Articles Related to RCT

Cocaine has acute and chronic effects on health as well as addiction and dependence and places a significant burden on healthcare systems. After cannabis, it is the most frequently used illicit drug worldwide. It is estimated that between 14 and 21 million people use the drug each year [1]. Its main adverse effects occur in the cardiovascular system. Cocaine causes sympathomimetic actions such as tachycardia, hypertension and coronary artery constriction due to enhancement of release of catecholamines. It enhances thrombus formation by activating platelets and potentiating thromboxane production [2]. The consequences of these effects include chest pain, myocardial infarction, aortic dissection, coronary artery aneurysm, myocarditis, cardiomyopathies and arrhythmias. Our case demonstrates a young patient who had a delayed presentation of a myocardial infarction, in the setting of recent cocaine use that was complicated by an apical thrombus which resulted in distal emboli to his superior mesenteric artery and left renal artery. It highlights the fact that in a young patient with no other risk factors how complications may arise, even weeks after cocaine use.

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Although dental implants have been a successful option for replacement of lost dentition for nearly five decades, their use in the medical and dental treatment plan is still in its youth. Literature on the medical implications of dental implants is surprisingly sparse, with a need for organization. This review is an attempt to begin the process of documenting the science behind this complex, yet critical topic.

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Investigate the use of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in cancer patients with heart failure (HF); assess factors associated with ischemic and non-ischemic HF. Many newer cancer therapies are cardiotoxic; thus, the incidence of HF has been increasing in this high-risk patient population. CRT has beneficial effects on morbidity, mortality, and left ventricular function in patients with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, yet cancer patients and survivors who develop severe HF and are eligible for CRT often does not receive it.

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Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most frequent of a group of conditions known as haemoglobinopathies. The disease is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder, characterized by abnormal haemoglobin (Hemoglobin S) that under certain conditions polymerizes resulting in microvascular occlusions. This pictorial review illustrates the osteo-articular manifestations associated with sickle-cell disease encountered in children in our institution with at least one Haematology appointment in 2013/2014. Osteo-articular manifestations with imaging findings were reported in 28 out of 97 patients. The most frequent complications and those that required hospital care were painful vaso-occlusive crisis and femoral head osteomyelitis.

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Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) is one of the 3 well-established modalities of renal replacement therapy used in patients with renal failure. Despite its significant role as a successful method of renal replacement therapy, PD is highly associated with peritonitis and catheter-related infections.

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Cardiovascular complications are the major cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. Pioglitazone (PIO) is used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and there is some evidence that it may improve ventricular function in diabetic patients.

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New analytic methods based on nonlinear system theory have been developed to characterize the nonlinear features in HR dynamics. It is known from long time series (24h ECG recordings) that patients with chronic heart failure or stable coronary heart disease have altered fractal organization in heartbeat dynamics. During such long-time series, many confounding could limit the assessment of autonomic functions.

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Novel oral anticoagulants may be effective and safe alternatives to conventional treatment for left ventricular (LV) mural thrombus. A case of left ventricular mural thrombus successfully treated with dabigatran etixelate is described, and the rationale for undertaking further systematic evaluation of novel anticoagulants for this indication discussed.

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There are approximately 300,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests per year with less than 10% of those surviving. More than half of survivors suffer permanent neurologic deficits. Therapeutic hypothermia has proven effective at thwarting neurologic damage occurring in the 16-hour window following return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Despite recommendations by the American Heart Association (AHA), many cardiologists have been slow to implement therapeutic hypothermia. While many trials have discussed the relevance of initial rhythm and delay of cooling, there has been limited discussion of the efficacy of therapeutic hypothermia in the presence of extended pulselessness.

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Case reports and studies may be defined as the non-experimental description of an individual or a few of cases in terms of new or unusual presentation of the diseases, an unexpected disease course or pathophysiology, and new effects (either beneficial or detrimental) of existing medications or procedures. Although they suffer from the non-experimental nature and other potential bias and errors, case reports and studies have played and will continue to play an important part in the advancement of medicine.

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