Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained rhythm disorder observed in clinical practice and predominantly associated with cardiovascular disorders such as coronary heart disease and hypertension. However, several classes of drugs may induce AF in patients without apparent heart disease or may precipitate the onset of AF in patients with preexisting heart disease. We reviewed the lit...

Recurrent Respiratory Tract Infections (RRTIs) are one of the most commonly occurring diseases and are typically associated with early childhood [1]. According to epidemiological studies, approximately 6% of children between 2−6 years suffer from RRTIs [2,3]. Due to their high incidence, RRTIs have an important socio-economic impact (affecting quality of life, causing absences from school and l...

ABSTRACT Community-acquired respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are prevalent conditions in the U.S. and represent a major burden in health care. This article provides an overview of empirical antibiotic treatment options for patients with communityacquired RTIs, including newer classes of agents, such as the respiratory fluoroquinolones and the ketolides. We also discuss the clinical and econo...

In previous works, we have developed a novel class of agents called expert system agents. We have presented applications of the expert system agents in medicine. The medical expert system agents eliminate some disadvantages of the medical expert systems. The possibility to use medical expert system agents in flexible hybrid medical diagnosis systems proves practically their intelligence. In thi...

Progress in the development of antivirals for non-influenza respiratory viruses has been slow with the result that many unmet medical needs and few approved agents currently exist. This commentary selectively reviews examples of where specific agents have provided promising clinical benefits in selected target populations and also considers potential therapeutics for emerging threats like the S...

Recurrent wheezing (RW) has a significant impact on infants, caregivers, and society, but morbidity and related medical resource utilization (MRU) have not been thoroughly explored. The burden of RW needs to be documented with population-based data. The objective was to assess the characteristics, medical management, and MRU of RW infants identified from national claims data. Infants aged from ...