A Comparative Study of Ultrasound-Guided Quadratus Lumborum Block and Transversus Abdominis Plane Block for Postoperative Analgesia Following Total Abdominal Hysterectomy.

Background:  Total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) results in remarkable postoperative pain. Truncal nerve blocks like the quadratus lumborum (QL) block and transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block are described to combat this pain. The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of the QL block with the TAP block in terms of numeric rating scale (NRS) scores as the primary outcome for postoperative pain in TAH.

Effect of niacin therapy on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Niacin or nicotinic acid (vitamin B3) raises the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) by about 30% to 35%. In patients with prior coronary disease, 7 trials have been published on clinical cardiovascular disease outcomes and the results, not surprisingly, are inconsistent. Hence, we performed this meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the effect of niacin on cardiovascular outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease.

Screening guidelines for coronary heart disease in diabetes: current recommendations.

Diabetes and cardiovascular disease are so intertwined with one another that the presence of one prompts a search for the other. Diabetes has been considered to be equivalent to coronary heart disease (CHD), and conversely many patients with known CHD have concomitant diabetes or its pre-states. This review has been compiled based on the guidelines of the American Diabetes Association, the Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP ATP III), the European Society of Cardiology, and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.

Cardiovascular risk with subclinical hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism: pathophysiology and management.

Previous studies have suggested that subclinical thyroid dysfunction, as manifested by abnormalities in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, are associated with detrimental effects on the cardiovascular system. Subclinical hypothyroidism is characterized by abnormal lipid metabolism, cardiac dysfunction, diastolic hypertension conferring an elevated risk of atherosclerosis, and ischemic heart disease. Similarly, patients with subclinical hyperthyroidism have nearly 3 times the likelihood of atrial fibrillation over a 10-year follow-up interval, raising the question of whether patients with subclinical hyperthyroidism should be treated to prevent atrial fibrillation.

Enoxaparin-induced skin necrosis: a fatal outcome.

Enoxaparin, a low-molecular-weight heparin used to treat and prevent deep venous thrombosis, has been evaluated in several clinical trials. Thrombosis induced by enoxaparin with no evidence of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is seldom described. We report a rare case in which an 89-year-old African-American female developed large, multiple, painful lesions induced by enoxaparin administration.

Impact of subclinical thyroid disorders on coronary heart disease, cardiovascular and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis.

Background: Previous studies have suggested that sub-clinical thyroid states may have detrimental effects on the coronary heart disease (CHD). Whether subclinical thyroid dysfunction is a risk factor for the above is controversial.

Methods: A systemic search of the literature using Pubmed, Medline and Ovid online tool was performed to identify relevant studies.

Utility of esmolol in thyroid crisis.

Thyroid storm is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening manifestation of hyperthyroidism. Mortality can be 30-60% in hospitalized patients unless appropriately treated by combined therapy. We report a case of a 25-year-old African American woman with past medical history of Graves disease and moderately persistent asthma who presented to the emergency department with signs and symptoms of thyrotoxic crisis.