Comprehensive review of statin-intolerance and the practical application of Bempedoic Acid.

Statin-intolerance (SI) has prevalence between 8.0 % and 10 %, and muscular complaints are the most common reason for discontinuation. Bempedoic acid (BA), an ATP citrate lyase inhibitor, decreases hepatic generation of cholesterol, upregulates low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor expression in the liver, and eventually clears circulating LDL-cholesterol from the blood.

Trajectory of illness for patients with congestive heart failure.

Background And Objective: This study describes progression to death for patients with congestive heart failure (CHF).

Methods: We used SAS procedure Proc Traj to fit a semiparametric model to longitudinal data on prognosis of patients with CHF in the 12 months prior to death. Data were collected on 744 patients with CHF in 2010 at Bay Pines VA Healthcare System; 386 subjects had sufficient data points (minimum of five encounters) to trace their risk in 12 months prior to death.

Validity of Amino Terminal pro-Brain Natiuretic Peptide in a Medically Complex Elderly Population.

Background: The routine use of natiuretic peptides in severely dyspneic patients has recently been called into question. We hypothesized that the diagnostic utility of Amino Terminal pro Brain Natiuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) is diminished in a complex elderly population.

Methods: We studied 502 consecutive patients in whom NT-proBNP values were obtained to evaluate severe dyspnea in the emergency department.