Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0034065 (pulmonary embolism)
 14,979 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Aspirin and the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been commercially available for decades, and their ability to reduce pain and inflammation are well known. The ability of these agents to cause adverse effects are also known, and the search for newer NSAIDs with less side effects accelerated after the two isoforms of cyclooxygenase (COX) (COX-1 and COX-2) were discovered. The selective COX-2 inhibitors seem to have equivalent efficacy, but potentially less gastrointestinal adverse effects than the traditional NSAIDs. Recent concern that the selective COX-2 inhibitors could increase cardiovascular events requires more investigation. In the meantime, aspirin continues to receive attention as a potential primary cardiovascular agent because of its antiplatelet effects and past and current clinical trials. Several trials have demonstrated that low-dose aspirin may significantly reduce the risk of myocardial infarction and other cardiovascular events. However, the benefits of aspirin need to be weighed against its primary side effect in these situations (hemorrhagic stroke). Patients at low risk for future cardiovascular events are probably not good candidates for this therapy; however, those individuals with a high risk of a future cardiovascular event may qualify for this therapy. Aspirin has also demonstrated a potential ability to reduce the risk of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. A recent large trial of low-dose aspirin after major surgery revealed that this agent could also have some activity in the venous component of the human body. Aspirin may also have some applicability for reducing side effects of oral estrogens in men with advanced prostate cancer. Thus, it seems as if aspirin, NSAIDS, and even the selective COX-2 inhibitors may have therapeutic potential far beyond reducing pain and general inflammation. These overall observations and effects provided some of the impetus to investigate their potential ability to reduce the risk and possibly progression of a number of cancers. A few already available over-the-counter products and prescriptions seem to be receiving attention as possible anticancer agents.
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PMID:An introduction to aspirin, NSAIDs, and COX-2 inhibitors for the primary prevention of cardiovascular events and cancer and their potential preventive role in bladder carcinogenesis: part I. 1176 81

A 62-year-old man with a past medical history notable for hypertension, osteoarthritis, and calf deep vein thrombosis at age 55 following a total hip arthroplasty presents to the emergency department with acute-onset dyspnea and right-sided pleuritic chest pains. His medications consist of a calcium channel blocker and a COX-2 inhibitor. Pretest clinical suspicion for pulmonary embolism (PE) is high. Ventilation and perfusion lung scintigraphy are interpreted as being high-probability for PE. The nurse asks if a stat transthoracic echocardiogram should be ordered.
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PMID:Patients with acute pulmonary embolism should have an echocardiogram to guide treatment decisions. 1468 Mar 5

This review summarizes and critically appraises important and clinically relevant publications dealing with postoperative pain therapy. Several consequences can be drawn from these studies: i) women anticipate postoperative pain more realistically and it occurs more often than in man; however, pain intensity and analgesic consumption are not different; ii) placebos elicit psychological phenomena (e. g. expectation) that trigger neurobiological processes (e. g. activation of endogenous opioid system); iii) COX-2 inhibitors increase the risk for thromboembolic complications (e. g. myocardial infarction, apoplex, pulmonary embolism) and perioperative mortality in patients undergoing aortocoronary bypass surgery; iv) NSAID as supplement to postoperative PCIA with opioids reduce the risk for PONV and sedation; v) preoperative administration of gabapentin reduces preoperative anxiety and postoperative pain; vi) epidural catheters situated at the site of major spinal surgery are promising approach to provide efficient postoperative analgesia; vii) in the literature contradictory results have been reported regarding the effect of perioperative acupuncture on intra- and postoperative consumption of anesthetics or analgesics; acupuncture appears to decrease the incidence of PONV, but no reduction in the postoperative use of antiemetic agents has not been shown yet; viii) laparoscopic versus open colectomy in patients with colon carcinoma results in prolongation of surgery, reduction of postoperative pain and analgesics, earlier mobilization and a reduced hospital stay, if conventional systemic opioid-based pain therapy was used postoperatively.
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PMID:[New aspects in postoperative pain therapy]. 1655 49