CardioExchange Archive

May 1st, 2015

The Baltimore Protests: A Call for Physicians to Become Mentors

Paul S. Chan, MD, MS

Paul Chan discusses how the Baltimore riots should call physicians to action.

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May 1st, 2015

Red Yeast Rice: Let’s Lower Cholesterol with Unknown Amounts of a Statin

Anthony Pearson, MD

Anthony Pearson wonders why some patients would choose unregulated “natural” cholesterol-lowering dietary supplements over safe and effective prescription statins.

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April 30th, 2015

More Evidence Linking Sugared Drinks to Diabetes

Larry Husten, PHD

A new study uncovers some potentially important new details about the association between sugared drinks and diabetes. In a paper published in Diabetologia, researchers in the U.K. report on more than 10 years of followup of more than 25,000 adults. During the course of the study 847 participants went on to develop diabetes. Instead of relying on a […]

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April 29th, 2015

Fallout from the Baltimore Protests: QCOR 2015 Canceled

Brahmajee Kartik Nallamothu, MD, MPH

Brahmajee Nallamothu, the chair of the 2015 Quality of Care and Outcomes Research meeting, reflects on its cancelation.

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April 28th, 2015

Cardiovascular Outcomes with Sitagliptin: No Better or Worse Than Conventional Care

Larry Husten, PHD

Late Monday afternoon, Merck released the top line results of TECOS, the cardiovascular outcomes trial with its diabetes drug sitagliptin (Januvia).  The company said that the trial “achieved its primary endpoint of non-inferiority for the composite cardiovascular (CV) endpoint.” Merck announced only one additional detail: “Among secondary endpoints,” they reported, “there was no increase in hospitalization for heart […]

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April 27th, 2015

More Preliminary Signs That PCSK9 Inhibitors May Improve Outcomes

Larry Husten, PHD

A new analysis of available data from early trials with PCSK9 inhibitors adds to the growing evidence showing that this much-anticipated new class of drugs dramatically lowers LDL cholesterol and offers additional preliminary evidence showing that they are safe and may confer a mortality benefit. But, the authors and other outside experts warn, the outcome […]

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April 27th, 2015

Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: April 27th

Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP

This week’s topics include a contemporary appraisal of the heart-failure epidemic in Olmstead County, Minnesota, and a study of ex-vivo perfusion of donor hearts for human heart transplantation.

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April 20th, 2015

Remembering Kanu Chatterjee

Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM

Harlan Krumholz shares memories of his mentor, legendary cardiologist and teacher Kanu Chatterjee.

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April 20th, 2015

Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: April 20th

Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP

This week’s topics include the efficacy and safety of both alirocumab and evolocumab in reducing lipids and CV events, survival and outcomes following bioprosthetic vs. mechanical mitral valve replacement, and more.

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April 15th, 2015

Diabetes Drugs Get Neither Restrictions Nor Endorsements from FDA Committee

Larry Husten, PHD

Two diabetes drugs survived a meeting of the FDA’s Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee on Tuesday. Rejecting recommendations from critics that the drugs should either be withdrawn or get new restrictions on use, the committee voted against any harsh measures, recommending only that information from two neutral clinical  trials be added to the drugs’ labels. The two trials were […]

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