Cardiology

In the conclusion of this case study, George Bakris, MD, discusses proper treatment of resistant hypertension and the importance of ruling out "pseudo-resistance."

George Bakris, MD, introduces the case of a 54-year-old man who presents to the emergency room and appears to have resistant hypertension.

In the conclusion of this case study, George Bakris, MD, discusses proper treatment of resistant hypertension and the importance of ruling out "pseudo-resistance."

George Bakris, MD, introduces the case of a 54-year-old man who appears to have resistant hypertension.

Hypertension remains a major figure in the long list of clinical issues facing patients and clinicians. To discuss its management, we recently convened three of the nation’s leading hypertension specialists. In the first part of their discussion, they addressed current treatment standards.

In the second part of their discussion on managing hypertension, our panelists addressed the need for lifestyle modification and whether physicians treating hypertension should be paid based on performance.

In the last part of their discussion, our panelists talked about drug therapy, including when multiple medications should be used and whether medication should be altered based on the patient's gender or race.

Barbara Yawn, MD, introduces the case of a 68-year-old man with COPD and diabetes.

In the conclusion of this case study of a 68-year-old man with COPD and diabetes, Barbara Yawn, MD, proceeds to physical examination and treatment recommendations.

Although some believe that insulin is the gold standard for treating type 2 diabetes, Harold Lebovitz, MD, of SUNY Health Sciences Center, Brooklyn, says that is not necessarily the case.

Guidelines and goals play a key role in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, but they must be tailored to the needs of individual patients. The bottom line, according to Yehuda Handelsman, MD, is that no patient should register an increased glycemic level while in treatment.

Warfarin has long been the primary oral anticoagulant for reducing the risk of stroke and thromboembolisms. But a new generation of oral anticoagulants are beginning to change patient treatment.

Physicians report that many patients are "terrified" when they are diagnosed with diabetes because they liken it to a death sentence.

The term "prediabetes" was first coined in 1979 by the World Health Organization and the National Diabetes Data Group.

The A1C test measures the percentage of a patient's hemoglobin that is glycated. The higher the A1C level, the poorer the patient's glycemic control and the higher their risk of diabetes-related complications.

In November, the patent protection of the statin Lipitor, the world’s best-selling drug, is set to expire. It has been reported that Lipitor's maker, Pfizer, may seek permission to sell an over-the-counter version of the drug. We asked Jan Basile, MD, of the Medical University of South Carolina, for his thoughts on the matter.

Even when the course of treatment for type 2 diabetes clear, it can be difficult to get patients to follow it. Patient education plays a key role and others have advocated pay-for-performance programs for physicians.