A Rare Case of Unilateral Progressive Cataract in a Young Patient Receiving Topiramate.

This case report presents an instance of unilateral cataract formation and its rapid progression following topiramate-induced bilateral acute angle closure. An 18-year-old female diagnosed with acute angle closure in both eyes had started treatment on the previous day at another healthcare facility. The patient presented with complaints of pain, sudden diminution of vision, excessive watering, and photophobia (both eyes) and reported the use of topiramate for headache for 10 days.

The use of biomarkers in the patient with heart failure.

Heart failure is a major burden to the health care system in terms of not only cost, but also morbidity and mortality. Appropriate use of biomarkers is critically important to allow rapid identification and optimal risk stratification and management of patients with both acute and chronic heart failure. This review will discuss the biomarkers that have the most diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic value in patients with heart failure.

Heart failure biomarkers.

Biomarker testing in patients with heart failure (HF) is rapidly expanding. With high-quality research indicating its diagnostic and prognostic capabilities, biomarkers are excellent adjuncts to manage patients with HF. Their superiority lies mainly in their reflection of ongoing pathophysiological events at a cellular level.

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin as diagnostic and prognostic tool for cardiovascular disease and heart failure.

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been a burden on the healthcare system for decades and has increased the need for earlier diagnosis, better risk stratification and cost- effective treatment to reduce the rates of hospitalization. Biomarker research has broadened our knowledge base, shedding more light on the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms associated with the development of heart disorders. Recent technological advances have made it possible to use noninvasive and cost-effective biomarkers for identifying patients who are at risk of developing coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis.

Cardiorenal biomarkers in acute heart failure.

Managing patients with heart failure (HF) is a challenging task within itself, but the presence of associated worsening renal function can greatly increase mortality and morbidity. Early diagnosis and treatment is the key to prevent re-hospitalizations and reduce healthcare costs. Biomarkers have long been established as highly sensitive and specific tools in diagnosing and prognosticating patients with HF.

The appropriate use of biomarkers in heart failure.

Natriuretic peptides and troponins have been extensively studied and used in heart failure, and their value has been extensively discussed. Renal markers, such as cystasin-C, NGAL, and KIM-1, have shown growing utility in heart failure. The activation of compensatory pathways and ongoing hemodynamic changes result in the release of biomarkers that can be monitored to chart disease progression and possibly target for therapy.

Cardiac biomarkers: new tools for heart failure management.

The last decade has seen exciting advances in the field of biomarkers used in managing patients with heart failure (HF). Biomarker research has broadened our knowledge base, shedding more light on the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms occurring in patients with both acute and chronic HF. The criterion required by an ideal cardiovascular biomarker has been progressively changing to an era of sensitive assays that can be used to guide treatment.

Biomarkers in acute heart failure--state of the art.

The role of biomarkers in the management of patients with acute heart failure (HF) has evolved rapidly in the past several years. Representing a major burden on health systems, acute HF has increased the need for earlier diagnosis, better risk stratification, and cost-effective treatment to reduce rates of hospitalization. Biomarker-guided diagnosis and treatment have become essential, especially in the acute setting to which the majority of the patients with acute HF initially present.

Social determinants of smoking among Hmong Americans residing in Wisconsin.

Objective: This study examined correlates of tobacco use among Hmong people residing in Wisconsin.

Methods: Surveys of youth (ages 12-17) and adults (ages > or =18), available in English and Hmong, were distributed in 14 communities through Hmong Mutual Assistance Associations and analyzed centrally. Surveys assessed daily and ever use of tobacco, as well as other sociodemographic characteristics.