With the recent rapid increase in obesity worldwide, metabolic syndrome (MetS) has gained significant importance. MetS is a cluster of obesity-related cardiovascular risk factors including abdominal obesity, atherogenic dyslipidemia, high blood pressure and impaired glucose tolerance. MetS is highly prevalent and strongly associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease, putting a great burden on human society. Therefore, it is very important to reduce MetS risk, which can improve patients’cardiovascular prognosis. The primary and most effective strategy to control each component of MetS is lifestyle change such as losing body weight, keeping regular exercise, adopting a healthy diet, quitting smoking and alcohol drinking in moderation. Many studies have shown that lifestyle modification has improved all components of MetS, and reduces the incidence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Here, the Korean Society of CardioMetabolic Syndrome has summarized specific and practical methods of lifestyle modification in the management of MetS in the healthcare field.

Background/Aims: Long-term benefit of vasodilating β-blockers is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the long-term benefit of vasodilating β-blockers over conventional β-blockers in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods: Using nationwide prospective multicenter Korean Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry data, we analyzed 3-year clinical outcomes of 7,269 patients with AMI who received percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and β-blocker therapy. Patients were classified according to treatment strategy (vasodilating β-blockers vs. conventional β-blockers). The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), and hospitalization for heart failure (HF) at 3 years. Secondary outcomes were each component of the primary outcome. Propensity score matching was performed to adjust for differences of baseline characteristics. Results: In 3,079 pairs (6,158 patients) of propensity score-matched patients, the primary outcome occurred significantly less in the vasodilating β-blockers group compared with the conventional β-blockers group (7.6% vs. 9.8%, p = 0.003). Among the secondary outcomes, cardiac death occurred significantly less in the vasodilating β-blockers group than in the conventional group (3.5% vs. 4.8%, p = 0.015). The incidence rates of MI (2.4% vs. 3.0%, p = 0.160) or hospitalization for HF (2.6% vs. 3.2%, p = 0.192) were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusions Vasodilating β-blocker therapy was associated with better clinical outcomes compared with conventional β-blocker therapy in AMI patients undergoing PCI during 3 years follow-up. Vasodilating β-blockers could be recommended preferentially for these patients.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of the sedative, analgesic, and hemodynamic effects of dexmedetomidine and midazolam for sedation after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: The adult patients undergoing elective CABG surgery under general anesthesia were randomly assigned to the dexmedetomidine (DEX) and midazolam (MDZ) groups. From the time of the sternal closure, dexmedetomidine (0.5–0.7 μg/kg/h) was continuously administered (DEX group), and midazolam (0.03–0.1 mg/kg) was administered by bolus (MDZ group). To maintain the target sedation level (Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale [RASS] range, −2 to −1) until extubation in the intensive care unit (ICU), continuous doses of dexmedetomidine were regulated and midazolam was administered intermittently. Sedation (RASS) and pain scores (visual analogue scale) and hemodynamic changes were recorded every two hours, until the end of the mechanical ventilation assistance after entering the ICU. RESULTS: The mean of the fraction within the target sedation level in each patient's total sedation time was 41.0% in the DEX group and 20.7% in the MDZ group (P = 0.026). In the DEX group, the RASS (P < 0.001) and cardiac index were lower (P = 0.047) than those in the MDZ group, but the other hemodynamic parameters and pain scores were not different. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that post-operative infusion of dexmedetomidine maintained a stable sedation without side effects in patients who underwent CABG surgery.
Adult ; Anesthesia, General ; Conscious Sedation ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Dexmedetomidine ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Midazolam ; Postoperative Care ; Respiration, Artificial ; Thoracic Surgery

BACKGROUND: Most patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) have a favorable prognosis. However, patients with DTC and initial distant metastasis have not been commonly found, and their clinical characteristics have seldom been reported. In this study, we analyzed the clinical features and prognosis of patients with DTC and initial distant metastasis in Korea. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 242 patients with DTC and initial distant metastasis treated from 1994 to 2013, collected from five tertiary hospitals in Korea. RESULTS: The patients' median age was 51 years, and 65% were women. They were followed for a median of 7 years. Lung was the most common site of distant metastasis: only lung 149 patients (62%), only bone 49 (20%), other single site one (pleura), and combined sites 43 (40 were lung and bone, two were bone and other site, and one was lung and other site). At the time of diagnosis, 50 patients (21%) had non-radioactive iodine (RAI) avidity. Five-year disease-specific survival (DSS) was 85% and 10-year DSS was 68%, which were better than those in previous studies. After multivariate analysis, old age, male sex, metastatic site, and histologic type (follicular type) were significant factors for poor prognosis. However, negative RAI avidity status was not a significant prognostic factor after adjusting for other variables. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of Korean patients with DTC and initial distant metastasis was better than in previous studies. Old age, male sex, metastasis site, and histologic type were significant prognostic factors.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Iodine ; Korea* ; Lung ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Prognosis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms*