The American journal of medicine
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Over the last decade, evidence has demonstrated that long-term, low-dose colchicine (0.5 mg daily) is effective for preventing gout flare and cardiovascular (CV) events in a wide range of patients. Given the potentially expanding use of colchicine in CV disease, we here review and update the biologic effects and safety of colchicine based on recent data gathered from bench and pharmacodynamic studies, clinical reports, controlled clinical trials, and meta-analyses, integrated with important studies over the last 50 years, to offer a consensus perspective by experts from multiple specialties familiar with colchicine's long-term use. We conclude that the clinical benefits of colchicine in gout and CV disease achieved at low dose do not sustain serum levels above the upper limit of safety when used in patients without advanced renal or liver disease or when used concomitantly with most medications. Further, data accrued over the last 50 years strongly suggest that the biologic effects of long-term colchicine do not increase the risk of cancer, sepsis, cytopenia, or myotoxicity.
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Orthostatic hypotension is a frequent cause of falls and syncope, impairing quality of life. It is an independent risk factor of mortality and a common cause of hospitalizations, which exponentially increases in the geriatric population. We present a management plan based on a systematic literature review and understanding of the underlying pathophysiology and relevant clinical pharmacology. ⋯ The treatment goal is not normalizing upright blood pressure but increasing it above the cerebral autoregulation threshold required to improve symptoms. Hypertension is the most common associated comorbidity, and confining patients to bed while using pressor agents only increases supine blood pressure, leading to worsening pressure diuresis and orthostatic hypotension. Avoiding bedrest deconditioning and using pressors as part of an orthostatic rehab program are crucial in reducing hospital stay.
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Left ventricular (LV) thrombus is a potentially serious complication affecting males and females with ischemic and nonischemic cardiomyopathy-specifically, after acute myocardial infarctions of the anterior left ventricular wall and long-standing tachyarrhythmias, respectively. LV thrombi pose significant risks for systemic embolization and devastating stroke events, while also demanding a treatment carrying inherent risks of its own. It is therefore imperative to have accurate detection of these ventricular thrombi and an appropriate understanding of the risks and benefits regarding management. ⋯ Recent case reports, meta-analyses, and most recently, the breakthrough of 2 novel randomized controlled trials have shown DOACs to be a promising treatment for LV thrombus. Contrarily, some retrospective cohort reviews suggest less-than-promising outcomes. This meta-analysis hopes to provide a current, curated review of up-to-date safety and efficacy in the documented tales of DOACs and LV thrombi that has been published since early 2020-by selecting these curated case studies, and analyzing the most recent randomized controlled trials, we hope to engage the reader with clearer illustrations of the key components of both the advocacy and warning of this pharmaceutical intervention.
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Each of us reflects a unique convergence of DNA and the environment. Over the past 2 decades, huge biobanks linked to electronic medical records have positioned the clinical and scientific communities to understand the complex genetic architecture underlying many common diseases. ⋯ This review explores the concept of heritability (genetic vs nongenetic determinants of disease), with emphasis on the role of environmental factors as risk determinants for common complex diseases influenced by air and water quality. Efforts to define patient exposure to specific toxicants in practice-based data sets will deepen our understanding of diseases with low heritability, and improved land management practices will reduce the burden of disease.