Higher insulin infusion rate but not 24-h insulin consumption is associated with hypoglycemia in critically ill patients.

Aims: To assess the association between insulin infusion rates, and 24-h insulin consumption on hypoglycemia in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: This was a retrospective case-control study, conducted at an academic institution in the United States. Adult patients admitted to the ICU receiving intravenous insulin infusions for blood glucose control were included.

The exposure-dependent effects of aged secondhand smoke on endothelial function.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether exposure to a range of relatively low concentrations of aged secondhand smoke (SHS), similar to those encountered commonly in the community, would impair endothelial function in a concentration-dependent manner.

Background: Exposure to SHS impairs endothelial function in humans. The concentration-dependent relationship for aged SHS effects on endothelial function after an exposure of short duration is unknown.

Tobacco smoke and cardiovascular risk: a call for continued efforts to reduce exposure.

Purpose Of Review: This review will summarize contemporary data regarding the cardiovascular effects of tobacco exposure. In particular, this review will highlight recent data that focuses on the magnitude of continued exposure both in the United States and abroad, the cardiovascular risks of tobacco exposure despite improvements in medical therapy, and the important effects of low levels of exposure including secondhand smoke (SHS).

Recent Findings: Recent data demonstrates that the current burden of tobacco exposure both in the United States and worldwide remains large.

Impact of smoking on cardiovascular events in patients with coronary disease receiving contemporary medical therapy (from the Treating to New Targets [TNT] and the Incremental Decrease in End Points Through Aggressive Lipid Lowering [IDEAL] trials).

To define the incremental risk of cigarette smoking in patients with coronary disease receiving contemporary medical therapy, we performed a post hoc analysis of 18,885 patients by combining data from the Treating to New Targets (TNT) and the Incremental Decrease in End Points through Aggressive Lipid Lowering (IDEAL) trials. These studies compared high-dose treatment (atorvastatin 80 mg/day) to moderate-dose treatment (atorvastatin 10 mg/day in TNT and simvastatin 20 to 40 mg/day in IDEAL) in patients with established coronary heart disease. The primary end point of this pooled analysis was major cardiovascular events, a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or resuscitated cardiac arrest.