1,720,985 research outputs found
Venous thromboembolism and COVID-19: Mind the gap between clinical epidemiology and patient management
No full textBeyond the guidelines: Novelties, changes and unsolved issues from the 2019 ESC guidelines on pulmonary embolism
No full textPatients with Atrial Fibrillation receiving NOACs: The boundary between appropriate and inappropriate dose
No full textSince their introduction in 2010, non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants
(NOACs) changed the landscape of stroke prevention in patients with
atrial fibrillation (AF). Because of their favorable benefit-harm profile,
the fixed dose administration, the no need for laboratory monitoring and
dose adjustment, NOAC prescription increased rapidly and overcome
the use of vitamin K antagonists (VKAs
Anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation in patients with active cancer: Reply to the ‘Letter to the Editor’ from Dr. Sorigue et al
No full textPatients with acute pulmonary embolism at intermediate risk for death: Can we further stratify?
No full textShock and diffuse ST-elevation in a patient with coronavirus disease-2019 disease
No full textThe infection by the novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is associated with significant cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Cardiac events require prompt diagnosis and management, also in the SARS-CoV-2 era. A 58-year-old male, heavy smoker and with known SARS-CoV-2 infection, abruptly developed severe hypotension and asthenia. At patients' home, emergency physicians found hemodynamic compromise with diffuse ST-elevation at electrocardiography. The patient was rapidly moved to the cardiac catheterization laboratory, and any contact with other health-care workers was avoided. Coronary angiography excluded coronary artery disease. At admission to the coronavirus disease-2019 unit, an increase in inflammatory markers and liver enzymes with normal troponin levels were observed. Bedside lung ultrasonography showed interstitial syndrome and bilateral pleural effusion, whereas echocardiography showed large and diffuse pericardial effusion with a swinging heart. The hemodynamic status improved after gentle fluid therapy such suggesting potential concomitant sepsis and pericardiocentesis was not performed. At this time, a computed tomography scan showed a widespread neoplasm in the right lung involving the subclavian artery and vein and the thoracic lymph nodes. The histology confirmed the diagnosis of a locally advanced pulmonary adenocarcinoma. One week after admission, the patient died for worsening respiratory failure. Not delayed primary PCI remains the standard of care for patients with suspected ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the SARS-CoV-2 era. A diagnostic deepening for potential STEMI-mimicker (known to be associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and to patients' comorbidities) should be considered, and a multidisciplinary approach is needed in these patients
Safety of direct oral anticoagulants versus traditional anticoagulants in venous thromboembolism
No full textVenous thromboembolism (VTE) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. For decades, low molecular weight heparins (LMWH) and vitamin K-antagonists have been the gold standard of anticoagulation for VTE. Recently, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) that can be administered in fixed doses, without laboratory monitoring and dose adjustment have revolutionized anticoagulation management in VTE. Here, we report on recent evidence regarding the safety of DOACs compared to traditional anticoagulants in surgical and medical prophylaxis as well as in acute and extended treatments of VTE. Additionally, we provide data on special situations such as elderly, cancer and renal impairment patients. Regarding antithrombotic prophylaxis, data are lacking on DOAC use in general surgical patients, while DOACs appear to be more effective than and as safe as LMWHs in VTE prophylaxis for major orthopedic surgical patients. Whether a medically ill patient may benefit from extended VTE prophylaxis remains unclear. In fact, in these patients, DOACs showed an increased risk of bleeding compared to conventional therapy. In the acute treatment of VTE, DOACs were non-inferior and probably safer than conventional anticoagulation therapy while in the extended VTE treatment DOACs were more effective than placebo or aspirin with a comparable risk of major bleeding. These favorable results were also confirmed in elderly, cancer and renal impairment patients. However, further investigations are needed in order to generalize the safe use of DOACs in these specific subgroups of patients
Concomitant Use of Direct Oral Anticoagulants and Antiepileptic Drugs: A Prospective Cohort Study in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation
No full textBackground: European guidelines do not recommend the use of carbamazepine, levetiracetam, phenobarbital, phenytoin, topiramate and valproic acid in patients taking direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). Little is known regarding the clinical relevance of the interaction between DOACs and antiepileptic drugs. Objectives: To evaluate the incidence of thromboembolic and bleeding events in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) concurrently treated with DOACs and antiepileptic drugs. Methods: This is a prospective multicentre cohort study of patients with non-valvular AF concurrently treated with DOACs and antiepileptic drugs. The primary outcome was ischaemic stroke/transient ischaemic attack (TIA)/systemic embolism (SE). Secondary outcome was major bleeding (MB). Incidence rates (% patient-year) were evaluated for the study outcomes. Results: Overall, 91 patients were included. Mean age was 78 ± 9.5 years, 49.5% were female. Mean CHA2DS2-VASc score was 4.76 ± 1.59 and mean HAS-BLED was 2.67 ± 1.26. Overall, 41, 20, 11, 10 and 9 out of 91 patients were treated with levetiracetam, valproic acid, phenobarbital, carbamazepine and other antiepileptic drugs, respectively. During a median follow-up of 17.5 ± 14.5 months, stroke/TIA/SE occurred in 9 patients (5.7% patient-year) and MB in 3 patients (1.9% patient-year). Ischaemic stroke was fatal in 3 patients (1.9% patient-year) and MB in one patient (0.6% patient-year). Conclusion: In this cohort, patients with non-valvular AF treated with DOACs and antiepileptic drugs appear to have a relatively high rate of thromboembolic events
Upper extremities deep vein thrombosis treated with oral direct anticoagulants: A prospective cohort study
No full textBackground: Limited data are available on the role of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for the treatment of upper extremities deep vein thrombosis (UEDVT). Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of DOACs in the treatment of UEDVT. Methods: Patients with an objectively confirmed acute UEDVT treated with DOACs were merged from prospective cohorts to a collaborative database. Primary study outcomes were recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) and major bleeding occurring during DOAC treatment. Results: Overall, 188 patients were included in the study: mean age 52.4 ± 20.4 years, males 43.6%, patients with active cancer 29.2%. Twenty-nine percent of patients had 2 or more risk factors for VTE, 33.0% had catheter-related or pacemaker-related UEDVT. In 13.8% of patients, DOACs were started one month after UEDVT diagnosis or later. Active cancer was an independent predictor for delayed initiation of DOACs (OR 8.1, 95% CI 3.0–22.2). Mean duration of treatment with DOACs was 5.1 ± 2.8 months. During treatment with DOACs, recurrent VTE occurred in 0.9 per 100 patient-year, major bleeding in 1.7 and all-cause deaths in 6.0 per 100 patient-year. No fatal bleeding or fatal VTE recurrence were observed. During 232.1 patient-years of follow-up after DOAC withdrawal, recurrent VTE occurred in 3.0 per 100 patient-year. The 2019 ESC categories for risk of VTE recurrences were able to discriminate patient groups at different risk of events in the on and off-treatment periods. Conclusions: Our data support the feasibility as well as the effectiveness and safety of DOACs for the treatment of acute UEDVT
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