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Atrial fibrillation Doctoring

Shocking AF — What’s the rush?

This post is in introduction to my most recent column over at Trials and Fibrillations on Medscape | Cardiology. If I had just one thing to say to patients and doctors about the disease atrial fibrillation it would be this: Be as scared of AF treatment as you are of the disease. Yes, it is […]

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Atrial fibrillation Dabigatran/Rivaroxaban/Apixaban General Cardiology

The new blood thinners and personal accountability

I recently came across a very important blog post on the use of the novel new blood-thinner, dabigatran (Pradaxa). Fellow Kentucky cardiologist, and frequent TheHeart.org contributor, Dr. Melissa Walton-Shirley wrote this very detailed case presentation involving a cantankerous non-compliant rural patient with AF (atrial fibrillation) that sustained a stroke while “taking” dabigatran. Dr. Walton-Shirley details […]

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Atrial fibrillation Doctoring Health Care Reform

I confess: mindless medical forms and I do not get along…

It’s official. It now takes longer to do all the necessary forms, than to do a simple cardiac procedure, like a cardio-version. Seeing the patient, administering a sedative, and delivering a synchronized shock that converts AF to regular rhythm takes just a few minutes. However, in 2010 (in all hospitals), the number of forms has […]