Promise and challenges of anticoagulation with dabigatran.

Dabigatran, marketed as Pradaxa (Boehringer Ingelheim) in the USA, is a direct thrombin inhibitor that holds great promise. It has been shown to reduce the risk of stroke and venous thromboembolism with similar if not greater efficacy than warfarin and with far fewer side effects. However, like other anticoagulants, it can cause severe bleeding complications and lacks a specific antidote with proven efficacy.

Cigarette smoking in renal transplant recipients.

Cigarette smoking increases the risk for cancer and cardiovascular disease in the general population, but the effects of smoking in renal transplant recipients are unknown. The effects of smoking were investigated among patients transplanted at Hennepin County Medical Center between 1963 and 1997. Information on smoking was available in 1334 patients.