International journal of cardiology
-
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart arrhythmia. Untreated AF incurs a considerable burden of stroke and associated healthcare costs. Asians have AF risk factors similar to Caucasians and a similarly increased risk of AF-related stroke; however, with a vast and rapidly ageing population, Asia bears a disproportionately large disease burden. ⋯ These agents may therefore provide an appropriate alternative to warfarin in Asian patients. There is considerable scope to improve stroke prevention in AF in Asia. Key priorities include: early detection of AF and identification of asymptomatic patients; assessment of stroke and bleeding risk for all AF patients; evidence-based pharmacotherapy with direct-acting oral anticoagulant agents or vitamin K antagonists for AF patients at risk of stroke; controlling hypertension; and awareness-raising, education and outreach among both physicians and patients.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Prognostic impact of established and novel renal function biomarkers in myocardial infarction with cardiogenic shock: A biomarker substudy of the IABP-SHOCK II-trial.
In cardiogenic shock (CS) renal dysfunction is an important parameter of inadequate end-organ perfusion and an independent predictor of adverse outcome. Early detection of renal dysfunction is therefore important, and novel biomarkers such as Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin (NGAL), Kidney Injury Molecule 1 (KIM1) and Cystatin C (CysC) have been suggested. However, in high-risk CS patients their role for assessing renal injury has not yet been investigated in comparison to the most widely used serum creatinine. ⋯ Assessment of novel biomarkers such as CysC, NGAL and KIM-1 or calculation of glomerular filtration rate provide no additional prognostic information in patients with CS complicating acute myocardial infarction in comparison to creatinine.
-
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a leading cause of preventable stroke in Australia. Given that anticoagulation therapy can significantly reduce this stroke risk, we sought to characterise anticoagulation use in Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians with AF. ⋯ Anticoagulation for AF is frequently not prescribed in accordance with guideline recommendations. Under-anticoagulation in those at high stroke risk, and over-anticoagulation in those at low risk, is common and more likely in Indigenous patients with AF. Improving adherence to guideline recommendations for anticoagulation in AF may reduce both ischaemic and haemorrhagic strokes in Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.