American journal of therapeutics
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Comparative Study
Comparison of 3-Factor Versus 4-Factor Prothrombin Complex Concentrate With Regard to Warfarin Reversal, Blood Product Use, and Costs.
Prothrombin complex concentrates (PCCs) are drug products containing varying amounts of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors II, VII, IX, and X. The evidence comparing 3-factor PCC (3-PCC) versus 4-factor PCC (4-PCC) for warfarin reversal is conflicting. It has been hypothesized that 3-PCC may be less effective than 4-PCC because of relatively lower factor VII content. ⋯ Four-PCC was more effective than 3-PCC with regard to INR reversal in patients taking warfarin, but blood product use was similar. Although 4-PCC is associated with increased reversal costs, it may be cost-effective in terms of INR reversal.
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The approval of the oral direct thrombin inhibitor, dabigatran etexilate, gave patients an alternative to oral anticoagulation with warfarin. Like all anticoagulants, the primary adverse event (AE) associated with dabigatran is bleeding. Until the FDA approval of idarucizumab, there had been no reversal agent for dabigatran-induced anticoagulation in patients with life-threatening or uncontrollable bleeding, or those requiring emergent procedures. ⋯ Given the increased use of direct oral anticoagulants, such as dabigatran, a need for specific reversal agents exists. Idarucizumab has been shown to be safe and effective in the reversal of dabigatran-induced anticoagulation in patients requiring emergent or urgent surgery or in patients with severe bleeding.
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Acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is the most common cause of poisoning and poisoning-related death in the United States. It manifests as broad spectrum of symptoms ranging from mild headache, nausea, and fatigue to dizziness, syncope, coma, seizures resulting in cardiovascular collapse, respiratory failure, and death. Cardiovascular complications of CO poisoning has been well reported and include myocardial stunning, left ventricular dysfunction, pulmonary edema, and arrhythmias. ⋯ Supplemental oxygen remains the cornerstone of therapy for CO poisoning. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases CO elimination and has been used with wide variability in patients with evidence of neurological and myocardial injury from CO poisoning, but its benefit in limiting or reversing cardiac injury is unknown. We present a comprehensive review of literature on cardiovascular manifestations of CO poisoning and propose a diagnostic algorithm for managing patients with CO poisoning.
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Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is a syndrome of cyclic vomiting associated with chronic cannabis use. As cannabis consumption steadily increases each year, CHS is becoming a commonplace and costly occurrence in hospitals nationwide. Currently, there are no best treatment strategies agreed upon universally. ⋯ CHS is becoming an increasingly prevalent and complicated problem for health care providers and patients. Further research must be done to address the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of this syndrome.
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To determine the effects of 80-mg atorvastatin administration for the first time in patients with acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) before emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A total of 118 patients with STEMI who underwent emergency PCI were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into 80-mg group (n = 59) and 40-mg group (n = 59), according to the loading dose of atorvastatin firstly before operation. ⋯ The incidence of MACE in patients with reflow in 80-mg and 40-mg groups was significantly higher than in patients with no-reflow who were in 80-mg and 40-mg groups for postoperative 12th month (both P < 0.05). The first loading high dose of atorvastatin can significantly prevent occurrence of postoperative no-reflow in patients with STEMI after PCI, reduce HbA1c levels and the incidence of MACE. Clinical randomized controlled trial with larger sample size is required to confirm this finding.