Enhancing the quality of medicine handover at hospital discharge: a priority setting workshop.

Background: When a patient is discharged from hospital it is essential that their general practitioner (GPs) and community pharmacist are informed of changes to their medicines. This necessitates effective communication and information-sharing between hospitals and primary care clinicians.

Objective: To identify priority medicine handover issues and solutions to inform the co-design and development of a multifaceted intervention.

Demographics, clinical characteristics and outcomes among 197 patients with COVID-19 in the Gold Coast area.

Background: Clinical characteristics and outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients have been varied internationally but have not been studied in an Australian cohort.

Aim: To describe characteristics and outcomes of approximately the first 200 documented COVID-19 cases during the first outbreak in the Gold Coast.

Methods: Retrospective observational cohort study of COVID-19 patients managed by Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service (GCHHS).

An effect of left ventricular hypertrophy on mild-to-moderate left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.

Objectives: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) is associated with a variety of medical conditions. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is one of the most common abnormalities that induce LVDD. However, it is unclear whether LVH is a predictor of future LVDD deterioration that leads to diastolic heart failure in patients who already have mild-to-moderate LVDD.

Impact of ethnic variation and residential segregation on long-term survival following myocardial perfusion SPECT.

Background: Ethnic characteristics of a neighborhood may impact upon all-cause mortality (ACM). It is not known whether this consideration remains a risk modifier among those being evaluated for CAD.

Methods: 6,477 pts (60 ± 13 years, male 38%) residing in NYC with normal or abnormal stress SPECT studies were assessed for ACM during a mean follow-up of 9 ± 3.

Physiological correlates of densely calcified coronary lesions on coronary computed tomography angiography among patients with low-to-intermediate coronary artery disease likelihood.

Objectives: Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is often used to assess the extent and severity of atherosclerosis. A major limitation of CCTA are densely calcified coronary plaques that obscure the underlying lumen rendering assessment difficult. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hemodynamic importance of densely calcified coronary lesions on CCTA in patients with low-to-intermediate likelihood of coronary artery disease.

Synergistic effect of coronary artery disease risk factors on long-term survival in patients with normal exercise SPECT studies.

Background: Normal exercise single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) studies are associated with a low event rate (<1.0%/year) during short-term follow-up. The influence of cardiac risk factors on long-term outcomes in such patients has not been well studied.