			Home About us Contact

Disease Interventions (disease + intervention)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	75%

Selected Abstracts

A Comparison of Echocardiographic Modalities to Guide Structural Heart Disease Interventions

JOURNAL OF INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 6 2008
PAUL A. HUDSON M.D.
Percutaneous techniques to treat structural heart disease are rapidly evolving based on innovative interventions and the considerable advancement in image guidance technology. While two-dimensional transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography have been integral to procedural planning and execution, intracardiac and three-dimensional echocardiography supply unique visualization of target structures with a potential improvement in patient safety and procedural efficacy. The choice of image guidance modality is based on specific differences between imaging systems, as well as other variables including cost, patient safety, operator expertise, and complexity of procedure. We will compare the adjunctive imaging tools for structural heart disease interventions, with a focus on intracardiac echocardiography and real-time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography. [source]

How to Achieve Confidence in Drug Discovery and Development: Managing Risk (from a Reductionist to a Holistic Approach)

CHEMMEDCHEM, Issue 6 2009
Annette Bakker Dr.
Abstract Confidence in mechanism: Creating a more holistic understanding of disease pathophysiology and an early confidence in the mechanism under investigation could help facilitate the selection of not only the most appropriate targets but also the best mechanisms for disease intervention and how to select and optimise the best compounds. Drug target and candidate selection are two of the key decision points within the drug discovery process for which all companies use certain selection criteria to make decisions on which targets to accept into their discovery pipelines and which compounds will pass into development. These steps not only help define the overall productivity of every company but they are also decisions taken without full predictive knowledge of the risks that lie ahead or how best to manage them. In particular, the process of selecting new targets does not normally involve full evaluation of the risk(s) in the mechanism under investigation (the modulation of the target), which may result in an inability to fully connect in,vitro and animal model results to the disease (clinical) setting. The resulting poor progression statistics of many compounds in the clinic is at least partially the result of a lack of understanding of disease pathophysiology. Notably, the lack of efficacy is still a major reason for failure in the clinic.1 Creating a more holistic understanding of disease pathophysiology and an early confidence in the mechanism under investigation could help facilitate the selection of not only the most appropriate targets but also the best mechanisms for disease intervention and how to select and optimise the best compounds. [source]

A Comparison of Echocardiographic Modalities to Guide Structural Heart Disease Interventions

Trends in chronic disease mortality in the Northern Territory Aboriginal population, 1997-2004: using underlying and multiple causes of death

AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 6 2009
Emily Fearnley
Abstract Objective: To assess trends in chronic disease mortality in the Aboriginal population of the Northern Territory (NT), using both underlying and multiple causes of death. Method: Death registration data from 1997 to 2004, were used for the analysis of deaths from five chronic diseases; ischaemic heart disease (IHD), diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), renal failure and stroke. Negative binomial regression models were used to estimate the average annual change in mortality rates for each of the five diseases. Chi squared tests were conducted to determine associations between the five diseases. Results: The five chronic diseases contributed to 49.3% of all Aboriginal deaths in the NT. The mortality rate ratio of NT Aboriginal to all Australian death rates from each of the diseases ranged from 4.3 to 13.0, with the lowest rate ratio for stroke and highest for diabetes. There were significant statistical associations between IHD, diabetes, renal failure and stroke. The mortality rates for diabetes, COPD and stroke declined at estimated annual rates for NT Aboriginal males of 3.6%, 1.0% and 11.7% and for Aboriginal females by 3.5%, 6.1% and 7.1% respectively. There were increases in mortality rates for Aboriginal males and females for IHD and a mixed result for renal failure. Conclusion: NT Aboriginal people experience high chronic disease mortality, however, mortality rates appear to be declining for diabetes, COPD and stroke. The impact of chronic disease on mortality is greater than previously reported by using a single underlying cause of death. The results highlight the importance of integrated chronic disease interventions. [source]