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The article focuses on the novel "Gravity's Rainbow," by Thomas Pynchon. The author explores how the book relates to the Protestant religious system of John Calvin and his followers known as Calvinism in early New England, examines how Calvinism connects to American Puritanism, and compares these religions to counterculture.

Objective: Moderate risk patients with chest pain and no previously diagnosed coronary artery disease (CAD) who present to ED require further risk stratification. We hypothesise that management of these patients by ED physicians can decrease length of stay (LOS), without increasing patient harm. Methods: A prospective pilot study with comparison to a pre‐intervention control group was performed on patients presenting with chest pain to an ED in Perth, Australia between May and October 2021, following the introduction of a streamlined guideline consisting of ED led decision making and early follow up. Patients had no documented CAD and were at moderate risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE). Electronic data was used for comparison. Primary outcomes were total LOS and LOS following troponin. Results: One hundred eighty‐six patients were included. Median total LOS was reduced by 62 min, but this change was not statistically significant (482 [360–795] vs 420 [360–525] min, P = 0.06). However, a significant 60 min decrease in LOS was found following the final troponin (240 (120–571) vs 180 (135–270) min, P = 0.02). There was no difference in the rate of MACE (0% vs 2%, P = 0.50), with no myocardial infarction or death. Conclusions: Our study suggests that patients with no pre‐existing CAD can be safely managed by emergency physicians streamlining their ED management and decreasing LOS. This pathway could be used in other centres following confirmation of the results by a larger study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural patients with non‐ST‐elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) are transferred to metropolitan hospitals for invasive coronary angiography (ICA). Yet, many do not have obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). In this analysis of rural Western Australian patients transferred for ICA for NSTEMI, low‐level elevations in high‐sensitivity cardiac troponin (≤5× upper reference limit) were associated with less obstructive CAD and revascularisation. Along with other factors, this may help identify rural patients not requiring transfer for ICA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Methods Results Conclusion Telehealth plays an integral part in healthcare delivery. The impact of telehealth and the COVID‐19 pandemic on medication prescribing and patient satisfaction with telehealth in cardiology clinics remains unknown.A retrospective study of cardiology clinic patients at an Australian tertiary hospital was conducted; 630 patients seen before the COVID‐19 pandemic (0.6% telehealth) and 678 during the pandemic (91.2% telehealth) were included. Medication changes, new prescriptions and time to obtaining prescriptions after clinic were compared. To evaluate patients' experiences, cardiology clinic patients reviewed during the pandemic were prospectively invited to participate in an electronic survey sent to their mobile phones.The overall rates of medication changes made in the clinic between the prepandemic and the pandemic periods did not differ significantly (26.9% vs 25.8%). Compared with prepandemic, new cardiac medication prescriptions during clinic were significantly less (9.3% vs 2.5%; P < 0.0001) and recommendations to general practitioners (GP) to initiate cardiac medications were significantly more (2.6% vs 9.1%; P < 0.0001). Time to obtaining new prescriptions was significantly longer in the pandemic cohort (median 0 days (range: 0–32) vs 10.5 days (range: 0–231); P < 0.0001). Two hundred forty‐three (32.7%) patients participated in the survey; 50% reported that telehealth was at least as good as face‐to‐face consultations. Most patients (61.5%) were satisfied with telehealth and most (62.9%) wished to see telehealth continued postpandemic.Telehealth during the COVID‐19 pandemic was associated with greater reliance on GP to prescribe cardiac medications and delays in obtaining prescriptions among cardiology clinic patients. Although most patients were satisfied with telehealth services, nearly half of the cardiac patients expressed preference towards traditional face‐to‐face consultations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: International guidelines provide increasing support for computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) in investigating chest pain. A pathway utilising CTCA first‐line for outpatient stable chest pain evaluation was implemented in an Australian ED. Methods: In pre‐post design, the impact of the pathway was prospectively assessed over 6 months (August 2021 to January 2022) and compared with a 6‐month pre‐implementation group (February 2021 to July 2021). CTCA was recommended first‐line in suspected stable cardiac chest pain, followed by chest pain clinic review. Predefined criteria were provided recommending functional testing in select patients. The impact of CTCA versus functional testing was evaluated. Data were obtained from digital medical records. Results: Three hundred and fifteen patients were included, 143 pre‐implementation and 172 post‐implementation. Characteristics were similar except age (pre‐implementation: 58.9 ± 12.0 vs post‐implementation: 62.8 ± 12.3 years, P = 0.004). Pathway‐guided management resulted in higher first‐line CTCA (73.3% vs 46.2%, P < 0.001), lower functional testing (30.2% vs 56.6%, P < 0.001) and lower proportion undergoing two non‐invasive tests (4.7% vs 10.5%, P = 0.047), without increasing investigation costs or invasive coronary angiography (ICA) (pre‐implementation: 13.3% vs post‐implementation: 9.3%, P = 0.263). In patients undergoing CTCA, 40.7% had normal coronaries and 36.2% minimal/mild disease, with no difference in disease burden post‐implementation. More medication changes occurred following CTCA compared with functional testing (aspirin: P = 0.005, statin: P < 0.001). In patients undergoing ICA, revascularisation to ICA ratio was higher following CTCA compared with functional testing (91.7% vs 18.2%, P < 0.001). No 30‐day myocardial infarction or death occurred. Conclusions: The pathway increased CTCA utilisation and reduced downstream investigations. CTCA was associated with medication changes and improved ICA efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant advances have been made in artificial intelligence technology in recent years. Many health care applications have been investigated to assist clinicians and the technology is close to being integrated into routine clinical practice. The high prevalence of cardiac disease in Australia places overwhelming demands on the existing health care system, challenging its capacity to provide quality patient care. Artificial intelligence has emerged as a promising solution. This discussion paper provides an Australian perspective on the current state of artificial intelligence in cardiology, including the benefits and challenges of implementation. This paper highlights some current artificial intelligence applications in cardiology, while also detailing challenges such as data privacy, ethical considerations, and integration within existing health infrastructures. Overall, this paper aims to provide insights into the potential benefits of artificial intelligence in cardiology, while also acknowledging the barriers that need to be addressed to ensure safe and effective implementation into an Australian health system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) is a non-invasive diagnostic modality that provides a comprehensive anatomical assessment of the coronary arteries and coronary atherosclerosis, including plaque burden, composition and morphology. The past decade has witnessed an increase in the role of CTCA for evaluating patients with both stable and acute chest pain, and recent international guidelines have provided increasing support for a first line CTCA diagnostic strategy in select patients. CTCA offers some advantages over current functional tests in the detection of obstructive and non-obstructive coronary artery disease, as well as for ruling out obstructive coronary artery disease. Recent randomised trials have also shown that CTCA improves prognostication and guides the use of guideline-directed preventive therapies, leading to improved clinical outcomes. CTCA technology advances such as fractional flow reserve, plaque quantification and perivascular fat inflammation potentially allow for more personalised risk assessment and targeted therapies. Further studies evaluating demand, supply, and cost-effectiveness of CTCA for evaluating chest pain are required in Australia. This discussion paper revisits the evidence supporting the use of CTCA, provides an overview of its implications and limitations, and considers its potential role for chest pain evaluation pathways in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The introduction and refinement of coronary-artery stenting dramatically changed the practice of percutaneous coronary revascularization in the mid-1990s. We analyzed one-year follow-up data for all percutaneous coronary interventions performed in a large, unselected population in Canada to determine whether the use of coronary stenting has been associated with improved outcomes. Methods: Prospectively collected data on all percutaneous coronary interventions performed on residents of British Columbia, Canada, between April 1994 and June 1997 were linked to province-wide health care data bases to provide the date of the following end points: subsequent target-vessel revascularization, myocardial infarction, and death. Base-line characteristics and procedural variables were identified and Kaplan–Meier survival curves were generated for 9594 procedures divided into seven groups, one for each sequential half-year period. Results: The overall burden of coexisting illnesses remained stable throughout the study period. A large increase in the rate of coronary stenting (from 14.2 percent in the period from April to June 1994 to 58.7 percent in the period from January to June 1997) was associated with a significant reduction in the rate of adverse cardiac events at one year (from 28.8 percent to 22.8 percent; adjusted relative risk, 0.79; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.69 to 0.90; P<0.001). This reduction in adverse events was exclusively due to a large reduction in subsequent target-vessel revascularization (from 24.4 percent to 17.0 percent; adjusted relative risk, 0.72; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.62 to 0.83; P<0.001) without significant changes in the overall rates of myocardial infarction (5.4 percent, P=0.28) or death (3.9 percent, P=0.65). Conclusions: The need for target-vessel revascularization during one year of follow-up after percutaneous coronary intervention decreased during the mid-1990s. The reduction was coincident with the introduction and subsequent widespread use of coronary stenting. (N Engl J Med 1999;341:1957-65.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this real-world study, the main barriers for not initiating SGLT2 inhibitor therapy early after an acute cardiac event are prescribing criteria around glycated haemoglobin and renal function. Initiation of SGLT2 inhibitors near to, or at, hospital discharge following the cardiac event was not associated with 30-day diabetic ketoacidosis readmissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] and diabetes are independently associated with premature coronary artery disease (pCAD). However, there is an inverse relationship between Lp(a) concentration and type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk. We examine whether Lp(a) distribution in patients with pCAD differs between those with or without T2D, and whether elevated Lp(a) is associated with pCAD in patients with T2D.Methods: Lp(a) concentration was measured in consecutive acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients in two coronary care units (study one: ACS with or without diabetes, study two: ACS and diabetes). Elevated Lp(a) mass concentration was defined as ≥0.5 g/L and pCAD where CAD was diagnosed age <60 years. The association between elevated Lp(a) and pCAD was assessed using logistic regression.Results: Of 449 patients, 233 (51.9%) had pCAD and 278 (61.9%) had T2D. In patients with pCAD, those with T2D had a significantly lower median Lp(a) concentration (0.13 g/L versus 0.27 g/L, p=0.004). In patients with T2D, elevated Lp(a) was significantly associated with pCAD (OR 2.419, 95% CI 1.513-3.867, p<0.001). After adjusting for gender, smoking, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides, elevated Lp(a) remained significantly associated with pCAD (OR 2.895, 95% CI 1.427-5.876, p=0.003) in patients with T2D.Conclusions: In coronary care patients with pCAD, patients with T2D had lower Lp(a) concentrations than those without T2D. Despite this, elevated Lp(a) remained predictive of pCAD in patients with T2D. Measurement of Lp(a) should be considered in younger adults with T2D to identify who may benefit from earlier preventative therapies to reduce pCAD burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We previously showed that implementing algorithms for managing diabetes in acute coronary syndrome was associated with improved inpatient glycaemic control and increased sodium‐glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor prescriptions. The present study performed 1 year later found that inpatient hyperglycaemia had relapsed to pre‐intervention rates, although SGLT2 inhibitor prescriptions remained increased. We discuss the challenges of improving inpatient glycaemic control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: High-sensitivity (hs) cardiac troponin (cTn) assays can quantitate small fluctuations in cTn concentration. Determining biological variation allows calculation of reference change values (RCV), to define significant changes. We assessed the short- and long-term biological variation of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) in healthy individuals and patients with renal failure requiring haemodialysis or cardiomyopathy. Methods: Plasma samples were collected hourly for 4 h and weekly for seven further weeks from 20 healthy individuals, 9 renal failure patients and 20 cardiomyopathy patients. Pre- and post-haemodialysis samples were collected weekly for 7 weeks. Samples were analysed using a hs-cTnI assay (Abbott Alinity ci-series). Within-subject biological variation (CVI), analytical variation (CVA) and between-subject biological variation (CVG) was used to calculate RCVs and index of individuality (II). Results: For healthy individuals, CVI, CVA, CVG, RCV and II values were 8.8, 14.0, 43.1, 45.8% and 0.38 respectively for short-term, and 41.4, 14.0, 25.8, 121.0% and 1.69 for long-term. For renal failure patients, these were 2.6, 5.8, 50.5, 17.6% and 0.30 respectively for short-term, and 19.1, 5.8, 11.2, 55.2% and 1.78 for long-term. For cardiomyopathy patients, these were 4.2, 10.0, 65.9, 30.0% and 0.16 respectively for short-term, and 17.5, 10.0, 63.1, 55.8% and 0.32 for long-term. Mean cTnI concentration was lower post-haemodialysis (15.2 vs. 17.8 ng/L, p < 0.0001), with a 16.9% mean relative change. Conclusions: The biological variation of cTnI is similar between end-stage renal failure and cardiomyopathy patients, but proportionately greater in well-selected healthy individuals with very low baseline cTnI concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Closed kinetic chain exercises are reported to provide a more functional rehabilitation outcome. Objective: To determine the amount of muscle activity in 4 shoulder muscles during exercise on the Cuff Link. Design: Repeated measures. Setting: Laboratory. Subjects: 10 men and 10 women, age 18-50. Intervention: Subjects performed 3 sets of 5 revolutions on the Cuff Link in non-weight-bearing, partial-weight-bearing, and full-weight-bearing positions. Main Outcome Measures: Electromyography data were collected from the upper trapezius, anterior deltoid, serratus anterior, and pectoralis major and were expressed as percentage of maximal isometric contractions. Results: Significant differences were found across the weight-bearing conditions for all 4 muscles. Exercise on the Cuff Link required minimal to significant amounts of muscle recruitment. Conclusions: Muscle recruit-ment increases as weight bearing increases during use of the Cuff Link, suggesting an increase in dynamic stabilization of the glenohumeral joint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compares the muscle activity of the vastus medialis obliquus (VMO) and vastus lateralis. Effects of lateral hip rotation on VMO activity; Average electromyogram (EMG) by condition; Role of hip rotation in EMG activity.

The risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) can be significantly reduced in patients with diabetes who are undergoing low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol‐reducing therapies. However, the elevated triglyceride levels seen in diabetic dyslipidaemia can contribute to residual ASCVD risk. Icosapent ethyl (IPE) has recently been shown to substantially reduce major cardiovascular events in high‐risk patients with hypertriglyceridaemia who are undergoing statin therapy. In a real‐world study of patients with diabetes and acute coronary syndrome (ACS), 17.1% were found to be eligible for treatment with IPE based on Reduction of Cardiovascular Events with Icosapent Ethyl–Intervention Trial (REDUCE‐IT) criteria. A significant proportion of patients with diabetes and ACS merit receiving IPE therapy, with important implications for evolving clinical practice guidelines and best standard of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The aim of the present study was to explore the association of health insurance status on the provision of guideline-advocated acute coronary syndrome (ACS) care in Australia. Methods Consecutive hospitalisations of suspected ACS from 14 to 27 May 2012 enrolled in the Snapshot study of Australian and New Zealand patients were evaluated. Descriptive and logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association of patient risk and insurance status with the receipt of care. Results In all, 3391 patients with suspected ACS from 247 hospitals (23 private) were enrolled in the present study. One-third of patients declared private insurance coverage; of these, 27.9% (304/1088) presented to private facilities. Compared with public patients, privately insured patients were more likely to undergo in-patient echocardiography and receive early angiography; furthermore, in those with a discharge diagnosis of ACS, there was a higher rate of revascularisation (P < 0.001). Each of these attracts potential fee-for-service. In contrast, proportionately fewer privately insured ACS patients were discharged on selected guideline therapies and were referred to a secondary prevention program (P = 0.056), neither of which directly attracts a fee. Typically, as GRACE (the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events) risk score rose, so did the level of ACS care; however, propensity-adjusted analyses showed lower in-hospital adverse events among the insured group (odds ratio 0.68; 95% confidence interval 0.52-0.88; P = 0.004). Conclusion Fee-for-service reimbursement may explain differences in the provision of selected guideline-advocated components of ACS care between privately insured and public patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: The Occluded Artery Trial (OAT) randomized stable patients (n=2201) >24h (calendar days 3–28) after myocardial infarction (MI) with totally occluded infarct-related arteries (IRA), to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with optimal medical therapy, or optimal medical therapy alone (MED). PCI had no impact on the composite of death, reinfarction, or class IV heart failure over extended follow-up of up to 9years. We evaluated the impact of early and late reinfarction and definition of MI on subsequent mortality. Methods and results: Reinfarction was adjudicated according to an adaptation of the 2007 universal definition of MI and the OAT definition (≥2 of the following — symptoms, EKG and biomarkers). Cox regression models were used to analyze the effect of post-randomization reinfarction and baseline variables on time to death. After adjustment for baseline characteristics the 169 (PCI: n=95; MED: n=74) patients who developed reinfarction by the universal definition had a 4.15-fold (95% CI 3.03–5.69, p<0.001) increased risk of death compared to patients without reinfarction. This risk was similar for both treatment groups (interaction p=0.26) and when MI was defined by the stricter OAT criteria. Reinfarctions occurring within 6months of randomization had similar impact on mortality as reinfarctions occurring later, and the impact of reinfarction due to the same IRA and a different epicardial vessel was similar. Conclusions: For stable post-MI patients with totally occluded infarct arteries, reinfarction significantly independently increased the risk of death regardless of the initial management strategy (PCI vs. MED), reinfarction definition, location and early or late occurrence. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background--Despite observations suggesting a benefit for late opening of totally occluded infarct-related arteries after myocardial infarction, the Occluded Artery Trial (OAT) demonstrated no reduction in the composite of death, reinfarction, and class IV heart failure over a 2.9-year mean follow-up. Follow-up was extended to determine whether late trends would favor either treatment group. Methods and Results--OAT randomized 2201 stable patients with infarct-related artery total occlusion >24 hours (calendar days 3-28) after myocardial infarction. Patients with severe inducible ischemia, rest angina, class III-IV heart failure, and 3-vessel/left main disease were excluded. We conducted extended follow-up of enrolled patients for an additional 3 years for the primary end point and angina (6-year median survivor follow-up; longest, 9 years; 12 234 patient-years). Rates of the primary end point (hazard ratio, 1.06; 95% confidence interval, 0.88-1.28), fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction (hazard ratio, 1.25; 95% confidence interval, 0.89-1.75), death, and class IV heart failure were similar for the percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and medical therapy alone groups. No interactions between baseline characteristics and treatment group on outcomes were observed. The vast majority of patients at each follow-up visit did not report angina. There was less angina in the PCI group through early in follow-up; by 3 years, the between group difference was consistently <4 patients per 100 treated and not significantly different, although there was a trend toward less angina in the PCI group at 3 and 5 years. The 7-year rate of PCI of the infarct-related artery during follow-up was 11.1% for the PCI group compared with 14.7% for the medical therapy alone group (hazard ratio, 0.79; 95% confidence interval, 0.61-1.01; P=0.06). Conclusions--Extended follow-up of the OAT cohort provides robust evidence for no reduction of long-term rates of clinical events after routine PCI in stable patients with a totally occluded infarct-related artery and without severe inducible ischemia in the subacute phase after myocardial infarction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]