Cardiology
- Ambulatory ECG monitoring in the age of smartphones
Many devices are available; the best one to use depends on the specific clinical context.
- Complete blood cell count March 2019
A reader comments about use of the red blood cell distribution width in the complete blood cell count (March 2019).
- Is chest radiography routinely needed after thoracentesis?
No, it should be done only in certain situations, for example, if pneumothorax is suspected.
- Anti-Xa assays: What is their role today in antithrombotic therapy?
Should clinicians abandon the aPTT for monitoring heparin therapy in favor of anti-Xa assays?
- Dabigatran-induced esophagitis
The tablets contain tartaric acid, and if they get stuck in the esophagus, the acid leaching out can damage the mucosa.
- Evaluating and managing postural tachycardia syndrome
Therapy rarely cures it, but a multifaceted approach can substantially improve quality of life.
- Is neuroimaging necessary to evaluate syncope?
If the diagnosis is unclear after the history and examination, then electroencephalography during tilt-table testing can help.
- Spontaneous coronary artery dissection: An often unrecognized cause of acute coronary syndrome
SCAD accounts for up to 35% of acute myocardial infarctions in women 50 or younger, and even more in pregnant women.
- Does early repolarization on ECG increase the risk of cardiac death in healthy people?
No. In patients without symptoms, early repolarization is nearly always a benign incidental finding.