September 27th 2024
Your daily dose of the clinical news you may have missed.
What Kind of Exercise Is Good -- or Bad -- for Patients With Hypertension?
January 1st 2007Q:Should hypertensive patients be discouraged from participating inmoderate to vigorous exercise?A:On the contrary, most patients with sustained hypertension should bestrongly encouraged to exercise regularly at moderate to vigorous levels.Randomized controlled clinical trials have demonstrated that increasedphysical activity can lower blood pressure (BP) and delay or prevent the developmentof hypertension and thus the need for antihypertensive medication.1In addition, physical activity can help reduce cardiovascular risk factors by improvinglipid profiles and reducing weight and blood glucose levels. In elderlypersons, exercise is associated with improvements in osteoporosis, depression,and physical functioning, as well as an enhanced sense of well-being.
Cataracts:The Case for Earlier Surgery
January 1st 2007Cataracts areone of themost importantcauses ofreversibleblindness in elderly persons.1 A recent report thatpredicts a surge in cataractincidence has heightenedawareness of the importanceof proper timing andtechniques for cataract extraction.The study, authoredby the Eye DiseasesPrevalence ResearchGroup, estimated that thenumber of Americans withcataracts will increase byapproximately 50% in thenext 20 years as the populationages.2 Cataracts werethe leading cause of low vision(less than 20/40 bestcorrected visual acuity inthe better-seeing eye)among whites, blacks, andHispanics.
What’s Emerging on the Market and Under the Microscope?
January 1st 2007The FDA has approved injectable Acetadote (acetylcysteine)from Cumberland Pharmaceuticals Incto prevent or lessen liver damage resulting from an overdoseof acetaminophen. According to the FDA, unintentionalacetaminophen overdose is responsible for 100deaths and 56,000 emergency department visits per year.
A Photo Quiz to Hone Dermatologic Skills
January 1st 2007For several weeks, a 68-year-old man has had painful blisterson his hands that crusted as they healed. The patienthas diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and chronic renalfailure, for which he is undergoing hemodialysis. His longtermmedications include a hypoglycemic agent and adiuretic.
High HDL-C Plus High LDL-C: To Treat or Not to Treat?
January 1st 2007A number of my patients have very high high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)levels as well as elevated total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C) levels. One such patient is a nonsmoking middle-aged woman whose weightand blood pressure are normal.
Two Cases of Rhythm Disturbance
January 1st 2007For 2 days, a 49-year-old man with hypertension and hypercholesterolemiahas experienced light-headedness and fatigue.Based on the presenting ECG, what is the most likely cause of hissymptoms?A. Accelerated junctional rhythm.B. First-degree atrioventricular (AV) block.C. Mobitz type I (Wenckebach) second-degree AV block.D. Mobitz type II second-degree AV block.E. Third-degree AV block (complete heart block).
NSAID Nephrotoxicity Revisited:Selective COX-2 Inhibitors
January 1st 2007For over 25 years, NSAIDs have been used to treat a variety of pain syndromesand inflammatory diseases. More than 50 million Americanstake these drugs. Unfortunately, control of pain and inflammation is notachieved without an associated cost-namely, GI complications and, to a lesserextent, nephrotoxicity.In an attempt to reduce drug-related toxicity, a new class of selectiveNSAIDs-the COX-2 inhibitors-was introduced in 1999. These selectiveNSAIDs are as effective as and pose less risk of gastric toxicity than nonselectiveNSAIDs.1,2The COX-2 inhibitors are thought to reduce end-organ injury, such as GIulceration, by sparing homeostatic or “constitutive” COX-1 enzyme function.1,2 Incontrast, therapeutic effects result from the inhibition of the “inducible” COX-2enzyme.1,2 Such drug effects target the production of proinflammatory prostaglandinsby COX-2 without interrupting normal cell function mediated by COX-1.2,3
Woman With Exertional Dyspnea, Weakness, and Dizziness
January 1st 2007A 66-year-old woman presents tothe emergency department(ED) with exertional dyspnea, generalizedweakness, and orthostaticdizziness; the symptoms startedabout 1 week earlier and have progressedinsidiously. The patient alsoreports diaphoresis and nausea withoutvomiting. She has no chest pain,palpitations, cough, or hemoptysis;she has not had a recent respiratorytract infection. While she is waitingto be admitted, she has an episode ofsyncope.
Subclinical Hypothyroidism: Why Wait to Treat?
December 31st 2006In his article, “Subclinical Hypothyroidism: When to Treat, When to Watch?”(CONSULTANT, April 1, 2004, page 533), Dr Vahab Fatourechi notes that thereis some evidence that subclinical hypothyroidism has adverse effects on cardiovascularfunction that may contribute to left ventricular systolic dysfunction with effort.
Middle-aged Man With Chest Pain
December 31st 2006For 3 days, a 42-year-old man has had episodic dullchest pain. The anterior precordial and retrosternalpain intensifies with inspiration and movement. He has nohistory of recent viral infection, hypertension, coronaryartery disease, cardiac surgery, diabetes mellitus, or hyperlipidemia.There is no family history of cardiovasculardisease.
A Photo Quiz to Hone Dermatologic Skills
December 31st 2006A 38-year-old overweight woman presents with an asymptomatic rash ofat least 2 months’ duration that had not responded to a combinationcorticosteroid/antifungal agent. She has mild hypertension and type 2 diabetesmellitus that is being managed with diet and exercise. She is otherwisehealthy.
A Photo Quiz to Hone Dermatologic Skills
December 31st 2006A painful scalp eruption of 4 days’duration brings an 81-year-old man toyour office. He has taken a lipid-loweringagent and an antihypertensivefor years but has not started any newmedications recently. One week earlier,he had a haircut. He denies recenttrauma to the scalp.