The American journal of medicine
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Comparative Study
Dyslipidemia and the treatment of lipid disorders in African Americans.
Despite the high prevalence of cardiovascular disease documented among the African-American population, there has been little emphasis on the role of dyslipidemia as a prominent risk factor in this large subpopulation. Questions of medication efficacy also have been raised. Together, these factors may have affected awareness, diagnosis, and treatment rates. ⋯ Higher rates of identification and effective treatment of dyslipidemia are clearly needed in this, and probably other African-American communities. Despite the less than optimal treatment, the identification and importance of the known cardiovascular disease states and risk factors in these analyses suggest the adoption of National Cholesterol Education Program III "high-risk strategy" algorithms in treatment recommendations and decisions by providers is occurring.
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Comparative Study
Prediction of incident hypertension risk in women with currently normal blood pressure.
We examined whether a hypertension risk prediction model based on clinical characteristics and blood biomarkers might improve on risk prediction based on current blood pressure alone. ⋯ In this prospective cohort of initially normotensive women, a model based on readily available clinical information predicted incident hypertension better than a model based on blood pressure alone.
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Angiogenesis has become an innovative target in cancer therapy. Agents that inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), one of the most potent promoters of angiogenesis, and its receptor have significant implications for clinical practice. Bevacizumab, sorafenib, sunitinib and other anti-VEGF drugs are frequently complicated by mild proteinuria and hypertension. ⋯ Glomerular injury may develop from loss of VEGF effect on maintaining the filtration barrier. Adverse effects of anti-VEGF class of drugs are manageable but require close attention and follow-up. Understanding the fundamentals of anti-VEGF drugs' mechanism of action and their clinical implications is crucial when caring for patients receiving anti-VEGF therapy.