All-Cause Mortality for Life Insurance Applicants with the Presence of Bundle Branch Block.

To determine the all-cause mortality of life insurance applicants who have a bundle branch block. Bundle branch block is an electrocardiographic pattern that has variable prognostic implications. Research studies have shown that both left and right bundle branch block are associated with increased mortality among cases that have heart disease.

Sunitinib (Sutent): a novel agent for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Objective: To provide a review of the clinical data supporting the use of sunitinib (Sutent), a multitargeted, small molecule, tyrosine kinase inhibitor, with focus on its approved indication for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma in patients with metastatic disease requiring drug therapy.

Data Source: : A MEDLINE search of the medical literature was conducted using the terms 'sunitinib' and 'SU11248'. References from the articles were reviewed and relevant sources were included.

EBCT measured coronary artery calcium scores in asymptomatic life insurance applicants.

EBCT measured coronary calcium is fast becoming a standard screening tool in asymptomatic patients with and without risk factors who apply for life insurance. Since atherosclerotic plaques become calcified as part of their natural history, the calcium score is an excellent measure of total atherosclerotic burden. Over the past 5 years, various clinical studies have confirmed the predictive value of the coronary calcium score for both soft (revascularization, MI) and hard (MI and sudden cardiac death) events incrementally and independently of traditional coronary risk factors identified by the Framingham Heart Study.