The American journal of the medical sciences
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Mental stress (MS) reduces diastolic function (DF) and may lead to congestive heart failure with preserved systolic function. Whether brain natriuretic hormone (brain natriuretic peptide [BNP]) mediates the relationship of MS with DF is unknown. ⋯ pro-BNP predicts both resting and stress DF, suggesting that lower BNP during MS may be a marker of diastolic dysfunction in apparently healthy individuals.
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This study seeks to determine the most important patient factors and health care exposures available through administrative databases associated with antihypertensive nonadherence. ⋯ This cross-sectional study suggests that substance abuse, black race, emergency department visits and hospitalizations are risk factors associated with nonadherence. Outpatient visits are associated with a small decrease in nonadherence. Further studies are needed to determine the characteristics of outpatient visits that most improve adherence.
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Nephrotic syndrome is associated with an increased risk for thromboembolic complications. Until now, few studies have ever specified the risk of pulmonary thrombosis/embolism (PTE) in patients with nephrotic syndrome. In this study, we assessed the risk of PTE in a large cross-sectional study to identify risk factors in this population. ⋯ In adult patients with NS, high level of plasma D-dimer was closely associated with PTE, whereas proteinuria or serum albumin level was not in this study. Using plasma D-dimer level, we developed a concise model to predict the risk of PTE.