Prevention news, trials, articles & opinions | theheart.org

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.

BP and lipid tests in pharmacies could boost risk-factor control

Tue, 08 May 2012 14:15:25 EDT

A nationwide campaign in Portugal—whereby pharmacy customers were encouraged to have their BP, cholesterol, and BMI assessed in-store—has demonstrated that this kind of approach is feasible and that pharmacists can act as good go-betweens for patients and physicians, says one of the researchers.

New IOM report addresses obesity prevention

Tue, 08 May 2012 08:30:00 EDT

Obesity threatens to undo other health achievements made over the past century, authors warn.

Present-day efforts to aid quit-smoking attempts are substandard, says expert

Mon, 07 May 2012 10:15:01 EDT

Smoking-cessation expert Dr Andrew Pipe said that tobacco addiction is the most monumental of the modifiable cardiovascular risk factors but that the clinical approaches to dealing with smokers are "still rooted firmly in the last century and reflect a unique combination of dogma, misconception, and ignorance."

EUROACTION PLUS: Varenicline aids in smoking cessation

Mon, 07 May 2012 09:45:00 EDT

In a follow-up to EUROACTION, with the exception that the patients had the option of receiving varenicline, researchers show that a comprehensive, family-based program can reduce smoking rates in high-risk patients and those with vascular disease.

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.

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.

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.

Topol is most influential physician executive in new US poll

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:00:09 EDT

Dr Eric Topol, editor in chief of theheart.org, has been voted the number one most influential physician executive of 2012 in a poll run by Modern Healthcare, a US publication covering healthcare business news and research.

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.

Mall rates? Silent CV risk factors abound in Dubai shoppers

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 08:30:23 EDT

Physicians in Dubai have leveraged the Gulf city's best-known asset to shine a light on what they say is a sweeping lack of awareness about cardiovascular risk factors and how to keep them in control.

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.

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.

Salt content variable in fast food in different countries

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EDT

Large variations were observed in the salt content between different products, as well as between the same products in different countries.

CPR training sessions offered during the Boston Marathon race exposition

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EDT

The Boston Athletic Association, in conjunction with the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross, will be providing free CPR demonstrations for runners, family members, and spectators as they wander through the race exposition. There will be brief sessions to teach compression-only CPR in an attempt to reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death while running the marathon.

ECGs refine risk prediction in seniors, but clinical benefit and cost uncertain

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 17:00:18 EDT

Traditional coronary disease risk factors provide a less accurate estimate of risk in older adults than in middle-aged adults, so researchers tested whether electrocardiographic abnormalities that are common in older adults might aid coronary heart disease event prediction.

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.

Should statins be used in primary prevention? JAMA gets in on the debate

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EDT

Introduced by the JAMA editors to encourage discussion and debate, the inaugural "dueling viewpoints" kicks off its new series by considering the clinical question of whether or not a healthy 55-year-old male with elevated cholesterol levels should begin taking a statin.

How Big Pharma thwarts generics: The case of fenofibrate

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:45:41 EDT

Authors of a new study argue that physicians could play a bigger role in encouraging the use of generics in order to bring costs down for patients and the healthcare system as a whole. Policy changes could also help make sure market exclusivity was reserved for products that truly offer something new.

Persistent high cholesterol more likely in countries with poorer healthcare systems

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:30:13 EDT

An international study found that patients with diagnosed high cholesterol or reported use of lipid-lowering agents were more likely to have persistent high cholesterol if they lived in countries with lower national incomes, higher out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, and less efficient healthcare systems.

PCI bests meds in stable CAD, but message is "do better meds"

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 18:30:00 EDT

Is optimal medical therapy a pipe dream, at least right now? An analysis of clinical-practice data from NY State reopens the COURAGE-oriented debate.

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.

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.

Waist measurements linked with lipids, BP, in youth

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:45:35 EDT

In multivariate regression models that adjusted for age and sex, increasing waist-to-height ratios were significantly associated with worsening lipid profiles across BMI strata, with the strongest association observed in obese patients.

Comparison of risk-assessment strategies favors "statins for all"

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 07:45:01 EDT

The multiple approaches to risk-stratifying patients at risk for coronary disease help to identify which patients should take statins, but the comparative cost and effectiveness of these strategies is unknown. So researchers conducted a sophisticated statistical comparison of five approaches.

FDA advisors: "Safe" obesity drugs need to prove absence of cardiovascular risk

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:00:57 EDT

If the FDA follows the recommendations, drug companies will have to either conduct phase 2 to 3 trials or do meta-analyses that rule out excess cardiovascular risk for new obesity drugs that do not have a signal for cardiovascular risk. Advisors voted 17 to 6 in favor of a cardiovascular-safety benchmark that equals the one for diabetes drugs.

FDA committee members grapple with cardiovascular risks in obesity drugs

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 11:00:37 EDT

In day one of a two-day meeting, members of the FDA Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee heard from experts in obesity, diabetes, cardiology, and statistics. Later today, the panel will vote on whether obesity drugs with no cardiovascular risk signal still need to rule out excess cardiovascular risk.

New monoclonal antibody to PCSK9 impresses with LDL-cholesterol reductions

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 17:15:20 EDT

Among a group of patients treated with atorvastatin who still had elevated cholesterol levels, treatment with the new compound reduced LDL cholesterol by more than 70% from baseline. Researchers called it a "wow" moment, while others, equally impressed, said that hard clinical outcomes will be the drug's true measure.

Start lowering LDL in childhood, new study suggests

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 17:15:00 EDT

Results of a "natural" randomized trial using genetic data suggest that lowering LDL early in life has a much greater potential to reduce heart disease than starting treatment later in life.

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.

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.

Patients with high calcium score more likely to lose weight, take statins

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:30:00 EDT

Researchers showed patients the calcium in their coronary arteries using scans to find out whether actually seeing coronary disease would motivate more patients to take statins or lose weight.

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.

Investigational antibody to PCSK9 reduces LDL-cholesterol levels

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:00:00 EDT

Three new phase 1 studies of an investigational human monoclonal antibody specific to PCSK9 significantly reduced LDL-cholesterol levels in a group of healthy volunteers and in subjects with familial and nonfamilial forms of hypercholesterolemia.

Orthostatic hypotension ups risk of HF by 50%

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:00:44 EDT

New data from the ARIC study show that those with orthostatic hypotension have a higher risk of developing heart failure over 17 years of follow-up.

No benefit of vitamin E in heart failure

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EDT

The addition of vitamin E did reduce the risk of developing heart failure with a normal ejection fraction, but these results need to be confirmed in larger studies, say investigators.

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.