A Comparison of Selenium Concentrations Between Congestive Heart Failure Patients and Healthy Volunteers.
A Comparison of Selenium Concentrations between Congestive Heart Failure Patients and Healthy Volunteers.
Filed under: Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation
J Tehran Heart Cent. 2012; 7(2): 53-7
Ghaemian A, Salehifar E, Shiraj H, Babaee Z
Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element mainly obtained from seafood, meat, and cereals. Se deficiency has been identified as a major contributing factor in the pathogenesis of certain congestive heart failure (CHF) syndromes. Since there is controversy over the prevalence of Se deficiency among patient with CHF, the aim of this study was to assess the serum Se concentrations in patients with CHF and compared them with the Se status of healthy controls.The study included 77 patients (age, 68.4 ± 10.4 years old; 40.3% female) and 73 healthy volunteers (64.9 ± 4.7 years old; 35.6% female). A complete medical/drug history and physical examination were performed for all patients and healthy volunteers. All patients had symptoms and signs of CHF and had a left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) of < 40% obtained by echocardiography. The Se concentration was assessed by atomic absorption spectrometer with the Graphite Tube Atomizer. The limit of measurement was 5 ?g/L.The Se concentrations in CHF patients did not show a significant difference from those of healthy controls (185.9 ± 781.2 ?g/L vs. 123.3 ± 115.5 ?g/L, respectively; p value = 0.499). There was no correlation between serum Se concentrations and EF in both the normal group and the patients with heart failure (p value = 0.96 and 0.99; r = 0.006 and 0.002 for patients and healthy volunteers, respectively).In this study, serum Se levels in CHF patients were similar to those of controls and the Se concentrations did not correlate with the degree of left ventricular dysfunction.
HubMed – drug
Effectiveness of Two-Year versus One-Year Use of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy in Reducing the Risk of Very Late Stent Thrombosis after Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation.
Filed under: Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation
J Tehran Heart Cent. 2012; 7(2): 47-52
Poorhosseini HR, Hosseini SK, Davarpasand T, Lotfi Tokaldany M, Salarifar M, Kassaian SE, Alidoosti M, Nozari Y, Nematipour E, Haji Zeinali AM, Aghajani H, Amirzadegan AR
Impact of 12 months’ versus 24 months’ use of dual antiplatelet therapy on the prevalence of stent thrombosis in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with the drug-eluting stent (DES) is not clear. As a result, duration of dual antiplatelet therapy is still under debate among interventionists.From March 2007 until August 2008, all consecutive patients with successful PCI who received at least one DES and were treated with dual antiplatelet therapy (Clopidogrel + Aspirin) were included. All the patients were followed up for more than 24 months (mean = 35.27 ± 6.91 months) and surveyed for very late stent thrombosis and major cardiovascular events.From 961 patients eligible for the study, 399 (42%) discontinued Clopidogrel after 12 months and 562 (58%) continued Clopidogrel for 24 months. The clinical and procedural variables were compared between the two groups. In the 12 months’ use group, two cases of definite thrombosis occurred at 18 and 13 months post PCI. In the 24 months’ use group, 2 cases of definite thrombosis occurred at 14 and 28 months post PCI, one of them with stenting in a bifurcation lesion. Five cases of probable stent thrombosis were detected at 21, 28, 32, 33, and 34 months after the procedure. It is of note that amongst the 10 cases of stent thrombosis, only 1(10%) thrombosis occurred when the patient was on Clopidogrel and Aspirin and all the other 9 (90%) cases of thrombosis appeared after the discontinuation of the dual antiplatelet therapy.Extended use of dual antiplatelet therapy (for more than 12 months) was not significantly more effective than Aspirin monotherapy in reducing the risk of myocardial infarction or stent thrombosis, death from cardiac cause, and stroke.
HubMed – drug
The potential role of clinical pharmacy services in patients with cardiovascular diseases.
Filed under: Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation
J Tehran Heart Cent. 2012; 7(2): 41-6
Talasaz AH
Clinical pharmacy is deemed an integral component of a health care system. The presence of clinical pharmacists in medical rounds could assist physicians in optimizing patients’ pharmacotherapy. Moreover, clinical pharmacists may reduce adverse effects and medication errors insofar as they contribute significantly to the detection and management of drug-related problems, not least in patients with cardiovascular diseases, who have the highest rank in the frequency of medication errors. Clinical pharmacists can also collaborate with physicians in the management of cardiovascular risk factors as well as anticoagulation therapy based on patients’ specific situations.In summary, the practice of clinical pharmacy is considered a crucial part of a health care team to improve the level of patients’ care by increasing the quality of therapy with the least expense for a health care system.
HubMed – drug
Successful treatment of cerebral toxoplasmosis with clindamycin: a case report.
Filed under: Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation
Oman Med J. 2012 Sep; 27(5): 411-2
Madi D, Achappa B, Rao S, Ramapuram JT, Mahalingam S
Toxoplasmosis is caused by infection with the obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Toxoplasmosis is generally a late complication of HIV infection and usually occurs in patients with CD4 + T-cell counts below 200/?l. Co-trimoxazole (trimethoprim plus sulfamethoxazole) is the most common drug used in India for the treatment of AIDS-associated cerebral toxoplasmosis. Other alternative drugs used for the treatment of cerebral toxoplasmosis are clindamycin plus pyrimethamine and clarithromycin with pyrimethamine.A 30-year-old male known case of retroviral disease presented to Kasturba Medical College, India, with complaints of fever, headache and vomiting. Computed tomography scan of his brain showed irregular ring enhancing lesion in the right basal ganglia. Toxoplasma serology revealed raised IgG antibody levels. Based on the CT features and serology, diagnosis of cerebral toxoplasmosis was made. He was treated with clindamycin alone as he had history of sulfonamide allergy. The patient was symptomatically better after 48 hours. After 21 days, repeat CT of brain was done which was normal. The patient showed good clinical improvement within 48 hours and the lesion resolved completely within 3 weeks. The authors recommend using clindamycin without pyrimethamine in resource poor settings and in patients who do not tolerate sulfa drugs.
HubMed – drug
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