American heart journal
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American heart journal · Feb 2005
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialEarly cardiac catheterization is associated with lower mortality only among high-risk patients with ST- and non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes: observations from the OPUS-TIMI 16 trial.
Early cardiac catheterization has been shown to improve outcomes in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes but not yet in those with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The benefit of catheterization in both syndromes may depend on patient risk for adverse clinical outcomes. ⋯ Inhospital cardiac catheterization is associated with lower mortality in high-risk patients and no difference in mortality in low-risk and intermediate-risk patients after STEMI and NSTEMI. These data support the hypothesis that high-risk patients with either STEMI or NSTEMI may benefit from an early invasive strategy. New prospective randomized trials are warranted, particularly in the STEMI population.
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American heart journal · Feb 2005
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical TrialFluvastatin reduces the impact of diabetes on long-term outcome after coronary intervention--a Lescol Intervention Prevention Study (LIPS) substudy.
Diabetes increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Patients with diabetes undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) show poorer outcomes compared with nondiabetic patients. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical benefit of long-term fluvastatin in patients with diabetes who had undergone a successful PCI. ⋯ Diabetes is a consistent clinical predictor of cardiovascular complications and fluvastatin reduces the increased incidence of long-term adverse complications associated with the presence of diabetes.
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American heart journal · Feb 2005
Comparative StudyComparative efficacy of monophasic and biphasic waveforms for transthoracic cardioversion of atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter.
Transthoracic cardioversion fails to restore sinus rhythm in 6% to 33% of patients with atrial fibrillation. This study sought to determine the relative efficacy of biphasic waveforms compared with monophasic waveforms in the treatment of atrial arrhythmias. ⋯ When used to cardiovert atrial arrhythmias, the rectilinear biphasic waveform was associated with higher success rates and lower cumulative energies than the monophasic damped sine waveform.