Authors

The PMD Answerman Q & A

Vernakalant: Expanding the antiarrhythmic vernacular

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia, occurring in over 2% of the general population.

Antithrombotic treatment of high-risk elderly patients hospitalized with atrial fibrillation

We assessed the pattern of use and the effectiveness of antithrombotic therapy in a cohort of high-risk elderly patients hospitalized for atrial fibrillation, with data derived from prescription, hospitalization, and mortality databases from 3 linked registries. Results showed that antithrombotic therapy was underused, even in patients with no comorbid conditions. In addition, patients exposed to antithrombotic therapy had a significantly lower mortality rate. The collection of epidemiological data by record linkage represents a flexible and readily available tool for monitoring and improving routine clinical care.

Finding Balance Again in Medicine

For healthcare executives at all levels, addressing burnout is an urgent priority, one directly impacting their overall mission of improving quality of care and patient experience as well as retaining physicians and advanced practitioners.

Learning from the COVID-19 Experience: Strategies to Continue Care

Telehealth capabilities are crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Can Prebiotics and Probiotics Really Improve Gastrointestinal Health?

Prebiotics and probiotics have been discussed frequently in the media for supposedly improving overall health, especially diseases related to the gut. However, the evidence on the efficacy and use of these dietary supplements is rather complicated.

Dream Trips: Catching the Migration in Kenya

Two-by-two, the wildebeest come in a seemingly endless line of gray that cuts through the Masai Mara's golden plains. The wildebeest and their migrating companions, the zebra, move toward the Mara River. Hundreds upon hundreds of animals mass on the savannah just above the river bank, braying as they push into already crowded circles. The air is thick with expectation.

Pharmacotherapy for chronic cardiovascular disease in women

Cardiovascular drugs affect women differently than they do men because of differences in pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and physiology. Results of recent studies on the use of cardiovascular agents in women are presented, with an emphasis on the need to include an appropriate proportion of women in future studies, to adapt the dosage to the weight of the patient, and to incorporate hormonal aspects into the analysis.

Maintaining sinus rhythm after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation

We performed a meta-analysis of the effect of long-term treatment with antiarrhythmic drugs for the prevention of recurrent atrial fibrillation after conversion to sinus rhythm. We found that several class IA, IC, and III drugs are effective in maintaining sinus rhythm, but virtually all of them increase adverse effects, including proarrhythmia. In addition, class IA drugs are associated with increased mortality. The final risk-benefit ratio of antiarrhythmic drugs on clinically relevant outcomes is still unclear.

Is Your Investment Advisor Selling You?

iPad App Offers Promising New Way to Evaluate and Monitor MS Symptoms

Clinicians can use the MSPT, an iPad-based neurological performance test that simulates and extends the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite, to measure motor and visual function in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Rheumatology Quiz

Be Prepared for Inflation and Deflation

Hyponatremia from a Nephrologist's Perspective

Anil Asgaonkar, MD, provides an overview of the signs, symptoms, and causes that are frequently associated with hyponatremia, and outlines several standard treatment approaches.