Postgraduate medicine
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Postgraduate medicine · May 2020
ReviewOsteoarthritis and inflammation: a serious disease with overlapping phenotypic patterns.
Globally, osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent arthritic condition in those aged over 60 years. OA has a high impact on patient disability and is associated with a significant economic burden. Pain is the most common first sign of disease and the leading cause of disability. ⋯ This review focuses on what we feel are three key phenotypes: post-trauma, metabolic, and aging. A greater understanding of OA phenotypes, particularly at the early stages of disease, may be necessary to improve treatment outcomes. In the future, non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatments could be tailored to patients based on the key features of their phenotype and disease pathway.
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Postgraduate medicine · May 2020
Diabetes mellitus is associated with high sleep-time systolic blood pressure and non-dipping pattern.
Compared to clinic blood pressure (BP), sleep-time BP and non-dipping BP pattern are better predictors of target organ damage and cardiovascular sequalae. ⋯ DM is independently associated with suboptimal 24-hour BP control. This association is mainly attributed to a high sleep-time systolic BP.
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Postgraduate medicine · May 2020
Randomized Controlled TrialTriple fixed-dose combination empagliflozin, linagliptin, and metformin for patients with type 2 diabetes.
Fixed-dose combination (FDC) therapy can improve outcomes in type 2 diabetes (T2D). We evaluated the bioequivalence of 2 doses of an FDC of extended-release metformin (metformin XR), empagliflozin, a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor, and linagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, versus corresponding free tablet combinations. ⋯ The evaluated doses of empagliflozin/linagliptin/metformin XR FDC tablets were bioequivalent to the corresponding free combinations. Based on these two bioequivalence studies and existing phase 3 data, the FDA has recently approved this triple FDC to improve glycemic control in adults with T2D.
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Heart rate is a parameter that is widely used by the general population as a marker of health. The availability of wearable electronic heart rate monitoring devices and use of specific apps are widely used both at rest and during daily life activities. Resting heart rate values gained more relevance with the evidence of association between elevated heart rate values at rest and diseases and adverse events. ⋯ The increased knowledge of physiological mechanisms of heart rate control and the pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for its dysfunction allows identification of the cutoff value of normalcy. This information can be used to select non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions to reduce the cardiovascular risk both in the general population and in patients with pathophysiological conditions. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge of resting heart rate as cardiovascular risk factor.
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Postgraduate medicine · May 2020
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyLinagliptin in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular and/or renal disease: results from a cardiovascular and renal outcomes trial.
Review of: Rosenstock J, Perkovic V, Johansen, OE, et al. Effect of linagliptin vs placebo on major cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular and renal risk: the CARMELINA randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2019;321:69-79. ⋯ Additionally, progression of albuminuria occurred less frequently in patients who received linagliptin versus placebo (HR 0.86 [0.78-0.95]). Overall, no new safety findings were identified for linagliptin, and no increased risk of hypoglycemia was observed for linagliptin versus placebo. Together, these findings from the CARMELINA trial reaffirm treatment guidelines for choosing additional therapies for patients with T2DM at elevated CV and/or renal risk, and provide new information on the role of linagliptin in the management of T2DM.