Intravenous diltiazem infusions (i.e., “dilt drips”) are commonly used for the management of atrial tachyarrhythmias but they tend to cause as many problems as they resolve.
A Problem in PARADIGM-HF: What about Black Patients?
In PARADIGM-HF, a combination of the neprilysin inhibitor sacubitril and the angiotensin receptor blocker valsartan reduced cardiovascular death and hospitalizations for heart failure compared to the ACE inhibitor enalapril. But by studying so few black patients, who have historically responded less favorably to many heart failure drugs, can we trust its widespread use in this population?
Peripheral Arterial Disease: Are We Doing Enough?
What do we think of when hear the term “peripheral arterial disease” or PAD? Lower extremity pain with walking? Limb loss or need for lower-extremity revascularization? With approximately 8.5 million Americans affected, how do we decide which patients to screen to prevent complications such as myocardial infarction, stroke, and a decreased quality of life?
Excellence in Marketing: Is Once-Daily Rivaroxaban Really the Ideal Choice for Nonadherent Patients?
Rivaroxaban (Xarelto) is often touted as the go-to oral anticoagulant for non-adherent patients because of its once daily administration. In this entry, we explore whether this is true based on the drug’s pharmacokinetics.