The American journal of medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of exercise training on vascular markers of disease progression in patients with small abdominal aortic aneurysms.
Currently, no medical therapy is effective in limiting progression of small abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA; ≤5.5 cm). Previously, we have demonstrated safety and efficacy of exercise training in patients with AAA. However, the impact of exercise training on vascular markers of AAA progression, such as lipid accumulation product and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9, linked to destruction of aortic matrix), is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of exercise training on AAA diameter, lipid accumulation product, MMP-9, and other risk markers of vascular disease. ⋯ This is the first study to demonstrate that in AAA, exercise beneficially modifies lipid accumulation product and MMP-9, both markers of vascular disease, without inducing aneurysmal growth beyond what is otherwise observed during usual care.
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Excellence in recording and interpretation of electrocardiogram (ECG) is a necessity for optimal electrocardiography. This includes data to properly interpret the ECG, including data on age, gender, cardiovascular diagnosis, medications, abnormal laboratory findings (eg, data on electrolytes), and the indications for the electrocardiogram. The ECG needs to be performed by a qualified technician and interpreted by an experienced physician.
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Administrative claims do not contain ejection fraction information for heart failure patients. We recently developed and validated a claims-based model to predict ejection fraction subtype. ⋯ We replicated well-documented differences in key patient characteristics and cause-specific outcomes between HFrEF and HFpEF in populations identified based on the application of a claims-based model.
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Atrial fibrillation confers higher risk of ischemic stroke, but the contribution of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels to this risk remains unclear. We examined the association between LDL-C levels and incident stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation treated with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). ⋯ Unlike the general population, LDL-C levels were not associated with ischemic stroke risk among patients with atrial fibrillation treated with DOACs. The findings support the noninclusion of dyslipidemia in ischemic stroke risk stratification of patients with atrial fibrillation.