Medical Practice

Clinical stories and reflections on evidence-based medicine, research, and patient care.

Angioplasty

One way to see the chorus of emergency angioplasty treatment of acute heart attack is with awe. Another is with utter frustration—because in most cases it is unnecessary- John Mandrola recently summed up beautifully. A 2014 population based study from Sweden (J Am Coll Cardiol 2014; 64:1299-1306) shows that if people eat less, walk more, … Read more

iPad at the point of care

Smartphones and iPads are the future of medicine.  In 2004 we introduced hospital information system in our teaching hospital. We realized that one day, we shall move from the desktops to the laptops, and subsequently to iPads and smartphones. Digital technology, to be effective, needs to be at the point of care. It cannot distance … Read more

On being a patient

Worldwide, an estimated three million coronary angiograms and angioplasties are performed each year. These interventions are used to look for blockages in coronary arteries and to open them with balloons and stents. Global Industry Analysts (2011) predict that by the year 2017, the global market of coronary angioplasty products is likely to be close to US$ 1.84 … Read more