Category Archives: Cardiology

Study Design Summary: Multicenter, observational study of 3,500 adults ≥60 years old presenting to ED with syncope or presyncope. Primary outcome was rate of serious adverse events at 30 days compared between the syncope vs near syncope group. Notes: The goal of the study was to determine if patients presenting with near syncope had similarContinue reading “Syncope vs Near Syncope 30 Day Serious Adverse Events”

Study Design Summary: Multicenter, observational study of hospitalization versus discharge on 3,000 adults ≥60 years old with no serious diagnosis found during index ED visit. Primary outcome was rate of post-ED serious adverse events. Notes: Patients were included if ≥60 years old, presenting with either syncope or presyncope. Patients were excluded if symptoms caused byContinue reading “Is There Benefit to Hospitalization of Older Adults with Unexplained Syncope/Presyncope”

Study Design Summary: Prospective, single center, unblinded study of 121 patients with a predefined “moderate” pulmonary embolism were given either half dose tPA with anticoagulation or only anticoagulation. Primary outcome was pulmonary hypertension at 28 months and a composite of pulmonary hypertension and recurrent PE at 28 months. Notes: The study predefined a “moderate” PEContinue reading “MOPETT: Does Low Dose tPA for Pulmonary Embolism Reduce Pulmonary Hypertension”

Study Design Summary: Multicenter, double-blind trial of 6,997 ICU patients to receive 4% albumin or saline as choice of resuscitation fluid while in the ICU, with primary outcome as all cause mortality at 28 days. Notes: The study intervention was specifically resuscitation fluid, patients were placed on the physicians’ choice of maintenance fluids. The authorsContinue reading “SAFE: Does Resuscitation with Albumin Confer a Mortality Benefit Over Saline”

Study Design Summary: Multicenter trial comparing 132 total patients who were on predefined low dose vasopressor support for at least 24 hours, randomized to receive oral midodrine or not with primary end point being time in hours to vasopressor discontinuation from randomization. Notes: The study defined successful discontinuation of vasopressors as off pressors for 24Continue reading “MIDAS: Does Midodrine Accelerate IV Vasopressor Liberation in the ICU”

Study Design Summary: Multicenter observational retrospective study of NSTEMI and unstable angina patients in US split into morphine vs no morphine and morphine vs nitroglycerin groups. Notes: Morphine vs no morphine: More patients in the morphine groups had death, MI, CHF and cariogenic shock events on admission. The groups were fairly unbalanced with the morphineContinue reading “CRUSADE: Does Morphine Affect Mortality in Acute Coronary Syndrome”

Study Design Summary: Observational multicenter study of patients presenting to ED for acute heart failure. No protocol on which medications/treatment to give or timing of medications since it was observational. Primary outcome was all cause in-hospital mortality. 1,291 total patients, 481 in early treatment group, 810 in nonearly group. Early treatment was defined as lasixContinue reading “REALITY-AHF: Does Early Lasix Improve Mortality in Acute Heart Failure”