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Article: What to Do When Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Climbs to 60%.(Statistical Data Included)
- Article from:
- Family Practice News
- Article date:
- April 1, 2000
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2000 International Medical News Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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SNOWMASS, CoLo. -- The unprecedented efficacy of [beta]-blockers in congestive heart failure has spawned a new dilemma: What do you do when the left ventricular ejection fraction of a formerly failing heart climbs to 60%?
This is becoming a not uncommon occurrence in clinical practice. No studies have addressed the issue of how to change management in response to such spectacular improvement, but it seems prudent not to mess with success, in the view of Dr. John S. Schroeder, professor of medicine at Stanford (Calif.) University.
"I believe in the theory that in most patients who are doing well, stopping diuretics is probably as far as we-should go. I'd ...