenker, M.D., and his colleagues reported. The largest epidemiologic study of mesothelioma and naturally occurring...

DHEA fizzles in long-term Mayo Clinic study.(Geriatric Medicine)(dehydroepiandrosterone)
October 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- A long-term study of dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation in elderly men and women found no effect on body composition, muscle strength or performance, glucose metabolism, or quality of life. There was a "trend... of...

Bright light may lessen insomnia in the elderly.(Geriatric Medicine)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... DENVER -- Exposure to bright light has already been established as effective therapy for depression. Now it is also showing promise for improving daytime sleepiness and mood in nondepressed older individuals with primary insomnia. The...

Creatine, exercise increase strength in Parkinson's.(Geriatric Medicine)
October 1, 2005... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Creatine monohydrate, in combination with resistance training, appears to increase strength and endurance in patients with Parkinson's disease more than resistance training alone. The additional benefits may be related...

Statins failed to lower dementia risk in elderly.(Geriatric Medicine)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Statins didn't decrease the risk of Alzheimer's or vascular or mixed dementia in patients 65 years or older. A secondary analysis of the Cardiovascular Health Study found no protective cognitive effects of any statin among 2,798 subjects (mean...

PET scans predict Alzheimer's, mild impairment: the imaging technique may have the potential to fast-forward the search for preventive measures.(Geriatric Medicine)(Positron emission tomography)
October 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Hippocampal metabolic reductions seen on PET scans in people with no clinical signs of cognitive impairment may be able to predict who will go on to develop Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment, according to data...

Screening for genetic susceptibility to Alzheimer's does more good than harm.(Geriatric Medicine)
October 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Screening for the [epsilon]4 form of the apolipoprotein E gene may offer psychological benefit, not harm, to the adult children of people with Alzheimer's, said Robert C. Green, M.D., at an international conference sponsored by...

High homocysteine linked to memory decline in women.(Geriatric Medicine)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Hyperhomocysteinemia was associated with poorer performance on memory tests in postmenopausal women, Margaret S. Clark, Ph.D., and her associates have reported. While the performance levels weren't low enough to be classified as mild...

Quick screening tool boosts dementia diagnosis.(Geriatric Medicine)
October 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Routine use of a simple dementia screening tool can boost the number of possible dementia cases identified in primary care without putting a substantial drain on physician time, according to data presented at an international...

Alzheimer's disease prevention booklet.(Geriatric Medicine)(Genes, Lifestyles, and Crossword Puzzles: Can Alzheimer's Disease Be Prevented?)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
October 1, 2005... The National Institute on Aging's Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center is offering a free booklet that explores potential prevention strategies. "Genes, Lifestyles, and Crossword Puzzles: Can Alzheimer's Disease Be Prevented?"...

Here's three easy pieces for dementia screening.(Geriatric Medicine)
October 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Short on time for screening older patients for dementia? Try the Memory Impairment Screen, the Mini-Cog, and the General Practitioner Assessment of Cognition tests. The three appear to be the best tools for routine screening...

Clinical methods rival imaging for AD diagnosis.(Geriatric Medicine)
October 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease may be just as accurate as neuroimaging, blood work, and interview of a knowledgeable informant, David A. Bennett, M.D., said at an international conference sponsored by the Alzheimer's...

Pioglitazone improves CV outcomes in diabetics.(Endocrinology)
October 1, 2005... Pioglitazone significantly reduced the combined risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, and death in high-risk patients with type 2 diabetes, investigators reported at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes. ...

Strategies to motivate diabetic patients for self-management.(Endocrinology)
October 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Although there are major gaps in the literature about the psychosocial aspects of diabetes management, certain evidence-based strategies do tend to work for many patients, Leonard Jack Jr., Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the...

FDA panel gives guarded okay to inhaled insulin.(Endocrinology)
October 1, 2005... SILVER SPRING, MD. -- Advisors to the Food and Drug Administration voted to recommend approval of inhaled insulin, but also expressed concern about the product's long-term pulmonary effects as well as the level of training that patients would...

FDA advisory panel recommends muraglitazar for type 2 diabetes: the panel endorsed the drug's use alone and with metformin, but not combined with sulfonylureas.(Endocrinology)
October 1, 2005... SILVER SPRING, MD. -- A Food and Drug Administration advisory board endorsed muraglitazar for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, as monotherapy and in combination with metformin, but rejected its use in combination with sulfonylureas due to...

Metabolic syndrome Dx upheld by cardiologists: unlike the diabetes groups, AHA/NHLBI finds the syndrome to be valid and clinically useful.(Endocrinology)
October 1, 2005... Less than a month after two major diabetes organizations called metabolic syndrome a poorly defined and misleading diagnosis, the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute issued a joint statement reaffirming...

ARBs boost endothelial function in impaired glucose tolerance.(Endocrinology)(angiotensin receptor blockers)
October 1, 2005... TORONTO -- Endothelial function improves significantly with angiotensin II receptor-1 blockade in patients with impaired glucose tolerance, and quickly reverts to baseline after discontinuation of therapy, Thomas H. Schindler, M.D., reported at...

Rosiglitazone and obesity.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Rosiglitazone may be an effective adjunct to insulin therapy in patients with type 1 diabetes and a body mass index (BMI) of at least 30 kg/[m.sup.2], reported Suzanne M, Strowig, R.N., and Philip Raskin, M.D., of the University of Texas...

Obesity, smoking, and aging.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Obesity and cigarette smoking are associated with accelerated aging in white women, reported A.M. Valdes, Ph.D., of the Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology Unit, St. Thomas' Hospital, London. Both smoking and obesity result in oxidative...

Nutritional adjunct tied to savings.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Supplementation with chromium picolinate plus biotin may substantially reduce the cost of treating type 2 diabetes, reported Joseph P. Fuhr Jr., Ph.D., of Widener University, Chester, Penn., and Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, and...

Body mass and stature.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... The acute response of the spine to loading may be a risk factor for low back pain in obese subjects, reported Andre Luiz Felix Rodacki of Parana Federal University, Curitiba, Brazil, and his associates. Ten obese men with a BMI greater than...

Learn to recognize gender identity disorder: the program for transgender teens at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles requires 1 year of therapy.(Adolescent Medicine)
October 1, 2005... Most adolescents wrestle with some form of angst as they develop a personal identity separate from their family and gain a sense of belonging with their peers. But wrestling with gender identity and being an adolescent can be "a double...

Teens willing to risk health in pursuit of bigger muscles.(Adolescent Medicine)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Both boys and girls who reported a desire to look like celebrities in magazines were significantly more likely to use potentially unhealthful supplements to enhance their physiques, reported Alison E. Field. Sc.D., of Harvard University, and...

FDA reviews oral contraceptive safety in teens: one-year study of adverse events raises no new concerns for adolescents taking combination drugs.(Adolescent Medicine)
October 1, 2005... ROCKVILLE, MD. -- No new safety concerns were raised by a review of adverse events reported during a recent 1-year period in adolescents taking a combination oral contraceptive, according to Jean Wendy Temeck, M.D., of the Food and Drug...

Longitudinal data show teen girls change contraception often.(Adolescent Medicine)
October 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Changes in contraceptive methods are frequent among adolescent girls, and tend to reflect pregnancy status and changes in sexual relationships and behaviors. Jennifer L. Woods, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the North...

Girls' birth control knowledge does not equate to safe sexual behavior.(Adolescent Medicine)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Adolescent girls at high risk for pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections who participated in a recent study were knowledgeable about common birth control methods, but most reported having unprotected sex. Of 332 girls...

Contraceptive methods used by young women.(DATA WATCH)(Illustration)
October 1, 2005... Contraceptive Methods Used by Young Women Age 15-19 Years Pill 52.8% Condom 27% 3-Month Injectable 13.9% Other 6.3% Age 20-24 Years Sterilization 3.6% Pill ...

Pharmacotherapy may help some obese teens: some MDs may be reluctant to prescribe weight-loss medications until long-term effects are known.(Adolescent Medicine)
October 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- The epidemic of childhood obesity shows no signs of abating, and studies have demonstrated only modest results from diet and exercise, unless an intensive boot-camp approach is used, Robert H. Lustig, M.D., said at a meeting on...

Early signs of CVD seen in teens with type 1 diabetes.(Adolescent Medicine)(cardiovascular diseases)
October 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- Adolescents with type 1 diabetes may have early evidence of atherosclerosis, Maria V. Karantza, M.D. reported at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association. The increased risk appears to be related to...

Smoking 'dose' may be associated with risk for metabolic syndrome.(Adolescent Medicine)
October 1, 2005... Intensity of exposure to tobacco smoke appears to be associated with the rate of metabolic syndrome in a dose-response relationship in adolescents, according to a study in the cross-sectional third National Health and Nutrition Examination...

Late return of potency after radical prostatectomy.(Urology)
October 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- A large, longitudinal study of men who underwent radical prostatectomy has shown a small but statistically significant increase in sexual potency between 2 and 5 years after radical prostatectomy, David F. Penson, M.D., reported...

Surgery has advantages for advanced prostate cancer.(Urology)
October 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- A large retrospective study with patients from the Mayo Clinic has demonstrated the advantages of radical prostatectomy in men with clinically advanced prostate cancer, John F. Ward, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the...

Radiation, radical prostatectomy: neither had better quality of life.(Urology)
October 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- A prospective, randomized study comparing external beam radiotherapy with radical prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer found no clear winner in terms of quality of life during the 2 years after treatment, Savino M. Di...

Sexual potency preserved with transurethral prostatectomy.(Urology)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- Patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia who undergo transurethral radical prostatectomy are likely to retain their sexual potency, although their ejaculatory function worsens significantly, Michael Muentener, M.D., reported at...

Robotic prostatectomy effective but expensive.(Urology)
October 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- Compared with radical retroperitoneal prostatectomy, patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy lose less blood but experience more complications within 30 days, according to a study presented at the annual...

Regular tadalafil may up endothelial function.(Urology)
October 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- Men who took the impotence drug tadalafil (Cialis) every other day for a month experienced significant and lasting improvement in endothelial function and cavernous artery blood flow, Italian researchers reported at the annual...

Nodular melanoma signs not as simple as ABCs.(Dermatology)
October 1, 2005... GLASGOW, SCOTLAND -- The success in recent years of public- and professional-relations efforts to spread awareness of early signs of melanoma has had one unfortunate downside: The common checklists that identify worrisome features of skin...

Two genetic melanoma subtypes seen in patients with sun damage.(Dermatology)
October 1, 2005... VIENNA -- Genomic analyses suggest that there are biologically distinct subtypes of cutaneous melanoma, Boris C. Bastian, M.D., reported at the 10th World Congress on Cancers of the Skin. He and his colleagues at the comprehensive cancer...

Histology distinguishes malignant melanoma from Bowen's disease.(Dermatology)
October 1, 2005... GLASGOW, SCOTLAND -- The importance of diagnostic biopsy for solitary lesions was underscored by three cases presented in a poster session by Daniel Glass, M.B., at the annual meeting of the British Association of Dermatologists. In case...

Teledermatology services offered worldwide.(Dermatology)
October 1, 2005... VIENNA -- Teledermatology is expanding in Europe through an online international dermatology community that provides open-access consultations. H. Peter Soyer, M.D., reported at the 10th World Congress on Cancers of the Skin. The...

Legislating teens' indoor tanning, state by state: restrictions on minors are lacking and vary widely; the AMA urges federal prohibitions and warnings.(Dermatology)
October 1, 2005... If a 14-year-old girl walks into an indoor tanning facility in California, she would need parental consent to get a tan. But in Wisconsin, that same teen would be turned away at the door. A total of 21 states, as well as numerous counties...

In large study, becaplermin healed diabetic foot ulcers.(Dermatology)
October 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- Diabetic neuropathic foot ulcers treated with becaplermin were 30% more likely to heal during a 20-week study period than ulcers not treated with the drug. David J. Margolis, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Wound Healing...

Apligraf matches standard treatment of skin cancer excision wounds.(Dermatology)
October 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- The quality of healed wounds treated with bilayered cell therapy equaled that of wounds treated with a standard dressing in a randomized, multicenter study of 172 patients, Vincent Falanga, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the...

Pulsed dye laser effective for genital warts in men.(Dermatology)
October 1, 2005... PARIS -- The pulsed dye laser can selectively destroy anogenital warts in men without damaging surrounding skin, Ashraf Badawi, M.D., reported at the Fourth International Academy of Cosmetic Dermatology World Congress. A prospective,...

Female athletes may have higher risk of ACL injury.(Clinical Rounds)(anterior cruciate ligament)
October 1, 2005... KEYSTONE, COLO. -- Even high-level female athletes show the kind of biomechanics presumed to increase the risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury, and can benefit from retraining, according to studies presented at the annual meeting of the...

Accelerated rehabilitation viable after knee surgery.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... KEYSTONE, COLO. -- Rehabilitation from anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction can be shortened without harm, so that patients may be able to return to vigorous activity sooner than is now the case. Bruce Beynnon, Ph.D., said at the annual...

Increased sleep improved tennis players' performance.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... DENVER -- The fastest way to a better tennis serve involves an hour or two commitment per day--but not for more tennis drills or a grueling physical conditioning regimen. Nothing so strenuous is required, said Richard D. Simon Jr., M.D., at the...

Hamstring trauma tops the injury list among track-and-field athletes.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... AUSTIN, TEX. -- Hamstring injuries appear to be the most common injury in rack-and-field athletes, especially in older male sprinters or those with previous hamstring damage, according to a study of the largest series of hamstring injuries in...

Fusion imaging can improve cancer management.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... BOCA RATON, FLA. -- PET/CT fusion imaging is more useful than either imaging technology alone for staging and management of primary head and neck cancers, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Head and Neck Society. ...

Better trauma care has cut multiple organ failure rate.(Clinical Rounds)
October 1, 2005... The incidence and the associated mortality of multiple organ failure following severe trauma have decreased significantly during the past 12 years, despite an overall increase in the risk factors of patient age and injury severity. David...

San Francisco rule predicts long-term risk of death related to syncope.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... NEW YORK -- The San Francisco syncope rule--already validated as a way to gauge the short-term risk of serious outcomes in patients with syncope--can help predict the long-term risk of death. James V. Quinn, M.D., reported at the annual meeting...

Mandatory compliance plan set for isotretinoin.(Rx)
October 1, 2005... In a move that caught many in the medical community by surprise, the Food and Drug Administration has announced a comprehensive--and mandatory--risk management program for the teratogenic acne drug isotretinoin that demands complete compliance...

Strontium ranelate prevented vertebral fractures: risk reduction was the greatest in a very-high-risk population of women with osteoporosis.(Rx)
October 1, 2005... VIENNA -- Strontium ranelate reduced the risk of new vertebral fractures by 41% over 3 years in a very-high-risk population of osteoporotic women with at least two prevalent vertebral fractures at baseline, Sergio Ortolani, M.D., reported at...

FDA approves changes to clozapine blood monitoring.(Rx)
October 1, 2005... ROCKVILLE, MD. -- The Food and Drug Administration has approved two major changes to the schedule for monitoring people on clozapine for agranulocytosis: the addition of absolute neutrophil count tests to regular monitoring and a reduction in...

Chronic osteoarthritis.(DRUG UPDATE)
October 1, 2005... The much publicized removal of all but one of the three cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors from the U.S. market because of concerns over their cardiovascular risks has forced clinicians to reconsider pain control strategies for many of their patients...

Good prognosis for 'mild' coronary artery disease discredited.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
October 1, 2005... STOCKHOLM -- The prognosis of nonobstructive coronary artery disease may be far less benign than generally assumed, according to two studies presented at the annual congress of the European Society of Cardiology. Patients with less than...

Exercise ankle-brachial index aids PAD diagnosis.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(peripheral artery disease)
October 1, 2005... STOCKHOLM -- Five minutes of treadmill exercise can boost the diagnostic accuracy of the ankle-brachial index for identifying patients with peripheral artery disease, on the basis of long-term follow-up of about 700 patients. Physicians...

Waist-height ratio tops BMI as cardiovascular risk factor.(Cardiovascular Medicine)(body mass index)
October 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- Waist to height ratio is more strongly linked to cardiovascular risk than body mass index (BMI), particularly in middle age, according to a large European study that was presented at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society. ...

C-reactive protein may alter women's Framingham risk score.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
October 1, 2005... NEW YORK -- The predictive value of the Framingham risk score could change substantially if serum C-reactive protein levels were included in the calculation. An analysis of data collected on more than 15,000 women in the Women's Health...

Bariatric surgery lowers cardiovascular risk: study monitored eight markers of cardiovascular risk, all of which were improved by gastric bypass.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
October 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- The clinical benefits of gastric bypass surgery go beyond weight loss and include lowering the risk of coronary artery disease, according to the results of a study presented by D. Brandon Williams, M.D., at the annual meeting of the...