Clinical cardiology news, articles, trials & opinions | theheart.org

New guidance for young people with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome

Mon, 14 May 2012 10:00:11 EDT

The "first-of-its-kind" consensus statement should help clarify which young people should undergo catheter ablation, authors of the document say.

Data gathering for Sunshine Act delayed

Fri, 11 May 2012 17:15:19 EDT

The CMS says that drug and device makers will not have to start collecting data on payments to physicians until 2013.

Moderate coffee intake protects against stroke

Fri, 11 May 2012 15:45:51 EDT

A new meta-analysis finds that one to three cups of coffee a day may reduce the risk of stroke in the general population and that an even higher intake of up to six cups a day also seems to offer some protection.

Telemonitoring by pharmacists boosts BP control

Thu, 10 May 2012 15:45:00 EDT

Initial findings from a US study employing an unusual approach to blood-pressure management—whereby pharmacists monitor patients by phone and can make alterations to their therapy—are proving encouraging.

Pfizer stops promoting Lipitor in US

Thu, 10 May 2012 11:30:21 EDT

The product lost its patent protection in the US last November.

Waist-hip ratio excels at SCD risk prediction in ARIC cohort

Thu, 10 May 2012 08:45:07 EDT

Greater waist-to-hip ratio—but not two more common obesity measures—meant a higher sudden death risk independently of diabetes, CV disease, and heart failure in the community-based cohort study.

Cheese, please: Could a little Grana Padano drop your BP?

Fri, 04 May 2012 16:15:25 EDT

Contrary to the idea that cheese, conventionally quite high in sodium and fat, is not that good for cardiovascular health, a small Italian study finds that Grana Padano might lower blood pressure.

WHF defends Dubai WCC, reimburses Israelis denied visas

Fri, 04 May 2012 13:35:21 EDT

The World Heart Federation is apologizing to Israeli cardiologists who, at the last minute, were denied visas to attend the WCC 2012 in Dubai. One of the Israelis who attended, however, has spoken out to clarify that he and his colleagues "only have good words to say" about their visit to the Emirate city.

More adverse events seen on dabigatran vs warfarin

Fri, 04 May 2012 13:15:32 EDT

UPDATED // A new study in patents switched from warfarin to dabigatran has shown a high rate of events necessitating discontinuation of the new drug.

Anhedonia, not depression or anxiety, linked with death following ACS

Fri, 04 May 2012 11:45:11 EDT

A psychological condition that results in a loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities, anhedonia is associated with an increased long-term risk of death in patients with ACS, new research shows.

Lifestyle-based primary-prevention program results in weight loss, other changes

Fri, 04 May 2012 10:00:27 EDT

The multidisciplinary program includes physicians, nurses, physical-activity specialists, social workers, dieticians, and targeted patients referred by family physicians as high risk for cardiovascular events based on their risk-factor profile.

New ESC cardiovascular disease guidelines emphasize primary prevention

Thu, 03 May 2012 14:00:21 EDT

The guidelines are intended to keep the car engine running before any problems occur, according to the experts. Prevention and education should ideally start with young parents and continues with children through kindergarten and as they advance through the school system. For adults, secondary prevention can be coordinated through nurse-based activities and by the efforts of general practitioners and cardiologists.

Energy drinks up BP and heart rate; calls for regulation

Thu, 03 May 2012 12:00:00 EDT

UPDATED WITH COMMENTARY // A small study illustrates that energy drinks can cause increased blood pressure, tachycardia, and arrhythmias, with those who consume these beverages on a habitual basis being most at risk. The author calls for more research and believes sales of these products should be regulated.

Ideal blood-pressure goals? "We have no idea"

Wed, 02 May 2012 14:00:36 EDT

Evidence is lacking for many of the issues that need to be addressed in the field of hypertension, not least the ideal blood-pressure goal for different groups of individuals, experts told the ESH meeting this past weekend.

More data support pulse oximetry in newborns

Tue, 01 May 2012 18:30:00 EDT

Review of data on the test in 230�000 babies provides "compelling evidence" for its use for screening for congenital heart defects in clinical practice.

Mixed findings with vitamin D in hypertension

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:30:18 EDT

A small, short-term study looking at the effects of high-dose vitamin D on blood pressure in hypertensive subjects in Denmark during the winter months has shown somewhat discrepant results.

Friend or foe? Uric acid a "probable cause" of CVD

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:00:47 EDT

Using a unique approach, Israeli researchers have shown that people with so-called "normal" levels of uric acid have a 50% higher risk of hypertension and an almost doubling of diabetes, compared with those with naturally very low uric-acid levels.

Rise of "hard-core" smokers warrants tailored approaches

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:30:11 EDT

Tobacco-control legislation, a powerful tool for reducing the number of smokers the world over, may also have the unintended consequences of driving up the numbers of so-called "hard-core smokers"—long-term smokers who say they've never attempted to quit and have no intention of trying to do so.

Both hyper- and hypothyroidism linked to CV events

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:00:39 EDT

Treatment of hypothyroidism with levothyroxine may reduce this risk, at least in younger patients, new data suggest.

Cardiologists still earning big bucks, but work frustration abounds

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EDT

US cardiologists earned an average of $314�000 in 2011, with the highest earners being cardiologists working in a single-specialty group practice. Of the responders to the Medscape survey, 54% of cardiologists felt they were inadequately compensated, and just 13% considered themselves wealthy. Only 50% would choose cardiology if they had the chance to select their specialty again.

Raise the bar for starting primary prevention, cardiologists argue

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:00:46 EDT

When primary prevention is launched prior to prospective trials evaluating hard outcomes, there remains a possibility that the campaign is instituted in error, authors of a new paper argue, citing niacin, fenofibrate, torcetrapib, and ezetimibe all as evidence in support of their thesis.

Diabetes/statin link probed in EFFECT cohort

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:00:44 EDT

Digging into five years' worth of follow-up data, investigators found no differences in new-onset diabetes related to statin dose.

ACE inhibitors better ARBs in new meta-analysis in hypertensives

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:45:41 EDT

UPDATED WITH COMMENTARY // ACE inhibitors reduced deaths by 10% in a new meta-analysis in hypertensive patients already receiving good, contemporary therapy. In contrast, ARBs had a neutral effect on all-cause mortality. The researchers say the findings provide additional support for the use of ACE inhibitors as first-line treatment for high blood pressure.

Cutting, taxing salt would trim CVD deaths by 3% in half the world

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:30:10 EDT

A new study modeling the impact of a mere 10% reduction in sodium content in processed foods, combined with adding a 40% tax to salty products in 19 low- and middle-income countries, could lead to 250�000 fewer deaths per year.

Lung cancer? Yep, but smokers, globally, are less aware of CVD risks

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:30:10 EDT

Even more striking, smokers were largely unaware that secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart disease and stroke among nonsmokers, a number that spiked even higher when nonsmokers were questioned.

XAMOS: Rivaroxaban in real-world orthopedic prophylaxis

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:45:30 EDT

The trial is said to confirm the benefits shown in the RECORD phase 3 trial program.

TIPS 2: Full-dose polypill boosts efficacy, with no increased side effects

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 09:15:07 EDT

The polypill tested in the large, primary-prevention TIPS trial included half-dose formulations of blood-pressure and lipid-lowering drugs, in the hopes of boosting tolerance. Now TIPS 2 shows that a full-dose combination may be feasible in secondary prevention.

AHA: No evidence that gum disease causes CHD

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EDT

A new scientific statement from the American Heart Association pours cold water on the idea that periodontal disease contributes to atherosclerotic vascular disease.

Tough sell: WCC 2012 course coaxes trainees toward preventive cardiology

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:15:57 EDT

How to convince young doctors to get involved in CVD prevention, when other areas of cardiology are so alluring—and more lucrative? That's a central conundrum underpinning a trainee course that kicked off this year's meeting, in a region where soaring CV risk factors make it a life-and-death question.

No mortality risk for losartan vs candesartan seen in heart failure

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 10:00:24 EDT

UPDATED WITH COMMENTARY // Nothing is rotten in the state of Denmark when it comes to the ARB losartan, compared with candesartan, in patients with heart failure—unlike what had seemed true in Sweden.

FDA adds VTE risk to drospirenone BCP labels

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:15:49 EDT

Despite inconsistent epidemiologic studies, the FDA has concluded that drospirenone-containing oral contraceptives may be linked to a higher risk of venous thromboembolism.

Hospitals launch medical practices to lure well-insured

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EDT

America's hospitals are busier than ever expanding into new and affluent geographic markets to lure well-insured patients, a strategy that could drive up costs as well as jeopardize independent physician practices, according to a new study.

Incomplete revascularization makes for worse outcomes out to one year

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 16:00:09 EDT

The residual SYNTAX score, which is derived from the SYNTAX score used to assess coronary anatomic severity and complexity and calculated after coronary revascularization, was a strong predictor of mortality, MI, and ischemic target lesion revascularization, report investigators.

Dr Gary Gibbons named director of the NHLBI

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 11:30:00 EDT

Currently at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Gibbons will begin his new role as director of the NHLBI this summer. He is taking over for Dr Susan Shurin, who was named acting director after Dr Elizabeth Nabel left in January 2010.

Cancer diagnosis ups risk of CV death, suicide

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:30:00 EDT

A diagnosis of cancer can be so traumatic it can trigger adverse health consequences apart from the cancer, including cardiovascular death.

Mitral regurgitation: Early hazard, later gains following TAVI

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EDT

Mortality in the first 30 days is higher among patients with moderate to severe mitral regurgitation undergoing transcatheter valve implantation. After the first month, however, MR tends to be diminished, supporting a role for TAVI in this high-risk group.

Medical societies list 45 dubious tests, therapies

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EDT

The American College of Cardiology is one of nine societies that each identified five tests and procedures that are common but often unnecessary, running up the cost of care and sometimes harming a patient's health.

heartwire's Lisa Nainggolan picks up AHCJ award

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 14:15:00 EDT

Nainggolan's feature story "Lost in transition: The looming epidemic of grown-up congenital heart disease" has placed third in the Association of Health Care Journalists' annual journalism awards in the trade-publication category.

Longer HF hospitalizations cut risk of readmission in analysis

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:45:09 EDT

Within and outside the US, hospital length of stay was inversely related to 30-day readmissions. But another country had both the longest hospitalizations and the lowest readmission rate.

Oral anticoagulants in the real world: Bleeding rates and medical costs compared

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 11:45:35 EDT

Two separate experiences with dabigatran from different US centers showing very different results, and new cost-effectiveness analyses with the new drugs were reported in a poster session at last week's ACC meeting.

New oral anticoagulants in AF: What to do in clinical practice

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:45:51 EDT

In a talk entitled "Putting it all together: What should we do now?" Prof John Camm attempted to make some recommendations on how the new drugs should be incorporated into clinical practice.

ASCERT CABG, PCI analysis: Lower mortality with surgery

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EDT

UPDATED WITH COMMENTARY // Four-year survival was significantly better with bypass surgery than PCI for patients with two- and three-vessel stable CAD. Did the analysis adequately control for risk, or does that miss the point?

ISSUE-3: DDD pacing can help suppress asystolic neurally mediated syncope

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:10:00 EDT

Patient selection was likely the key to the success of pacemaker therapy, according to researchers: all randomized patients had shown what was considered likely to be that form of syncope during implantable-loop-recorder monitoring.

EINSTEIN PE: Rivaroxaban equals standard therapy, halves major bleeding

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:00:17 EDT

The new oral factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban proved equivalent to standard care of LMWH plus vitamin-K antagonist for the treatment of acute pulmonary embolism in the EINSTEIN PE study reported today. The new drug also halved major bleeds, in particular the troublesome intracranial hemorrhage, said the investigator. Commentators said they eagerly await cost-effectiveness data.

STAMPEDE: Bariatric surgery betters standard diabetes treatment in the obese

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 11:30:00 EDT

UPDATED // Findings from two randomized trials showed that bariatric surgery was considerably better than traditional medical therapy for controlling type 2 diabetes in obese patients, independent of weight loss. But critics caution that much longer-term data are needed—to show actual changes in the serious complications of diabetes in years to come—before this "huge intervention" can be considered as a valid treatment for the condition.

MI in pregnancy "a different entity"

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 07:30:14 EDT

MI in pregnancy or in the postpartum period creates a host of issues that are different from a conventional heart attack, data from a new survey of such cases show.

Renal-denervation debate centers on response time

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:30:00 EDT

CORRECTED // A session updating attendees on the latest findings from studies on renal denervation for severe resistant hypertension attracted much attention today.

Black and white athletes need separate screening guidelines

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 17:30:04 EDT

Preparticipation cardiac screening for athletes leads too many false positives, especially in black athletes, so a group in England has refined the screening process to account for racial differences in training-related cardiac changes that are sometimes mistaken for dangerous heart conditions.

BRIDGE ACS: Quality initiative leads to more evidence-based ACS care

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EDT

BRIDGE-ACS evaluated how a coordinated education strategy could improve the Brazilian hospitals' adherence to evidence-based medicine for acute coronary syndromes.

TRA 2�P-TIMI 50: Future possible for vorapaxar in patients with prior MI?

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EDT

UPDATED WITH COMMENTARY // The novel antiplatelet agent may have a net clinical benefit in selected secondary-prevention patients, particularly those with a prior MI without a history of stroke or TIA and who weigh over 60 kg. But many experts not involved in the trial were concerned about the bleeding risk with the drug, with suggestions that it may not be suitable for general availability.

Cardiologists are happy(ish), married non-tweeters, survey reveals

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 17:00:00 EDT

Cardiologists, for the most part, drive Japanese cars, believe in a higher power, and are moderately savvy when it comes to social media. Those are just some of the cardiology pearls from a recent "lifestyle survey" of physicians.

Poor prognosis for big between-arm BP differences in primary care

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:30:29 EDT

The first research to look specifically at how interarm differences in systolic blood pressure in a primary-care setting relate to future outcomes has found that those with a double-digit difference have a threefold increased risk of death over 10 years.

Another study questions epinephrine for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:30:00 EDT

Any short-term gains from giving the drug come with a high cost later, suggest adjusted analyses of a massive national CPR registry.

Renal patients with ACS don't benefit from antiplatelets

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 11:30:36 EDT

In the first-ever meta-analysis to mine antiplatelet trials for specific data on kidney-disease patients, researchers find that there is little evidence of benefit for agents such as clopidogrel in renal patients with acute coronary syndrome, but there is a risk of harm from major bleeding. Those at risk for or with stable coronary disease do appear to gain from antiplatelets, however, in the form of fewer MIs.

Nonphysicians pinpoint those at high CVD risk in rural India

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EDT

Employing nonphysician healthcare workers to go into villages in India, spot those at high risk of CVD, and recommend appropriate therapies holds promise as a way of tackling the CVD epidemic affecting the country, say the authors of a new study.

What's going to be hot at ACC 2012

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 14:00:51 EDT

There are 18 late-breaking clinical trials, many addressing unresolved issues with already-approved products or procedures. Outside the main tent, the program offers debates, live and taped cases, a new Q&A series with "legends" in cardiology, plus a novel gambit for attracting attendees to the exposition: a "thought leaders' theater" located in the exhibit hall.