In the 2013 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association Guideline (AHA) on the Treatment of Blood Cholesterol to Reduce Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Risk in Adults, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol treatment thresholds have been replaced with a focus on global risk. In this context, we re-examine the need for fasting lipid measurements in various clinical scenarios including estimating initial risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in a primary prevention patient; screening for familial lipid disorders in a patient with a strong family history of premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or genetic dyslipidemia; clarifying a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome so it can be used to make lifestyle counseling more effective; assessing residual risk in a treated patient; diagnosing and treating patients with suspected hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis; or diagnosing hypertriglyceridemia in patients who require therapy for other conditions that may further elevate triglycerides. Posing a specific question can aid the clinician in understanding when fasting lipids are needed and when nonfasting lipids are adequate.

Manufacturing industry techniques, such as Lean and Six Sigma, can be used to improve patient care, minimize waste, and enhance patient and staff satisfaction in outpatient clinics.

No abstract

No abstract

Emergency physician sonographers are able to detect RV dilation with good agreement when compared to cardiology. These results support the wider use of EP-performed FOCUS to evaluate for RV dilation in ED patients with dyspnea.