American heart journal
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American heart journal · Aug 2018
The high cost of critical care unit over-utilization for patients with NSTE ACS.
There is substantial variability among hospitals in critical care unit (CCU) utilization for patients admitted with non-ST-Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndromes (NSTE ACS). We estimated the potential cost saving if all hospitals adopted low CCU utilization practices for patients with NSTE ACS. ⋯ In a population-based contemporary cohort, CCU utilization for patients with NSTE ACS varied widely and in-hospital mortality was similar between low, medium and high utilization centers. CCU care accounted for 45% of hospitalization costs; thus, implementing policies and admission practices to align hospital resources with patient care needs have the potential to reduce overall health care costs.
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American heart journal · Aug 2018
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyDesign and rationale for the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Effects of Lorcaserin in Overweight and Obese Patients-Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction 61 (CAMELLIA-TIMI 61) trial.
Lorcaserin, a selective serotonin 2C receptor agonist, is an effective pharmacologic weight-loss therapy that improves several cardiovascular risk factors. The long-term clinical cardiovascular and metabolic safety and efficacy in patients with elevated cardiovascular risk are unknown. ⋯ CAMELLIA-TIMI 61 is investigating the safety and efficacy of lorcaserin for MACEs and conversion to diabetes in overweight or obese patients with established cardiovascular disease or multiple cardiovascular risk factors.
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American heart journal · Aug 2018
Implications of a recurrent in-hospital cardiac arrest on survival and neurological outcomes.
Despite the high incidence of in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) in US hospitals, the prognosis and end-of-life decision-making patterns of a patient with a recurrent IHCA are unknown. ⋯ Nearly 1 in 8 patients with an IHCA has a recurrent IHCA, and these patients have worse outcomes than patients with only a single IHCA and those with an IHCA after being hospitalized for an OHCA. Despite worse survival, rates of DNAR and withdrawal of care were lowest for patients with recurrent IHCA. These findings provide important prognostic information for clinicians caring for patients with recurrent IHCA and suggest the need to better align resuscitation and end-of-life decisions with patients' prognoses after IHCA.