Coronary Risk Factors Increase After Liver Transplantation(#7991, Monday, November 2, 1:30 PM ET)
Patients who have undergone a liver transplant may have a significantly increased risk for developing cardiovascular risk factors. Researchers from New York Medical College assessed the incidence of new coronary risk factors and coronary artery disease in 200 patients (mean age, 58 years) after liver transplantation. All patients received prednisone for the first 3 months after transplantation. For the 2 years after transplantation, 36 patients were treated with cyclosporine plus mycophenolate, 154 with tacrolimus plus mycophenolate, and 10 with prednisone plus tacrolimus or cyclosporine plus mycophenolate. During 2 years after liver transplantation, the incidence of hypertension increased 36 percent, diabetes increased 17 percent, hypercholesterolemia increased 21 percent, and coronary artery disease increased 6 percent. Researchers attributed the increase in cardiovascular risk factors to the drugs used to prevent transplant rejection.
ACLS Training May Be Inadequate for Treatment of Cardiopulmonary Arrests(#8685, Tuesday, November 3, 3:45 PM ET)
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification may not adequately prepare health-care professionals for performing these certified skills in a clinical setting. Using patient simulations, a research team from Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York tested 35 incoming medical house staff on chest compressions (CC) and initial airway management (IAM). Of the 35 house officers, 25 had received ACLS training (group 1) and 10 had not received this training (group 2) prior to testing. For CC, group 1 scored 3.16±1.95 and group 2 scored 4.40±1.65 out of the maximum possible score of 11. For IAM, group 1 scored 2.12±1.17 and group 2 scored 1.60±1 out of the maximum possible score of 12. Researchers conclude that ACLS certification had no impact on performance of the key tasks of CC and IAM during a simulated in-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest.
Asian Indians Experience Heart Attacks Earlier Than Caucasians(#8071, Wednesday, November 4, 3:45 PM ET)
People of Indian origin experience heart attacks at a much earlier age than Caucasians. Researchers from Maimonides Medical Center in New York analyzed a total of 752 patients (55 years or younger) who had a myocardial infarction (MI) over a 14-year period. The two most predominant groups were people of Indian origin (group I, n=132) and Caucasian (group C, n=447). Results showed that group I presented with an MI at a significantly earlier age compared with group C (45±5.5 years vs. 48±5.8 years). Researchers speculate that the ethnic difference seen in MI presentation could be due to inadequate preventive care or unexplored genetic factors.