Cardiovascular therapeutics
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Review Meta Analysis
Administration of antiarrhythmic drugs to maintain sinus rhythm after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation: a meta-analysis.
Whether the short-term administration of antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) to maintain sinus rhythm following catheter ablation (CA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) can prevent the recurrence of AF is still a matter of debate. We searched the PubMed database and the Cochrane Library, and compiled a list of retrieved articles. We included only randomised controlled trials(RCTs) that compared any AADs against control (placebo or no treatment) or other AADs following CA for AF. Statistical analysis of the odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to determine the overall effect of both outcomes. The Mantel-Haenszel method was used to pool data of the outcomes of AF recurrence into fixed effect model meta-analyses. ⋯ Although the continued administration of AADs after CA for AF can decrease early atrial tachycardias (ATa), this treatment does not prevent late ATa.
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Acute heart failure (AHF) is a growing public health concern with high inhospital mortality and costs. Clinical practice guidelines, underpinned by positive randomized controlled trials, recommend the early use of intravenous (IV) nitrates in the treatment of AHF. However, the "real-world" usage of IV nitrates has not been clearly defined. ⋯ Patients who received IV nitrates were more likely to have higher blood pressure and all had myocardial ischemia as a precipitant. Seventy-five (93%) of the total population received loop diuretics on admission. Overall, this study shows that loop diuretics remain the first-line therapy in AHF with little use of IV nitrates, despite recommendations from clinical practice guidelines.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Impact of high loading dose of atorvastatin in diabetic patients with renal dysfunction undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention: a randomized controlled trial.
The effectiveness of statin pretreatment in reducing the incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) has been examined in some observational and randomized studies, yielding controversial results. ⋯ Atorvastatin dose of 80 mg per day for 48 h is associated with decreased incidence of CIN in diabetic patients with CKD undergoing PCI.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
A randomized study of the relative pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and safety of alirocumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody to PCSK9, after single subcutaneous administration at three different injection sites in healthy subjects.
We investigated the relative pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and safety of the proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor alirocumab following injection at three different sites. ⋯ These results suggest that alirocumab can be interchangeably injected in the abdomen, upper arm, or thigh.