The American journal of medicine
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Upper-extremity deep venous thrombosis is less common than lower-extremity deep venous thrombosis. However, upper-extremity deep venous thrombosis is associated with similar adverse consequences and is becoming more common in patients with complex medical conditions requiring central venous catheters or wires. ⋯ Physicians should be familiar with the diagnostic and treatment considerations for this disease. This review will differentiate between primary and secondary upper-extremity deep venous thromboses; assess the risk factors and clinical sequelae associated with upper-extremity deep venous thrombosis, comparing these with lower-extremity deep venous thrombosis; and describe an approach to treatment and prevention of secondary upper-extremity deep venous thrombosis based on clinical evidence.
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Myocardial ischemia is a strong trigger of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) release. As ischemia precedes necrosis in acute myocardial infarction, we hypothesized that BNP might be useful in the early diagnosis and risk stratification of patients with acute chest pain. ⋯ BNP accurately predicts mortality in unselected patients with acute chest pain independently of and more accurately than cardiac troponin T, but does not seem to help in the early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Immunosuppressive therapy with oral prednisone to prevent restenosis after PCI. A multicenter randomized trial.
Prednisone at immunosuppressive doses after stenting has shown remarkable efficacy in reducing ischemic recurrences in nondiabetic patients with high post-procedural levels of C-reactive protein; the study aim was to compare the clinical outcome obtained in a control group of patients treated with bare metal stents versus 2 other study groups--bare metal stent plus oral prednisone or drug eluting stents--assuming similar optimal adjunctive medical treatment. ⋯ Compared with bare metal stents alone, prednisone treatment after bare metal stents or drug-eluting stent implantation result in a better event-free survival at 1 year.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Racial differences in two self-management hypertension interventions.
Only one half of Americans have their blood pressure controlled, and there are significant racial differences in blood pressure control. The goal of this study was to examine the effectiveness of 2 patient-directed interventions designed to improve blood pressure control within white and non-white subgroups (African Americans, 49%). ⋯ Combined home blood pressure monitoring and a tailored behavioral phone intervention seem to be particularly effective for improving blood pressure in non-white patients.