A Clinical Trial of a Chest-Pain Observation Unit for Patients with Unstable Angina
24 Dec 1998-The New England Journal of Medicine (Massachusetts Medical Society)-Vol. 339, Iss: 26, pp 1882-1888
TL;DR: A CPU located in the emergency department can be a safe, effective, and cost-saving means of ensuring that patients with unstable angina who are considered to be at intermediate risk for cardiovascular events receive appropriate care.
Abstract: Background Nearly half of patients hospitalized with unstable angina eventually receive a non–cardiac-related diagnosis, yet 5 percent of patients with myocardial infarction are inappropriately discharged from the emergency department. We evaluated the safety, efficacy, and cost of admission to a chest-pain observation unit (CPU) located in the emergency department for such patients. Methods We performed a community-based, prospective, randomized trial of the safety, efficacy, and cost of admission to a CPU as compared with those of regular hospital admission for patients with unstable angina who were considered to be at intermediate risk for cardiovascular events in the short term. A total of 424 eligible patients were randomly assigned to routine hospital admission (a monitored bed under the care of the cardiology service) or admission to the CPU (where patients were cared for according to a strict protocol including aspirin, heparin, continuous ST-segment monitoring, determination of creatine kinase is...
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Emory University1, University of California, San Francisco2, University of California, San Diego3, Baylor College of Medicine4, University of Minnesota5, Virginia Commonwealth University6, Rush University Medical Center7, Texas Tech University8, Duke University9, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston10, National Institutes of Health11
TL;DR: In this article, Anderson et al. discuss the FAHA chair election process and discuss the state of the art in the field of cancer research. But they do not discuss the role of women in this process.
3,218 citations
TL;DR: These guidelines are a revision of the 1995 standards of the AHA that addressed the issues of exercise testing and training and current issues of practical importance in the clinical use of these standards are considered.
Abstract: The purpose of this report is to provide revised standards and guidelines for the exercise testing and training of individuals who are free from clinical manifestations of cardiovascular disease and those with known cardiovascular disease. These guidelines are intended for physicians, nurses, exercise physiologists, specialists, technologists, and other healthcare professionals involved in exercise testing and training of these populations. This report is in accord with the “Statement on Exercise” published by the American Heart Association (AHA).1
These guidelines are a revision of the 1995 standards of the AHA that addressed the issues of exercise testing and training.2 An update of background, scientific rationale, and selected references is provided, and current issues of practical importance in the clinical use of these standards are considered. These guidelines are in accord with the American College of Cardiology (ACC)/AHA Guidelines for Exercise Testing.3
### The Cardiovascular Response to Exercise
Exercise, a common physiological stress, can elicit cardiovascular abnormalities that are not present at rest, and it can be used to determine the adequacy of cardiac function. Because exercise is only one of many stresses to which humans can be exposed, it is more appropriate to call an exercise test exactly that and not a “stress test.” This is particularly relevant considering the increased use of nonexercise stress tests.
### Types of Exercise
Three types of muscular contraction or exercise can be applied as a stress to the cardiovascular system: isometric (static), isotonic (dynamic or locomotory), and resistance (a combination of isometric and isotonic).4,5 Isotonic exercise, which is defined as a muscular contraction resulting in movement, primarily provides a volume load to the left ventricle, and the response is proportional to the size of the working muscle mass and the intensity of exercise. Isometric exercise is defined as a muscular contraction without movement (eg, handgrip) and imposes greater pressure than volume …
2,964 citations
TL;DR: Angina/Non-ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction : ACC/AHA 2007 Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Unstable ISSN: 1524-4539 Copyright © 2007 American Heart Association.
Abstract: Angina/Non-ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction : ACC/AHA 2007 Guidelines for the Management of Patients With Unstable ISSN: 1524-4539 Copyright © 2007 American Heart Association. All rights reserved. Print ISSN: 0009-7322. Online 72514 Circulation is published by the American Heart Association. 7272 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.18194
2,605 citations
TL;DR: The American College of Cardiology (ACC)/AHA Task Force on Practice Guidelines regularly reviews existing guidelines to determine when an update or full revision is needed.
Abstract: The American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) Task Force on Practice Guidelines regularly reviews existing guidelines to determine when an update or full revision is needed. This process gives priority to areas where major changes in text, and particularly recommendations
2,537 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors provide revised standards and guidelines for the exercise testing and training of individuals who are free from clinical manifestations of cardiovascular disease and those with known cardiovascular disease, which are intended for physicians, nurses, exercise physiologists, specialists, technologists, and other healthcare professionals involved in exercise testing.
Abstract: The purpose of this report is to provide revised standards and guidelines for the exercise testing and training of individuals who are free from clinical manifestations of cardiovascular disease and those with known cardiovascular disease. These guidelines are intended for physicians, nurses, exercise physiologists, specialists, technologists, and other healthcare professionals involved in exercise testing and training of these populations. This report is in accord with the “Statement on Exercise” published by the American Heart Association (AHA).1
These guidelines are a revision of the 1995 standards of the AHA that addressed the issues of exercise testing and training.2 An update of background, scientific rationale, and selected references is provided, and current issues of practical importance in the clinical use of these standards are considered. These guidelines are in accord with the American College of Cardiology (ACC)/AHA Guidelines for Exercise Testing.3
### The Cardiovascular Response to Exercise
Exercise, a common physiological stress, can elicit cardiovascular abnormalities that are not present at rest, and it can be used to determine the adequacy of cardiac function. Because exercise is only one of many stresses to which humans can be exposed, it is more appropriate to call an exercise test exactly that and not a “stress test.” This is particularly relevant considering the increased use of nonexercise stress tests.
### Types of Exercise
Three types of muscular contraction or exercise can be applied as a stress to the cardiovascular system: isometric (static), isotonic (dynamic or locomotory), and resistance (a combination of isometric and isotonic).4,5 Isotonic exercise, which is defined as a muscular contraction resulting in movement, primarily provides a volume load to the left ventricle, and the response is proportional to the size of the working muscle mass and the intensity of exercise. Isometric exercise is defined as a muscular contraction without movement (eg, handgrip) and imposes greater pressure than volume …
1,697 citations
References
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TL;DR: The treadmill score is a useful and valid tool that can help clinicians determine prognosis and decide whether to refer outpatients with suspected coronary disease for cardiac catheterization, and was a better predictor of outcome than the clinical assessment.
Abstract: Background. The treadmill exercise test identifies patients with different degrees of risk of death from cardiovascular events. We devised a prognostic score, based on the results of treadmill exercise testing, that accurately predicts outcome among inpatients referred for cardiac catheterization. This study was designed to determine whether this score could also accurately predict prognosis in unselected outpatients. Methods. We prospectively studied 613 consecutive outpatients with suspected coronary disease who were referred for exercise testing between 1983 and 1985. Follow-up was 98 percent complete at four years. The treadmill score was calculated as follows: duration of exercise in minutes — (5 × the maximal ST-segment deviation during or after exercise, in millimeters) — (4 × the treadmill angina index). The numerical treadmill angina index was 0 for no angina, 1 for nonlimiting angina, and 2 for exercise-limiting angina. Treadmill scores ranged from —25 (indicating the highest risk) to +...
785 citations
TL;DR: The rate of missed acute myocardial infarction in the emergency department was only 1.9%, but death or potentially lethal complications occurred in 25% of missed AMI patients, and another 25% might have been prevented had patients who were recognized to have ischemic heart disease by the physician in the ED been admitted.
459 citations
TL;DR: The Heart ER program provides an effective method for evaluating low- to moderate-risk patients with possible acute ischemic coronary syndrome in the ED setting.
405 citations
TL;DR: Rapid perfusion imaging plays a key role in the risk stratification of low-risk patients, allowing discrimination of unsuspected high risk patients who require prompt admission and possible intervention from those who are truly at low risk.
403 citations