Surgical Incisions
Keywords sternotomy, partial sternotomy, lateral anterolateral thoracotomy, posterolateral thoracotomy ◆ The median sternotomy was reintroduced by Julian in 1957, which was already described by Milton in 1897. The median…
ACC/AHA 2007 Guidelines for the Management of Patients with Unstable Angina/Non–ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction—A Summary Article
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death in the United States. Unstable angina (UA) and the closely related condition of non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) are common…
The Modern Cardiac Care Unit
In many ways, the cardiac care unit (CCU) will be a center of convergence for the population and economic trends relating to health care in our society. Our longevity continues…
Diagnosis and Treatment of Non–ST-Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndromes: European Society of Cardiology Guidelines
The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) published new guidelines for the management of non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS) in June 2007. This is the third edition of guidelines to be…
Dietary Intervention in Coronary Care Units and in Secondary Prevention
Secondary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD) should be initiated promptly after the first clinical manifestation of CHD; in patients with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS), it is during the…
Exercise Training After an Acute Coronary Syndrome
Clinical Benefits Numerous publications have documented the efficacy of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) after myocardial infarction (MI) or coronary artery bypass surgery. Because most studies published were underpowered to detect…
The Patient with Disabling [Refractory] Angina Not Amenable to Revascularization Procedures
The number of patients with disabling angina who are not amenable to revascularization is growing progressively. A majority of these patients have undergone at least one coronary artery bypass procedure…
Revascularization in Non–ST-Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome—For Whom, When, and How?
The manifestations of ischemia in non–ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (ACS), are caused by a severe flow-limiting stenosis or occlusion of a coronary artery. In the majority of cases there are…
Bleeding in the Acute Coronary Syndromes
The mortality rate from coronary heart disease (CHD) in the United States has decreased 40% over the past two decades. About half of this mortality benefit is attributed to advancements…
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention and Concomitant Antithrombotic Therapy
Interventional cardiology has evolved significantly since the first percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) was performed in 1977. Advances in stent technology, delivery systems, and peri-procedural medical therapy have significantly improved…
