The American Journal of Medicine Blog

Although sudden cardiac death is a leading cause of death in the United States, most victims of sudden cardiac death are not identified as at risk prior to death. We sought to derive and validate a population-based risk score that predicts sudden cardiac death. Methods The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study recorded clinical measures […]

The role of physical activity in the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and survival in coronary heart disease is unclear. Our aim was to examine the isolated and combined associations among BMI, physical activity, and mortality in subjects with coronary heart disease. Methods A total of 6493 participants (34.4% were women) with coronary heart […]

Coffee and tea are 2 of the most commonly consumed beverages in the world. The association of coffee and tea intake with coronary artery calcium and major adverse cardiovascular events remains uncertain. Methods We examined 6508 ethnically diverse participants with available coffee and tea data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Intake for each was […]

  A 39-year-old man with unremarkable past medical history, but with a positive family history for coronary artery disease, was admitted to the hospital because of persistent arterial hypertension and sudden-onset chest pain in the mid-substernal region with neck radiation. Assessment Results from physical examination were unremarkable. The 12-lead electrocardiogram and the cardiac biomarkers were […]

  In one memorable case, the patient’s attire told physicians more about his health than the initial interview and physical examination. A 65-year-old veteran with a history of dyslipidemia, hypothyroidism, and post-traumatic stress disorder presented for a routine primary care visit and had no symptoms. He specifically denied having any chest pain. Assessment When asked […]

  Epidemiological studies have shown a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality associated with early menopause, but the relation between menopausal age and extent of coronary artery disease after menopause is unknown. We assessed the relation between menopausal age and extent of coronary disease in postmenopausal women with an acute coronary syndrome. Methods A prospective study […]