Cardiology clinics
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Statins are widely used in secondary and primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. They reduce cardiovascular events and mortality, and have an excellent safety record. ⋯ Cognitive considerations should not play a role in decision making for most patients for whom statins are indicated. Future trials of statin, or any novel antilipemic agent should include systematic assessment of cognition.
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Resistant hypertension affects 20% to 30% of patients with high blood pressure (BP). It is defined as failure to achieve goal BP despite using at least 3 antihypertensive drugs of different classes, at maximal tolerated doses, one of which must be a diuretic. ⋯ We review the epidemiologic aspects and diagnostic challenges of resistant hypertension, barriers to achieving proper BP control, and causes of secondary hypertension. Lifestyle modification and pharmacologic and device approaches to treatment are discussed.
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Vascular surgery is associated with a higher incidence of perioperative cardiovascular morbidity and mortality compared with other noncardiac surgeries. Patients undergoing vascular surgery represent a higher-risk population, usually because of the presence of generalized arterial disease and multiple comorbidities. ⋯ The use and limitations of well-established guidelines and clinical risk indices for patients undergoing noncardiac surgery are described as it pertains to vascular surgery in particular. Furthermore, the role and benefit of noninvasive stress testing, coronary revascularization, and medical therapy before vascular surgery are discussed.
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Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is primarily caused by progressive systemic atherosclerosis manifesting in the lower extremities. This review addresses the epidemiology, clinical presentation and evaluation, and medical management of PAD, with a focus on intermittent claudication. Key advances in the recognition of cardiovascular risk in asymptomatic individuals with mildly abnormal ankle-brachial index, newer reflections on exercise therapy, and a review of established and investigational agents for the treatment of symptomatic PAD, such as cilostazol, statins, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, are highlighted.
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As atrial fibrillation (AF) substantially increases the risk of stroke and other thromboembolic events, most AF patients require appropriate antithrombotic prophylaxis. Oral anticoagulation (OAC) with either dose-adjusted vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) (eg, warfarin) or non-VKA oral anticoagulants (eg, dabigatran, apixaban, rivaroxaban) can be used for this purpose unless contraindicated. Therefore, risk assessment of stroke and bleeding is an obligatory part of AF management, and risk has to be weighed individually. Antiplatelet drugs (eg, aspirin and clopidogrel) are inferior to OAC, both alone and in combination, with a comparable risk of bleeding events.