The Canadian journal of cardiology
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Practice Guideline Guideline
Secondary prevention after acute myocardial infarction in four Canadian provinces, 1997-2000.
Publication of population-based analyses of medication use after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) could encourage the use of effective secondary prevention medications. ⋯ Although utilization rates for recommended cardiac medications are increasing over time, there remains room for improvement. Overall utilization rates and temporal trends are generally similar in all four provinces, but there are wide regional variations within provinces.
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Review Case Reports
Impending paradoxical embolus: a case report and review of the literature.
A case of a 43-year-old man with impending paradoxical embolism (IPE) is described. The patient initially presented with pulmonary embolism and was diagnosed with an IPE on transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography. ⋯ This report discusses the main clinical features, the diagnostic role of echocardiography and the outcome of medical and surgical treatment strategies in patients with IPE. Based on the literature to date, we recommend that patients with impending paradoxical embolism be treated with initial systemic heparinization followed by emergent surgical embolectomy if the surgical risks are acceptable.
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Case Reports
Ventricular septal defect secondary to penetrating trauma without pericardial effusion.
Incidence of penetrating cardiac trauma is on the rise. With improved trauma care, an increasing number of these patients arrive at the hospital alive. An unusual case of penetrating cardiac trauma is presented that highlights the importance of thorough echocardiographic assessment of such patients.
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The National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III recommendations incorporate new evidence for treating elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. ⋯ A 10% reduction in overweight and obesity prevalence could have prevented 69,530 cases of drug eligibility in 2001. On the other hand, by 2011 over one million Canadians will be drug-eligible because of an elevated body mass index, if the recent trends in overweight and obese status continue.