Telephone-Delivered Care For Treating Depression After Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery Appears To Improve Outcomes
Patients who received telephone-delivered collaborative care for treatment of depression after coronary artery bypass graft surgery reported greater improvement in measures of quality of life, physical functioning and mood than patients who received usual care, according to a study in the November 18 issue of JAMA. The study is being released early online because of its presentation at an American Heart Association scientific conference. Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is one of the most common and costly medical procedures performed in the United States. As many as half of CABG patients report depressive symptoms after surgery, and are also more likely to experience a decreased health-related quality of life (HRQL) and functional status, according to background information in the article.
Peripheral Arterial Disease: Simple Quiz Keeps You Circulating
As recent medical studies continue to highlight the seriousness of peripheral arterial disease (or PAD) and its association with heart attack, stroke and early mortality 1-2, the Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation recommends that older Americans, smokers and diabetics take its free, online self-assessment quiz. This simple quiz-along with appropriate diagnosis and treatment-can prevent PAD from getting worse and help reduce risk of heart disease, stroke and early death. PAD, which affects an estimated 10 million people in the United States, occurs when plaque accumulates in arteries that supply blood to areas of the body other than the heart and brain.
Society Of Interventional Radiology Offers Publications, Patient Information Brochures
The Society of Interventional Radiology offers numerous resources just in time for September's national peripheral arterial disease (or PAD) awareness month. As recent medical studies continue to highlight the seriousness of PAD, these resources are welcome additions to libraries for interventional radiologists and primary care physicians who want to learn more about minimally invasive treatments for this disease that affects an estimated 10 million people in the United States. New for this year is "Aortic Diseases: Clinical Diagnostic Imaging Atlas" (Stuart J. Hutchison, 2009, hardcover, 374 pages, includes DVD). This title in the brand-new Clinical Diagnostic Imaging Atlas Series offers authoritative guidance from a well-known cardiologist and imaging expert about when and how to perform the latest diagnostic imaging tests, interpret the results and effectively treat the emergency.
Regado Biosciences Announces First Patient Enrolled In RADAR Phase 2b Study Of REG1 Anticoagulation System
Regado Biosciences, a privately held company leading the development of antithrombotic therapeutic aptamers with active control agents, announced that on September 8, 2009 enrollment of the first patient in a Phase 2b, randomized, partially-blinded, multi-center, active-controlled, dose-ranging study of its lead product candidate, the REG1 anticoagulation system (REG1) was achieved. REG1 comprises the selective factor IXa inhibitor, RB006, and its specific active control agent, RB007. The trial, called RADAR, will assess the safety, efficacy, and pharmacodynamics of REG1 compared to unfractionated heparin or low molecular weight heparin in subjects with acute coronary syndromes (ACS).
What Is Arrhythmia? What Causes Arrhythmia?
An arrhythmia is an irregular heartbeat - the heart may beat too fast (tachycardia), too slowly (bradycardia), too early (premature contraction) or too irregularly (fibrillation). Arrhythmias are heart-rhythm problems - they occur when the electrical impulses to the heart that coordinate heartbeats are not working properly, making the heart beat too fast/slow or inconsistently. Many heart arrhythmias are harmless. We all occasionally experience irregular heartbeats, which may feel like a racing heart or fluttering. Some arrhythmias, however, especially if they veer too far from a normal heartbeat or result from a weak or damaged heart, may cause troublesome and even potentially fatal symptoms.