The American journal of medicine
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To determine the association between self-reported exercise tolerance and the risk of unanticipated postoperative nursing home placement in adults undergoing major surgery. ⋯ Poor preoperative exercise tolerance was an independent predictor of unanticipated nursing home placement following major nonemergent surgery.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Adherence to evidence-based therapies after discharge for acute coronary syndromes: an ongoing prospective, observational study.
To determine the rates of patient adherence to key evidence-based therapies at 6 months after hospital discharge for an acute coronary syndrome. ⋯ Among patients prescribed key evidence-based medications at discharge, 8% to 20% were no longer taking their medication after 6 months. The reasons for noncompliance are complex, and may be elucidated by future studies of medical and social determinants.
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Smoking is the leading controllable risk factor for heart disease. Only about 69% of U.S. indoor workers are currently covered by a smoke-free workplace policy. This analysis projects the cardiovascular health and economic effects of making all U.S. workplaces smoke free after 1 year and at steady state. ⋯ Making all U.S. workplaces smoke free would result in considerable health and economic benefits within 1 year. Reductions in passive smoking would account for a majority of these savings. Similar effects would occur with enactment of state or local smoke-free policies.
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To determine the incidence of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism in two cohorts representing regions of the United States. ⋯ The incidence of venous thromboembolism in this cohort of middle- and older-aged subjects was similar to that observed in more geographically homogeneous samples. Half of cases were idiopathic. Short-term mortality and 2-year recurrence rates were appreciable, especially among subjects with cancer. Based on this study we estimate that 187,000 cases of first-time venous thromboembolism are diagnosed yearly in the United States among those aged 45 years or older.