Vascular Medicine
- There may be zebras running with the horses
Common diseases are indeed common, but patients with less-common ones do fi nd their way into our practices.
- Nonatherosclerotic limb ischemia: Prompt evaluation and diagnosis
Symptoms of ischemia may be difficult to recognize in younger patients, thus delaying diagnosis.
- Should patients with stable ischemic heart disease undergo revascularization?
The benefi t is much less clear for stable disease than for acute coronary syndromes.
- Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: The role of ADAMTS13
ADAMTS13 testing is useful in diagnosing this disease, guiding therapy, and predicting relapse.
- Anticoagulation in dental surgery: Is it rude to interrupt?
Anticoagulation should not be interrupted for dental surgery.
- Predicting is tough, especially about the future
All risk calculators—not just for anticoagulation—are based on the “average” patient. And no patient is average.
- How can I predict bleeding in my elderly patient taking anticoagulants?
We have tools, but their predictive value is modest. Clinical judgment is important.