Internal Medicine News articles from September 2005

Internal Medicine News archives from September 2005

Concierge practices grow more diverse.(News)
September 1, 2005... Garrison Bliss, M.D., is not convinced that so-called concierge care has to involve a $4,000 yearly fee. The Seattle internist charged patients only $65 a month when he opened his practice in Washington state in 1997--one of the first U.S....

Most people support restrictions on direct-to-consumer advertising of new drugs.(VITAL SIGNS)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Most People Support Restrictions on Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of New Drugs Favor mandatory ban for limited time 35% Favor voluntary ban for limited time 16% Oppose any ban 23% Not sure ...

Groups seek curb on 'metabolic syndrome' label: diabetes specialists want further research.(Endocrinology)
September 1, 2005... Physicians should avoid labeling patients with the term "metabolic syndrome," at least until its meaning and medical usefulness can be further clarified, the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes...

CMS proposes 4.3% pay reduction for next year.(News)
September 1, 2005... Physicians face a 4.3% cut to Medicare reimbursements next year unless Congress takes action to change the sustainable growth rate formula. The reduction was announced in a proposed rule that would update payment rates and revise payment...

Say goodbye to paper Medicare claims Oct. 1.(News)
September 1, 2005... Hello, October--goodbye, paper Medicare claims. Oct. 1 marks the date that physicians and other providers may no longer submit any paper Medicare claims; electronically filed claims not in compliance with federal regulations also will be...

Legal expert highlights potential risks of concierge care.(News)
September 1, 2005... DALLAS -- Among the so-called concierge-care models, practices that offer fees for non-covered services to patients who have insurance carry the highest legal risk, attorney John Marquis said at a national conference on concierge medicine. ...

Millions of doses of avian flu vaccine on order.(News)
September 1, 2005... The U.S. government is aiming to buy millions of doses of avian influenza vaccine, which preliminary data have shown produces a robust immune response against the A (H5N1) virus in some doses. "We have been asked to provide up to 20 million...

U.S. government should buy all vaccines for flu pandemic, two committees agree.(News)
September 1, 2005... ROCKVILLE, MD. -- If the United States faces an influenza pandemic, the federal government should buy all the vaccine, members of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee agreed at a joint meeting with the Advisory Committee on Immunization...

Senior citizens get first shots during shortage.(News)
September 1, 2005... In the event of an influenza vaccine shortage during the 2005-2006 season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised physicians to prioritize people age 65 years and older with comorbid conditions if their local vaccine...

Imaging breakthroughs reveal early AD changes: new techniques detect preclinical changes in the brain's biochemistry, water diffusion, and structures.(News)
September 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Imaging techniques designed to enable identification of preclinical Alzheimer's disease were showcased in numerous presentations at an international conference sponsored by the Alzheimer's Association. Preclinical Biochemical...

Diabetes tracking is now a necessity.(GUEST EDITORIAL)
September 1, 2005... Diabetes is epidemic in New York City and throughout the United States. Self-reported diabetes prevalence among New York City adults has more than doubled in the past decade, from less than 4% to almost 10%. Diabetes is now the fourth leading...

Pain relievers.(Opinion)(Cartoon)
September 1, 2005... "Congratulations on completing your residency. I see you've chosen sleep as your speciality."

Marijuana is not medicine.(LETTERS)
September 1, 2005... Relative to the diatribe by Dr. Marcus Conant, marijuana is not a medicine by any stretch of a sober person's imagination ("The Future of Medical Marijuana," Guest Editorial, July 1, 2005, p. 11). Legislative actions [to legalize marijuana...

Provisions for marijuana rx.(LETTERS)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The issue of "medical marijuana," which is not going to go away anytime soon despite its debatable benefits, must be addressed in a reasonable manner, preferably by the medical community first. Although it is probably not reasonable to deny...

Recertification not worth the effort.(LETTERS)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... I had to recertify in internal medicine in 2003 and found recertification to be nothing more than an expensive and enormous waste of time ("Some Subspecialists Only Recertifying in Own Field," May 15, 2005, p. 70). The whole...

The value of patient-specific care.(LETTERS)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Those who promote hospitalists speak of the value of "disease-specific experience" ("Hospitalists' Impact on Outcomes Not So Clear," June 1, 2005, p. 71). As a community physician, I also appreciate the value of "patient-specific...

Should hypertension be treated with a renin-angiotensin blocker?(PRO & CON)
September 1, 2005... YES Certainly, lowering high blood pressure in hypertensive patients is important. But blocking the renin-angiotensin system also makes a difference in hypertensive patients; what is good for the kidney also is likely to be good for the...

Thyroid storm rare following I-131 treatment.(Endocrinology)
September 1, 2005... TORONTO -- The risk of provoking thyroid storm with administration of radioactive iodine appears to be vanishingly small even in cases of severe thyrotoxicosis, Vani Vijayakumar, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Society of Nuclear...

Thyroid cancer data support aggressive therapy.(Endocrinology)
September 1, 2005... Multifocal tumors in papillary thyroid cancer appear to often arise as independent tumors--a finding that supports the use of bilateral thyroidectomy and radioablation of remaining tissue, according to Trisha M. Shattuck of the University of...

Depression may worsen diabetes.(Endocrinology)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... In a study of 231 adolescents with type 1 diabetes, those who had depressive symptoms were at increased risk for hospitalization from diabetes complications during a 2-year follow-up. On the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression...

Diagnostic code for metabolic syndrome rarely used in U.S.(Endocrinology)
September 1, 2005... Despite America's obesity epidemic, use of the diagnostic code for metabolic syndrome in U.S. clinical practice is "rarer than a blue moon," according to Earl S. Ford, M.D. In 2001, the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP)...

Obesity, inactivity tied to diabetes.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Target both fitness and fatness to help control diabetes and diabetes-related comorbidities in the general population, advised Patrick W. Sullivan, Ph.D., of the University of Colorado, Denver, and his associates. The Medical Expenditure...

More desk time, bigger waistline.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The more time men spend sitting at work, the greater their risk of being overweight or obese, reported W. Kerry Mummery, Ph.D., of Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Australia, and associates. In a cross-sectional study of 875 men...

Plasma peptides influence satiety.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Apelin, orexin-A, and leptin levels in the plasma appear to work together to influence satiety, reported M.V. Heinonen and colleagues at the University of Kuopio (Finland). The investigators measured basal plasma values in 32 morbidly obese...

Setting up obesity programs.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... To launch effective obesity treatment programs in primary health care centers, health professionals need education, support from colleagues, and backing from management, reported Ingela Melin of the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, and her...

Rosiglitazone: no hepatotoxicity seen at 10 years.(Endocrinology)
September 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- Rosiglitazone has shown no hint of excess liver toxicity in 10 years of safety monitoring by GlaxoSmithKline, Alexander R. Cobitz, M.D., Ph.D., reported at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association. ...

Spironolactone reduces edema from rosiglitazone.(Endocrinology)
September 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- Spironolactone appears to be the most effective antidiuretic for the management of rosiglitazone-associated fluid retention, Janaka Karalliedde, M.D., reported at the annual scientific sessions of the American Diabetes Association....

Novel insulin sensitizer cuts glucose without edema or weight gain.(Endocrinology)
September 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- Metaglidasen is a novel insulin sensitizer that appears to lower blood glucose as effectively as the thiazolidine-diones without causing weight gain or edema, Julio Rosenstock, M.D., reported at the annual scientific sessions of...

Insomnia curbs antidepressant response in aged.(Psychiatry)
September 1, 2005... DENVER -- Chronic insomnia in depressed elderly patients confers roughly a ninefold increased risk of continued depression after as much as 12 months of antidepressant therapy, Wilfred Pigeon, Ph.D., reported at the annual meeting of the...

Comorbid insomnia/depression responds to cotherapy.(Psychiatry)
September 1, 2005... DENVER -- Coadministration of eszopiclone (Lunesta) and fluoxetine (Prozac) for newly diagnosed major depressive disorder with coexistent insomnia was associated with larger and quicker improvements in both disorders than fluoxetine and placebo...

Body piercings, tattoos may reflect suicidality.(Psychiatry)
September 1, 2005... BROOMFIELD, COLO. -- Body modification enthusiasts--individuals who undergo piercing, tattooing, and/or scarification--have a high rate of self-reported prior suicide attempts, David Lester, Ph.D., said at the annual conference of the American...

Depression, PTSD timing varies in injured soldiers.(Psychiatry)(posttraumatic stress disorder)
September 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- There is no one-size-fits-all formula for the course of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression among battle-injured soldiers, Capt. Thomas A. Grieger, MC, USN, reported in a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the...

Quick depression scale proves useful in primary care settings.(Psychiatry)
September 1, 2005... BOCA RATON, FLA. -- An abbreviated Hamilton Depression Rating Scale can quickly assess depression severity and monitor patient response to treatment in a primary care setting, according to a multicenter study. Complete remission of symptoms...

Target physical symptoms, boost depression outcomes.(Psychiatry)
September 1, 2005... BOCA RATON, FLA. -- Targeting physical symptoms of depression in a primary care setting increases the likelihood of treatment response and remission, according to a multicenter, naturalistic study. Somatic symptoms of depression are getting...

Posttraumatic stress disorder.(THE EFFECTIVE PHYSICIAN)
September 1, 2005... Background Posttraumatic stress disorder afflicts many patients who have undergone personal ordeals. The American Psychiatric Association recently issued a guideline to assist practitioners in managing this disorder. Conclusions ...

16% of combat medical personnel hit by PTSD.(Psychiatry)
September 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- Medical personnel returning from combat deployment experience rates of post-traumatic stress disorder only slightly below those of returning soldiers, a study has shown. Nearly 16% of medical personnel from one U.S. military...

Drug for opioid-induced constipation welcomed.(Neurology)
September 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- Single injections of methylnaltrexone relieved opioid-induced constipation within 4 hours for 60% of hospice and palliative care patients in a randomized, placebo-controlled phase III trial. The earliest responses occurred...

If pain and depression coexist, assume the pain came first.(Neurology)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- When chronic pain and depression coexist, treat the patient under the assumption that the pain is causing the depression, not the reverse, Rollin M. Gallagher, M.D., said at a psychopharmacology congress sponsored by the...

Assessing headache: differential diagnosis is key.
September 1, 2005... MIAMI BEACH -- A differential diagnosis is the first task in distinguishing between primary and secondary headache disorders, David J. Capobianco, M.D., said at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting. With well over 300 causes of...

Neuroimaging useful in diagnosing secondary headaches.(Neurology)
September 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- Neuroimaging is key to diagnosing relatively rare secondary headaches, Laszlo L. Mechtler, M.D. said at the annual meeting of the American Society of Neuroimaging. "Secondary headaches are where neuroimaging is of paramount...

Preventive migraine treatment is underutilized.(Neurology)
September 1, 2005... PHILADELPHIA -- Millions of U.S. patients who could benefit from migraine prophylaxis are not being offered this treatment by their doctors, Stephen Silberstein, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Headache Society. Based on...

Score identifies TIA patients at risk for stroke.(transient ischemic attacks )
September 1, 2005... A simple, 6-point scoring system identifies patients with transient ischemic attacks who are at highest risk of progressing to stroke within a week. The ABCD score--which is based on a quick assessment of patient age, blood pressure, two...

Cerebrovascular disease death rates on the decline.(Brief Article)(Illustration)
September 1, 2005... Cerebrovascular Disease Death Rates on the Decline Male Female 2000 Black 90 76 White 60 57 Hispanic 51 43 2001 Black 85 74 White 57 55 Hispanic 49 ...

Benefits of mobile-bearing knee implants unclear.
September 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Mobile-bearing knee implants are hyped in advertisements and demanded by patients, but the jury is still out on whether the device/deliver what's promised. During a panel discussion at the annual meeting of the American...

Meniscal tear may signal knee osteoarthritis: surgical intervention 'merely removes evidence of the disorder,' a Swedish orthopedic surgeon suggests.(Rheumatology)
September 1, 2005... VIENNA -- Long-term outcomes after partial meniscectomy in middle-aged and elderly patients aren't nearly as favorable as they ought to be for an operation that does a good job of preserving the key meniscal functions of shock absorption and...

In short term, real acupuncture beats sham for osteoarthritis.
September 1, 2005... Acupuncture relieves pain and improves function in knee osteoarthritis significantly better than sham acupuncture, at least in the short term, according to the findings of a randomized controlled study. Over the long term, however, real...

Medicare vertebroplasty coverage not likely soon.
September 1, 2005... BALTIMORE -- Although some local carriers already cover vertebral augmentation through vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services does not intend to consider a national coverage policy for the procedures,...

Specialists differ in dealing with osteoporosis.(Rheumatology)
September 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Endocrinologists and rheumatologists are the most aggressive specialists when it comes to the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of osteoporosis, Tiffany Karas, M.D., and her associates reported in a poster at the annual meeting...

Low calcium intake seen in educated women.(Rheumatology)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... INDIAN WELLS, CALIF. -- Even educated women of high socioeconomic status do not appear to get enough daily calcium, Andrea Stein, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Pacific Coast Reproductive Society. In a survey of 180 middle-aged...

In hot flash trials, venlafaxine beats clonidine: the hormonal alternative MPA is clearly better, but safety issues linger for breast cancer survivors.(Women's Health)
September 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- Venlafaxine controls hot flashes more effectively than clonidine, but not as well as a single dose of medroxyprogesterone acetate, according to randomized, controlled trials presented in posters at the annual meeting of the American...

Expert: don't discount sleep problems during perimenopause.(Women's Health)
September 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- Sleep problems in perimenopausal women can diminish quality of life significantly and should not be minimized or overlooked, according to Hadine Joffe, M.D. In general, hormonal fluctuations may be to blame, but hot flushes and...

Breast irradiation may raise angiosarcoma risk.(Women's Health)
September 1, 2005... NAPLES, FLA. -- In the last year, Michael B. Morgan, M.D., has seen four cases of angiosarcoma on the breast of women who previously underwent radiation therapy for breast cancer. Historically, there are only about 100 cases of angiosarcoma...

Trachelectomy indications, complications studied: prolapse was the main reason in vaginal procedures; pelvic mass was most common in abdominal cases.
September 1, 2005... RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF. -- Renewed interest in performing supracervical rather than total hysterectomies in the past 2 decades means some of these women will need trachelectomy or cervical stump removal at some point in the future. To better...

Life, sex seen no better after supracervical hysterectomy.(Women's Health)
September 1, 2005... RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF. -- Supracervical hysterectomy did not leave women with better sexual function or quality of life, compared with total abdominal hysterectomy in the first randomized study to evaluate these outcomes in women who have had an...

Uterine fibroid embolization offers economic advantages.
September 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- Compared with hysterectomy and myomectomy, uterine fibroid embolization actually bolsters rather than bleeds the health care system, Anne Bussard, M.D., reported. "Fibroid embolization is financially advantageous for the...

Lasofoxifene: first SERM to reduce dyspareunia.(selective estrogen receptor modulator)
September 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- Lasofoxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator that is under investigation for treatment of postmenopausal bone loss, significantly improves dyspareunia associated with postmenopausal vaginal atrophy and is the first...

ED drugs overprescribed by primary care docs: psychiatrists are said to underuse such drugs, while primary care physicians treat them like aspirin.(erectile dysfunction drugs)
September 1, 2005... SANTA FE, N.M. -- Psychiatrists underprescribe erectile dysfunction drugs, and primary care physicians prescribe them like aspirin to virtually any man who asks, H. George Nurnberg, M.D., said at a psychiatric symposium sponsored by the...

Vardenafil found superior for improving premature ejaculation.
September 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- Vardenafil improved premature ejaculation more than sertraline. Frank Sommer, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association. Both vardenafil (Levitra), a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor, and...

Research links homocysteine levels, erectile dysfunction.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- Men who have abnormally high levels of homocysteine--a marker already linked to increased risk of coronary artery disease--may be at increased risk of erectile dysfunction, Ralf Herwig, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the...

Study links prostate drug to sexual dysfunction.(Prostate agents side effects)
September 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- Patients treated with [alpha]-blockers for enlarged prostate may not need to endure sexual dysfunction, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association. The [alpha]-blockers often...

Rectal exams nail prostate cancers missed by PSA.(Urology)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... SAN ANTONIO -- The digital rectal exam continues to play a critical role in identifying men with prostate cancer, according to a poster presentation by Joel Slaton, M.D., and Cesar Ercole, M.D., at the annual meeting of the American Urological...

Sea changes forecast in arrhythmia management: with technologic advances, primary care physicians will manage patients currently seen by cardiologists.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
September 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- In coming years, technologic advances will allow primary care physicians to function more and more like cardiologists--and to actually take over some aspects of traditional cardiology practice, Douglas P. Zipes, M.D., predicted...

Simple score predicts benefit of early revascularization.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
September 1, 2005... LOS ANGELES -- Specific findings on adenosine stress myocardial perfusion imaging can be combined with other risk factors to offer precise guidance about whether a patient would obtain a significant survival advantage with early...

Myocardial perfusion imaging urged as initial prognostic test in women.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
September 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- Myocardial perfusion imaging substantially restratifies women who have a moderate or high Duke Treadmill Score on exercise stress testing, with resultant markedly improved identification of those at elevated risk of a cardiovascular...

Fewer blacks than whites reaching LDL goals.(low-density lipoprotein)
September 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- African American patients with dyslipidemia are less likely than non-Hispanic whites to achieve LDL cholesterol treatment goals, Luther T. Clark, M.D., and his associates reported in a poster at a conference on cardiovascular...

Drug-eluting stents effective in complex lesions.
September 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- The proven indications for drug-eluting stents in coronary arteries have expanded, based on results from two studies reported at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology. Sirolimus-eluting stents were more...

Off-pump coronary bypass lowers mortality rate in high-risk patients.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
September 1, 2005... NEW YORK -- Off-pump coronary surgery cut mortality compared with on-pump surgery in a retrospective assessment of 270 patients with an extremely low ejection fraction. The study reviewed all 5,765 patients who underwent coronary artery...

Better prophylaxis against GI bleeding needed after stenting.(Gastrointestinal)
September 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- Cardiologists might not be adequately protecting their coronary artery-stenting patients against the risk of upper GI bleeding due to antiplatelet therapy, according to a poster presented at the annual Digestive Disease Week. ...

Novel therapies take aim at heart failure: possible immunoregulatory treatments include plasmapheresis and immunoglobulin infusions.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
September 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- Cardiologists on the lookout for badly needed novel treatments for heart failure continue to have high hopes for immunoregulatory therapies, even after anti-tumor necrosis factor biologics were ineffective in large randomized trials....

Counterpulsation therapy benefits HF patients.(heart failure)
September 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- A standard 7-week course of enhanced external counterpulsation therapy in patients with heart failure who are on optimal pharmacotherapy improves their exercise duration, quality of life, and New York Heart Association class for at...

FDA panel cites missing key data, nixes mesh cardiac support device.(Food and Drug Administration)
September 1, 2005... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- By a vote of 9-4, the Food and Drug Administration's Circulatory Systems Devices Panel decided not to recommend the CorCap cardiac support device for approval, citing concerns about missing end-point data and uncertainty...

Cannula obstruction, LVAD regurgitation may be cause of recurrent heart failure.(left ventricular assist device)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Cannula obstruction and inflow valve regurgitation of left ventricular assist devices may contribute to recurrent heart failure in long-term users of the devices, according to findings from a small review study. Among 61...

Catheter ablation called best Tx for atrial flutter.
September 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Catheter ablation of atrial flutter is both more effective and less costly than traditional management by cardioversion plus antiarrhythmic drug therapy, Byron K. Lee, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Heart Rhythm Society....

Amiodarone reduces post-op atrial fibrillation, study says.(Cardiovascular Medicine)
September 1, 2005... NEW YORK -- Intraoperative and postoperative treatment with amiodarone was associated with a significantly lower incidence of atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, in a comparison of case series with a total of more than...

Radiofrequency, cryoablation results similar for atrial fib.(atrial fibrillation)
September 1, 2005... NEW YORK -- Radiofrequency ablation and cryoablation had similar efficacy and safety for treating atrial fibrillation with a modified maze procedure in a randomized, controlled study in 50 patients. This is among the first reported studies...

Pregnancy, postpartum not risky times for women with long QT syndrome.
September 1, 2005... ORLANDO -- Pregnancy and postpartum are not especially high-risk periods for cardiac events in women with long QT syndrome, G. Michael Vincent, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology. Indeed, cardiac...

Subtle test results distinguish athlete's heart.
September 1, 2005... AUSTIN, TEX. -- Subtle clues in test results will help to differentiate athlete's heart from hypertrophic or dilated cardiomyopathy, Christine E. Lawless, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. ...

[beta]-blocker results vary with risk.(perioperative cardiac events)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... [beta]-Blockers clearly cut mortality in patients at high risk for cardiac events who are undergoing major surgery, and may benefit patients at moderate cardiac risk. But these drugs do not benefit, and may even harm, low-risk patients...

Prayer, healing touch fail to help.(cardiac catheterization or percutaneous coronary intervention)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... For patients undergoing cardiac catheterization or percutaneous coronary intervention, neither congregational prayer nor a therapy involving calming music, positive imagery, and healing touch improved outcomes, according to Mitchell W. Krucoff,...

Beware warfarin overdosing in elderly.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Warfarin dose requirements vary so dramatically with patient age and gender that almost all elderly women and most elderly men are overdosed from the very start of treatment, according to David Garcia, M.D., of the University of New Mexico,...

Counterfeit Lipitor batch is recalled.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The U.S. Food and Drug Administration alerted Americans that its British counterpart has recalled a batch of Lipitor (atorvastatin) because it was found to contain counterfeit tablets. Initial test results do not indicate that the fake drug...

[beta]-blockers for heart failure.
September 1, 2005... Since the late 1990s, [beta]-blockers have been part of the standard regimen for reducing mortality and hospitalizations among patients with heart failure. Results from several clinical trials showed that [beta]-blocker treatment produces about...

Heart failure drugs in pipeline look promising.
September 1, 2005... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- The recent big therapeutic successes in heart failure have come from implantable electrophysiologic devices--cardiac resynchronization therapy, implantable cardioverter defibrillators--and surgical advances, such as...

Genetic testing may help define correct warfarin dose for individual.
September 1, 2005... Variations in VKORC1 gene haplotypes eventually may be used to determine whether patients should receive low, intermediate, or high doses of warfarin, reported Mark J. Rieder, Ph.D., of the University of Washington, Seattle, and his associates....