GFAP point-of-care measurement for prehospital diagnosis of intracranial hemorrhage in acute coma.

Background: Prehospital triage and treatment of patients with acute coma is challenging for rescue services, as the underlying pathological conditions are highly heterogenous. Recently, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) has been identified as a biomarker of intracranial hemorrhage. The aim of this prospective study was to test whether prehospital GFAP measurements on a point-of-care device have the potential to rapidly differentiate intracranial hemorrhage from other causes of acute coma.

Implementation of high sensitivity troponin into routine clinical practice - results of the extended CARdiac MArkers guideline uptake in Europe group (CARMAGUE) survey.

Background: Measurement of cardiac troponin (cTn) by a high sensitivity method is now the recommended strategy for the detection of myocardial injury. An international survey was undertaken to assess how this has been implemented.

Methods: A questionnaire based around 14 domains on cardiac biomarkers was distributed electronically with the aid of professional societies accessed by a web link within the invitation.

The multidimensional value of natriuretic peptides in heart failure, integrating laboratory and clinical aspects.

Natriuretic peptides (NP) play an essential role in heart failure (HF) regulation, and their measurement has improved diagnostic and prognostic accuracy. Clinical symptoms and objective measurements, such as NP levels, should be included in the HF definition to render it more reliable and consistent among observers, hospitals, and healthcare systems. BNP and NT-proBNP are reasonable surrogates for cardiac disease, and their measurement is critical to early diagnosis and risk stratification of HF patients.

Approach to the Patient With Type 2 Diabetes Requiring Add-On Medication.

In the last 20 years, the number of approved agents and agent classes for management of type 2 diabetes has expanded significantly. This more robust armamentarium affords us the opportunity to utilize drugs with complementary modes of action to address progressive hyperglycemia as insulin secretion declines over time. Furthermore, some of these agents provide additional benefits, such as weight loss, prevention of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), and protection against declining renal function.