The American journal of medicine
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Resting heart rate is central to cardiac output and is influenced by changes occurring in numerous diseases. It predicts longevity and cardiovascular diseases, and current evidence suggests that it is also an important marker of outcome in cardiovascular disease, including heart failure. ⋯ Ivabradine has demonstrated efficacy in reducing rehospitalizations and mortality in heart failure and in improving exercise tolerance and reducing angina attacks in patients with coronary artery disease, whereas selective heart rate reduction may also prove to be beneficial in therapeutic areas outside those in which ivabradine has already demonstrated clinical efficacy. This review provides an update on the associations between heart rate and cardiovascular outcomes in various conditions, the experimental effects of heart rate reduction with ivabradine, and the potential new indications in cardiovascular disease.
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Although there has been a lot of research looking at the placebo response, nocebo responses in the healthcare setting have been largely overlooked. This article explores the potential role of negative patient-doctor communication in facilitating nocebo responses in the medical consultation. We suggest that invalidation, that is, communicating a lack of understanding and acceptance to the patient (albeit unintentionally), is a key factor in understanding the nocebo response. This article reviews evidence from the experimental and healthcare setting, which suggests that the negative effects of invalidation may be stronger than we think.
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Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) are widely used, effective, and well-tolerated antihypertensive agents. The mechanisms by which those agents act can cause side effects such as decreased blood pressure, hyperkalemia, and impaired renal function. ACE-I can induce cough in 5%-35% and angioedema in up to 0.7% of treated patients. ⋯ Angioedema due to ACE-I has a low fatality rate, although deaths have been reported when the angioedema involves the airways. Here, we review the role of bradykinin in the development of angioedema in patients treated with ACE-I, as well as the incidence, risk factors, clinical presentation, and available treatments for ACE-I-induced angioedema. We also discuss the risk for recurrence of angioedema after switching from ACE-I to angiotensin receptor blockers treatment.
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Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring offers the ability to collect blood pressure readings several times an hour across a 24-hour period. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring facilitates the identification of white-coat hypertension, the phenomenon whereby certain individuals who are not taking antihypertensive medication show elevated blood pressure in a clinical setting but show nonelevated blood pressure averages when assessed by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. In addition, readings can be segmented into time windows of particular interest, for example, mean daytime and nighttime values. ⋯ A nondipping pattern and nocturnal hypertension are strongly associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Approximately 70% of individuals have blood pressure dips of ≥10% at night, whereas 30% have nondipping patterns, when blood pressure remains similar to daytime average or occasionally increases above daytime average. The various blood pressure categorizations afforded by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring are valuable for clinical management of high blood pressure because they increase the accuracy for diagnosis and the prediction of cardiovascular risk.
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The International Psoriasis Council, a global nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing psoriasis research and treatment, led an initiative to better define the association of various cardiometabolic comorbidities with psoriasis. In November 2013, a workshop was held in Boston, Mass. ⋯ The International Psoriasis Council has played a historical role in associating psoriasis with various comorbidities by integrating multidisciplinary expertise to advance the scientific and clinical knowledge through publications and clinical trials. This report synthesizes the current understanding of psoriasis with various cardiometabolic risk factors by exploring the potential shared pathogenic mechanisms and genetic connectivity.