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The article reports that unstable angina (UA) and non-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (MI) make up a clinical syndrome subset of acute coronary syndromes. The identification and treatment of these conditions is important in reducing morbidity and mortality. UA and MI are associated with different degrees of ischemia. Patients with chest discomforts who go to the emergency department should undergo early risk stratification for cardiovascular events.

The article highlights updated American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines for preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD) in women in the United States. The AHA suggeststhat comprehensive assessment and reduction of contributing factors can extend survival, improve quality of life, and reduce the incidence of subsequent coronary events. Lifestyle modifications are the foundation of preventing and managing diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity.

Find out by reading this analysis of the new AHA guidelines for assessing and managing risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information about the diseases caused by endothelium and precautions to reduce the risk of endothelium. Earlier it was believed that hemoglobin inactivated nitric oxide but know that's not the case. The hemoglobin and nitric oxide have a mutually beneficial relationship. The hemoglobin picks up nitric oxide and carries it throughout the body. The nitric oxide's vasodilating action lets hemoglobin molecules pass through capillaries in the micro circulation that would normally be too small. The several precautions to reduce the risk of endothelium includes avoid smoking, high-sugar, high-fat diet and exercise regularly. INSET: Is your patient's endothelium healthy?.

Provides information on how to recognize heart disease in women and to help them get proper treatment. Factors that affect the risk of cardiovascular disease in women; Effort of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and by the American Heart Association to increase awareness on heart disease in women; Heart disease treatment for women; Goals of cardiac rehabilitation. INSETS: THE HEART TRUTH;GO RED FOR WOMEN.

Discusses the use of microarray or DNA chip to identify key genes in the development of heart disease. Association between variants of the thrombospondin gene with coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction; Risk factor for the development of familial, premature cardiovascular disease; Other uses of microarray technology.

The articles presents a safety checklist for reducing complications from surgery, as described by the World Health Organization (WHO) Second Global Patient Safety Challenge titled "Safe Surgery Saves Lives," which includes making sure the medical team is operating on the correct patient at the correct site, the use of methods known to prevent harm, and preparing for any life-threatening loss of respiratory function.

Hospitalization for heart failure accounts for a substantial portion of the overall cost of caring for these patients and is a predictor of shortened survival in patients with chronic HF. Avoidance of readmission is critical as those hospitalized with HF face a 50% rate of readmission within 6 months and 25%-35% incidence of mortality within a year.Knowledge of this syndrome is important in order to deliver comprehensive supportive care to these patients and reduce readmissions Intravenous drug therapy is an important adjunct in this effort. This article focuses on the syndrome as it relates to intravenous agents prescribed for the patient in the home setting.

Heart failure in the United States is a growing epidemic, with approximately 550,000 new cases per year. An increasing number of patients are treated at home with drugs that require a working knowledge of both the syndrome and the various therapeutic agents in use. New understanding of the syndrome has led to a paradigm shift from treating signs and symptoms to increasing long-term survival. This article focuses on the syndrome as it relates to common agents prescribed for the patient in the home setting.

The purpose of this article is to examine the efficacy of Bispectral Index (BIS) monitoring as a tool for adjusting the amount of propofol patients receive to maintain a safe and adequate level of sedation in a neurocritical care setting. The BIS monitor is utilized as an adjunct for anesthesia monitoring in the operating room setting and is currently being investigated as a tool for objective sedation monitoring in the critical care setting. 1-6 Sedation is discussed in terms of patient safety and comfort. A secondary data analysis was used to test the hypothesis that BIS monitoring provides a more objective form of sedation assessment that will lead to a decrease in overall rates of propofol administration and fewer incidences of oversedation. Data were abstracted from a quality improvement study of propofol use adjusted to BIS values in patients whose sedation levels were previously adjusted to a goal Ramsay score. The results suggest that there are potential benefits to incorporating BIS into routine sedation assessment in the neurocritical care setting.