A 27-year-old man presents to the ED with a 2-day history of hyperemesis with hematemesis. The patient drank 21 cans of beer 3 days ago; his history reveals that he has vomited 30 times in the past 24 hours. What is the underlying etiology? eMedicine Case Presentations
The Medicines Company has announced that the US FDA has approved its intravenous antihypertensive clevidipine, which is the first new IV drug for high blood pressure in 10 years. Heartwire
In his Video Blog, Dr. Henry Black reviews how long diuretics have served as antihypertensive therapy, why, and whether they still should have a central role. Medscape Cardiology
Presented with hypothetical treatment choices, many HF patients would sacrifice some days alive to feel better in the meantime; surprisingly, perhaps, a lot of those patients are only in the early stages of their disease. Heartwire
The US FDA has approved the first combination of an angiotensin receptor blocker--valsartan--with a calcium blocker--amlodipine--for the initial treatment of hypertension. The product, known as Exforge, was first cleared for marketing last year. Heartwire
The Ex-STAND Study showed that amlodipine and valsartan were well tolerated and lowered blood pressure in blacks more effectively than did amlodipine monotherapy. Medscape Medical News
Rapid and accurate detection of aortic dissection is critical to managing patients with chest pain or suspected ACS in the ED. Are serum D-dimer levels a safe and effective measure to "rule out" AD? Medscape Emergency Medicine
The American Heart Association has issued a scientific statement on ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in children and adolescents, providing a blueprint for how this technique should be used. Medscape Medical News
