Virtual Mentor. October 2010, Volume 12, Number 10: 773-837. Full Issue PDF

October 2010 Contents

Ethical Challenges in Modern Cardiovascular Medicine

Ethics Poll

Which of the following do you think contributes most to heart and cardiovascular disease?
Lifestyle (e.g., diet, lack of exercise, smoking).
Genetic make-up.
Lifestyle and genetic make-up in equal parts.
Other contributors (e.g., acquired, non-lifestyle-related conditions).
Don't know.

With a host of drugs and surgical procedures, medical science can now either prevent or diagnose, manage, repair, or replace just about anything that goes wrong with the heart and cardiovascular system. Still heart disease remains the number one killer of U.S. adults. Check the two factors that you think are most responsible for this statistic.
American preference for shorter pleasure-filled lives over longer lives with dietary restrictions and exercise regimens.
Prohibitive cost of adequate health care.
Inadequate education; people don't know how to protect their health and prevent illness.
Sedentary lifestyle.
Inadequate screening and undiscovered disease and malfunction.
Drug company interest in treating illness, not preventing it.
Absence of government regulation to enforce better lifestyle.
Overtreatment; too many procedures and medications lead to treating of symptoms rather than illness, more hospitalizations, complications, and death.
Shortage of hearts for transplantation.
Basic wear and tear on the heart and cardiovascular system.

From the Editor

New Clinical Powers, New Ethical Questions
George L. Anesi
Full Text | PDF
Virtual Mentor. 2010; 12:775-777.

Educating for Professionalism

Clinical Cases

Infective Endocarditis in the Intravenous Drug User
Commentary by James N. Kirkpatrick
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Virtual Mentor. 2010; 12:778-781.

Pediatric Obesity, Statin Use, and the Goals of Medicine
Commentary by Karen Uhlenhuth, Angira Patel, and John Lantos
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Virtual Mentor. 2010; 12:782-785.

Cardiac Catheterization and Defensive Medicine
Commentary by Crystal E. Brown and David R. Brush
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Virtual Mentor. 2010; 12:786-789.

The Code Says

AMA Code of Medical Ethics’ Opinion on Disparities in Health Care
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Virtual Mentor. 2010; 12:790-791.

Journal Discussion

Dissecting Health Disparities in Cardiology Patients
Katherine R. Schlosser and George L. Anesi
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Virtual Mentor. 2010; 12:792-795.

Clinical Pearl

Diagnosing and Treating Acute Infective Endocarditis
Arash Aghel and Sri Madan Mohan
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Virtual Mentor. 2010; 12:796-799.

Law, Policy, and Society

Health Law

Testing Manufacturer Liability in FDA-Approved Device Malfunction
Ryan Bailey and Kristin E. Schleiter
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Virtual Mentor. 2010; 12:800-803.

Policy Forum

Trans Fats, the Rational Consumer, and the Role of Government
Mark E. Votruba
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Virtual Mentor. 2010; 12:804-811.

Medicine and Society

The Personal, Social, and Economic Determinants of Cardiovascular Disease
Jane S. Jue
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Virtual Mentor. 2010; 12:812-817.

“For Me There Is No Substitute”—Authenticity, Uniqueness, and the Lessons of Lipitor
Jeremy A. Greene
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Virtual Mentor. 2010; 12:818-823.

History, Art, and Narrative

One Millimeter
Sarah Cross
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Virtual Mentor. 2010; 12:824.

The Heart
Stephanie King
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Virtual Mentor. 2010; 12:825.

Resources

Suggested Readings and Resources
PDF
Virtual Mentor. 2010; 12:826-834.

About the Contributors
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Virtual Mentor. 2010; 12:835-837.

© 2010 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.