Beware of the “Highly Sensitive” Troponin

  • Post category:Cardiology

In 2009, “highly sensitive” troponin assays became available. These assays can detect the presence of troponin at much lower serum levels compared to traditional troponin assays. “Highly sensitive” troponins have a higher sensitivity and negative predictive value, but lower specificity, when compared with traditional troponin assays.

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Be Cautious Diagnosing Anxiety and Panic Disorder in Patients with Chest Pain and Anxiety

Patients with acute life-threatening cardiac or pulmonary conditions frequently present with feelings of panic or impending doom in association with chest pain. This may even be in the setting of a stressful situation and mislead the EP to feel confident that anxiolytic therapy and reassurance is all that may be needed.

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Benzodiazepines – Summary

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Biotransformation and Rate of Elimination od Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines modify affective responses to sensory perceptions; specifically, they render a subject indifferent towards anxiogenic stimuli, i.e., anxiolytic action. Furthermore, benzodiazepines exert sedating, anticonvulsant, and muscle-relaxant (myotonolytic) effects.

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Antiepileptics – Summary

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Drugs used in the Treatment and Prophylaxis of Epilepsy (Antiepileptics)

In specific forms of epilepsy, initially a single drug is tried to achieve control of seizures, valproate usually being the drug of first choice in generalized seizures, and carbamazepine being preferred for partial (focal), especially partial complex, seizures.

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