The American journal of medicine
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The combination of peripheral arterial disease and atrial fibrillation is linked with high risk of mortality and stroke. This study aims to investigate the impact of atrial fibrillation on patients with diagnosed peripheral arterial disease. ⋯ In peripheral arterial disease patients, atrial fibrillation is a risk factor for mortality, stroke, and heart failure. This emphasizes the need for proactive surveillance and holistic management of these patients.
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There are increasing treatment options for the management of acute pulmonary embolism (PE), though many are only available at tertiary care centers. Patients with acute pulmonary embolism with high-risk features are often transferred for consideration of such therapies. There are limited data describing outcomes in patients transferred with acute pulmonary embolism. ⋯ More than 1 in 5 patients treated for acute pulmonary embolism at a tertiary care center were transferred from an outside facility. Transferred patients had higher risk pulmonary embolism features, more often received advanced therapy, and had higher definite pulmonary embolism-related mortality. There are opportunities to further optimize outcomes of patients transferred for management of acute pulmonary embolism.
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Light chain (AL) amyloidosis is challenging to diagnose, and it should be considered a cardiac emergency. There have been a great deal of advances in the treatment of AL amyloidosis from initial descriptions of melphalan therapy until the recent approval of the first AL amyloidosis specific drug (daratumumab). ⋯ Novel antiplasma cell agents for AL like isatuximab (anti CD-38 monoclonal antibody), belantamab (anti-BCMA monoclonal antibody), and elotuzumab (anti-SLAMF7 monoclonal antibody) are currently under investigation. Both diagnostic and therapeutic advances make the future of AL management bright while acknowledging the complexity of this patient population and focusing on a multidisciplinary approach.