The American journal of cardiology
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Comparative Study
Medicolegal characteristics of cardiac catheterization litigation in the United States, 1985 to 2009.
There are few assessments of patterns of medicolegal cases involving cardiac catheterizations. This descriptive study reviews the patterns of liability and medical outcomes involving cardiac catheterization litigation from the LexisNexis Academic database and the Physician Insurers Association of America registry. From 1985 to 2009, the Physician Insurers Association of America registry documented 1,361 closed coronary angiography claims. ⋯ When death was the outcome (31% of cases), physicians were highly likely to be sued (97%) and the judgment was more likely in the plaintiffs' favor (44%). In conclusion, in litigation related to cardiac catheterizations, most cases are due to medical malpractice and physicians are sued in a high percentage of cases. Cardiologists should recognize these patterns of litigation as these may impact and improve processes of care.
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Review Meta Analysis
Meta-analysis of effect of single versus dual antiplatelet therapy on early patency of bypass conduits after coronary artery bypass grafting.
Aspirin monotherapy represents a standard therapy for preserving patency after coronary artery bypass grafting. Randomized trials addressing whether dual antiplatelet therapy is superior to single antiplatelet therapy to achieve graft patency early after coronary surgery have shown inconsistent results. We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials comparing single versus dual antiplatelet therapy after coronary artery bypass grafting. ⋯ There was no effect on arterial graft patency. Bleeding was noted in 3.3% and 4.9% of single and dual therapy treated patients, respectively, with only 3 trials reporting bleeding outcomes. In conclusion, among 958 patients randomly assigned to either single or dual antiplatelet therapy for up to 1 year after coronary bypass surgery, single antiplatelet therapy significantly increased the risk for graft occlusion, an effect isolated to vein grafts, not arterial grafts.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
In-hospital major bleeding and its clinical relevance in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention.
Advances in antithrombotic therapy for ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) enhance the risk of bleeding. Therefore, the incidence, determinants, and prognostic implications of in-hospital major bleeding after primary percutaneous coronary intervention for STEMI were investigated. In 963 consecutive patients, the incidence of bleeding was evaluated according to commonly used classifications including Can Rapid risk stratification of Unstable angina patients Suppress Adverse outcomes with Early implementation of the ACC/AHA guidelines, Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction, Global Use of Strategies To Open coronary arteries, and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium. ⋯ Patient and procedural characteristics were related to bleeding, allowing identification of high-risk patients. In-hospital major bleeding was independently associated with 1-year all-cause mortality; however, not all bleeding classifications proved equally relevant to prognosis. The relation between bleeding and mortality was shown not to be driven by the higher rate of thrombotic events among bleeders.
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Comparative Study
Relation between the interval from coronary angiography to selective off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting and postoperative acute kidney injury.
The aim of this study was to investigate whether there are effects of intervals between elective off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG) and coronary angiography (CAG) on postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI). The clinical data of patients undergoing OPCABG and CAG from June 2010 to December 2011 in Beijing Anzhen Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. All the patients were divided into AKI and non-AKI groups. ⋯ The incidence of AKI was highest (56.1%) in patients in whom OPCABG was performed ≤24 hours after CAG. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the interval of ≤24 hours between OPCABG and CAG did increase the risk of AKI (odds ratio 2.15, 95% confidence interval 1.10 to 4.20) after adjusting for the following confounding variables: diabetes mellitus, New York Heart Association heart function class III and IV, lower estimated glomerular filtration rate, numbers of coronary artery bypass grafts ≥3, intraoperative or postoperative intra-aortic balloon pump, intraoperative and postoperative red blood cells transfusion of >3 units, postoperative hypotension, dosage of furosemide of >100 mg/day. In conclusion, it was one of the independent risk factors of postoperative AKI that the OPCABG was performed ≤24 hours after CAG.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Prevalence and prognostic role of various conduction disturbances in patients with the Brugada syndrome.
Prevalence and prognostic value of conduction disturbances in patients with the Brugada syndrome (BrS) remains poorly known. Electrocardiograms (ECGs) from 325 patients with BrS (47 ± 13 years, 258 men) with spontaneous (n = 143) or drug-induced (n = 182) type 1 ECG were retrospectively reviewed. Two hundred twenty-six patients (70%) were asymptomatic, 73 patients (22%) presented with unexplained syncope, and 26 patients (8%) presented with sudden death or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator appropriated therapies at diagnosis or during a mean follow-up of 48 ± 34 months. ⋯ In multivariate analysis, first degree AVB was independently associated with sudden death or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator appropriated therapies (odds ratio 2.41, 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 5.73, p = 0.046) together with the presence of syncope and spontaneous type 1 ST elevation. In conclusion, conduction disturbances are frequent and sometimes diffuse in patients with BrS. First degree AVB is independently linked to outcome and may be proposed to be used for individual risk stratification.