Factors Associated with Disparities in Appropriate Statin Therapy in an Outpatient Inner City Population.

Lipid-lowering therapies are essential for the primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). The aim of this study is to identify discrepancies between cholesterol management guidelines and current practice with a focus on statin treatment in an underserved population based in a large single urban medical center. Among 1042 reviewed records, we identified 464 statin-eligible patients.

Inspiratory muscle weakness in diastolic dysfunction.

Objectives: To test the hypothesis that patients with well-documented diastolic dysfunction (DD) in the setting of normal systolic function will have inspiratory muscle weakness when compared to normal control subjects, and will experience dyspnea and tachypnea during exercise.

Background: Respiratory muscle weakness has been described in patients with (systolic) congestive heart failure; however, whether or not patients with DD may present with the findings of congestive heart failure is not known.

Methods: We selected for study 14 patients with DD previously referred for cardiopulmonary evaluation whose diagnosis had been confirmed by data obtained at cardiac catheterization.