Towards Precision in HF Pharmacotherapy.

Purpose Of Review: Heart failure (HF) is a disease state with great heterogeneity, which complicates the therapeutic process. Identifying more precise HF phenotypes will allow for the development of more targeted therapies and improvement in patient outcomes. This review explores the future for precision medicine in HF treatment.

Efficacy and Safety of High-Dose Subcutaneous Unfractionated Heparin Prophylaxis for the Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism in Obese Hospitalized Patients.

Background: Obese patients experience a higher risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) than their nonobese counterparts, which may warrant a more aggressive approach to thromboprophylaxis in this population.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare rates of nosocomial VTE in obese patients treated with high-dose versus conventional-dose subcutaneous unfractionated heparin sodium (UFH) for thromboprophylaxis.

Methods: A retrospective, single-center, cohort study was conducted to evaluate obese, adult, hospitalized patients admitted between April 2011 and April 2014 who received heparin 5,000 or 7,500 units subcutaneously every 8 hours for thromboprophylaxis.

Discharge Diuretic Dose and 30-Day Readmission Rate in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure.

Background: Loop diuretics play a crucial role in symptom management in patients with fluid overload. There is a paucity of data regarding optimal diuretic dose at hospital discharge for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) patients requiring loop diuretics.

Objective: To compare all-cause 30-day readmission in ADHF patients on chronic loop diuretics who had an increase in loop diuretic dose at discharge (relative to their preadmission dose) with patients without a change or a decrease in loop diuretic dose at discharge.

Getting under the skin of adverse drug reactions.

Cutaneous drug reactions are among the most commonly reported adverse drug reactions. Drugs prescribed by orthopedic surgeons, such as antibiotics, opiates, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are common offenders. Cutaneous drug reactions can range from those that are common, mild nuisances to those that are rare, severe, and life-threatening.