19 Jul 08
Posted in Pre-operatie evaluation at 19:27 by Laci
By G W Smetana
NEJM 1999;340:937-944
Postoperative pulmonary complications are an important part of the risk of surgery and prolong the hospital stay by an average of one to two weeks. Much of the literature on the assessment of perioperative risk has focused on identifying the now well-defined cardiac risk factors. However, clinically significant postoperative pulmonary complications are as common as postoperative cardiac complications. According to one review, pulmonary complications were at least as common as or more common than cardiac complications in 17 of 25 studies of postoperative complications. This article reviews patient- and procedure-related risk factors, clinical evaluation, pulmonary-function testing, and risk-reduction strategies. The evaluation of candidates for lung resection has been reviewed extensively and is not discussed here.
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Posted in Arrhythmia, Heart failure/Cardiogenic shock at 18:43 by Laci
By D Roy, M Talajic, S Nattel, D G Wyse, P Dorian, et al for the Atrial Fibrillation and Congestive Heart Failure Investigators
NEJM 2008;358:2667-2677
It is common practice to restore and maintain sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation and heart failure. This approach is based in part on data indicating that atrial fibrillation is a predictor of death in patients with heart failure and suggesting that the suppression of atrial fibrillation may favorably affect the outcome. However, the benefits and risks of this approach have not been adequately studied.
Methods
We conducted a multicenter, randomized trial comparing the maintenance of sinus rhythm (rhythm control) with control of the ventricular rate (rate control) in patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction of 35% or less, symptoms of congestive heart failure, and a history of atrial fibrillation. The primary outcome was the time to death from cardiovascular causes.
Results
A total of 1376 patients were enrolled (682 in the rhythm-control group and 694 in the rate-control group) and were followed for a mean of 37 months. Of these patients, 182 (27%) in the rhythm-control group died from cardiovascular causes, as compared with 175 (25%) in the rate-control group (hazard ratio in the rhythm-control group, 1.06; 95% confidence interval, 0.86 to 1.30; P=0.59 by the log-rank test). Secondary outcomes were similar in the two groups, including death from any cause (32% in the rhythm-control group and 33% in the rate-control group), stroke (3% and 4%, respectively), worsening heart failure (28% and 31%), and the composite of death from cardiovascular causes, stroke, or worsening heart failure (43% and 46%). There were also no significant differences favoring either strategy in any predefined subgroup.
Conclusions
In patients with atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure, a routine strategy of rhythm control does not reduce the rate of death from cardiovascular causes, as compared with a rate-control strategy.
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Posted in Venous thromboembolism at 18:36 by Laci
American College of Chest Physicians Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines (8th Edition)
By J D Douketis, P B Berger, A S Dunn, A K Jaffer, A C Spyropoulos et al
Chest. 2008;133:299S-339
This article discusses the perioperative management of antithrombotic therapy and is part of the American College of Chest Physicians Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines (8th Edition). The primary objectives of this article are the following: (1) to address the perioperative management of patients who are receiving vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) or antiplatelet drugs, such as aspirin and clopidogrel, and require an elective surgical or other invasive procedures; and (2) to address the perioperative use of bridging anticoagulation, typically with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) or unfractionated heparin (UFH). A secondary objective is to address the perioperative management of such patients who require urgent surgery. The recommendations in this article incorporate the grading system that is discussed in this supplement (Guyatt G et al, CHEST 2008; 133:123S–131S). Briefly, Grade 1 recommendations are considered strong and indicate that the benefits do (or do not) outweigh risks, burden, and costs, whereas Grade 2 recommendations are referred to as suggestions and imply that individual patient values may lead to different management choices.
The key recommendations in this article include the following: in patients with a mechanical heart valve or atrial fibrillation or venous thromboembolism (VTE) at high risk for thromboembolism, we recommend bridging anticoagulation with therapeutic-dose subcutaneous (SC) LMWH or IV UFH over no bridging during temporary interruption of VKA therapy (Grade 1C); in patients with a mechanical heart valve or atrial fibrillation or VTE at moderate risk for thromboembolism, we suggest bridging anticoagulation with therapeutic-dose SC LMWH, therapeutic-dose IV UFH, or low-dose SC LMWH over no bridging during temporary interruption of VKA therapy (Grade 2C); in patients with a mechanical heart valve or atrial fibrillation or VTE at low risk for thromboembolism, we suggest low-dose SC LMWH or no bridging over bridging with therapeutic-dose SC LMWH or IV UFH (Grade 2C).
In patients with a bare metal coronary stent who require surgery within 6 weeks of stent placement, we recommend continuing aspirin and clopidogrel in the perioperative period (Grade 1C); in patients with a drug-eluting coronary stent who require surgery within 12 months of stent placement, we recommend continuing aspirin and clopidogrel in the perioperative period (Grade 1C).
In patients who are undergoing minor dental procedures and are receiving VKAs, we recommend continuing VKAs around the time of the procedure and coadministering an oral prohemostatic agent (Grade 1B); in patients who are undergoing minor dermatologic procedures and are receiving VKAs, we recommend continuing VKAs around the time of the procedure (Grade 1C); in patients who are undergoing cataract removal and are receiving VKAs, we recommend continuing VKAs around the time of the procedure (Grade 1C).
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Posted in Venous thromboembolism at 18:35 by Laci
American College of Chest Physicians Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines (8th Edition)
By D E Singer, G W Albers, J E Dalen, M C Fang, A S Go et al
Chest 2008;133:546S-592
This chapter about antithrombotic therapy in atrial fibrillation (AF) is part of the American College of Chest Physicians Evidence-Based Guidelines Clinical Practice Guidelines (8th Edition). Grade 1 recommendations indicate that most patients would make the same choice and Grade 2 suggests that individual patient’s values may lead to different choices (for a full understanding of the grading see Guyatt et al, CHEST 2008; 133[suppl]:123S–131S). Among the key recommendations in this chapter are the following (all vitamin K antagonist [VKA] recommendations have a target international normalized ratio [INR] of 2.5; range 2.0–3.0, unless otherwise noted). In patients with AF, including those with paroxysmal AF, who have had a prior ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), or systemic embolism, we recommend long-term anticoagulation with an oral VKA, such as warfarin, because of the high risk of future ischemic stroke faced by this set of patients (Grade 1A). In patients with AF, including those with paroxysmal AF, who have two or more of the risk factors for future ischemic stroke listed immediately below, we recommend long-term anticoagulation with an oral VKA (Grade 1A). Two or more of the following risk factors apply: age >75 years, history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, moderately or severely impaired left ventricular systolic function and/or heart failure. In patients with AF, including those with paroxysmal AF, with only one of the risk factors listed immediately above, we recommend long-term antithrombotic therapy (Grade 1A), either as anticoagulation with an oral VKA, such as warfarin (Grade 1A), or as aspirin, at a dose of 75–325 mg/d (Grade 1B). In these patients at intermediate risk of ischemic stroke we suggest a VKA rather than aspirin (Grade 2A). In patients with AF, including those with paroxysmal AF, age ≤75 years and with none of the other risk factors listed above, we recommend long-term aspirin therapy at a dose of 75–325 mg/d (Grade 1B), because of their low risk of ischemic stroke. For patients with atrial flutter, we recommend that antithrombotic therapy decisions follow the same risk-based recommendations as for AF (Grade 1C). For patients with AF and mitral stenosis, we recommend long-term anticoagulation with an oral VKA (Grade 1B). For patients with AF and prosthetic heart valves we recommend long-term anticoagulation with an oral VKA at an intensity appropriate for the specific type of prosthesis (Grade 1B). See CHEST 2008; 133(suppl):593S–629S. For patients with AF of ≥48 h or of unknown duration for whom pharmacologic or electrical cardioversion is planned, we recommend anticoagulation with an oral VKA, such as warfarin, for 3 weeks before elective cardioversion and for at least 4 weeks after sinus rhythm has been maintained (Grade 1C). For patients with AF of ≥ 48 h or of unknown duration undergoing pharmacological or electrical cardioversion, we also recommend either immediate anticoagulation with unfractionated IV heparin, or low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), or at least 5 days of warfarin by the time of cardioversion (achieving an INR of 2.0–3.0) as well as a screening multiplane transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). If no thrombus is seen, cardioversion is successful, and sinus rhythm is maintained, we recommend anticoagulation for at least 4 weeks. If a thrombus is seen on TEE, then cardioversion should be postponed and anticoagulation should be continued indefinitely. We recommend obtaining a repeat TEE before attempting later cardioversion (Grade 1B addressing the equivalence of TEE-guided vs non–TEE-guided cardioversion). For patients with AF of known duration <48 h, we suggest cardioversion without prolonged anticoagulation (Grade 2C). However, in patients without contraindications to anticoagulation, we suggest beginning IV heparin or LMWH at presentation (Grade 2C).
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