CardioExchange Archive

November 5th, 2010

Meta-Analysis Turns Up Mixed Results for Vitamin E on Stroke Subtypes

Larry Husten, PHD

In a meta-analysis appearing in BMJ, vitamin E supplements had no effect on the overall rate of stroke but were associated with a small reduction in the risk of ischemic stroke and a slightly larger increase in the risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Markus Schürks and colleagues analyzed data from 9 trials including 118,765 subjects. Although […]

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November 3rd, 2010

Paricalcitol Reduces Albuminuria in Diabetic Nephropathy

Larry Husten, PHD

Selective vitamin D receptor activation with paricalcitol may help prevent progression of renal failure in patients with diabetic nephropathy who are already taking renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors, according to a new study published online in the Lancet. In the VITAL study, U.S. and European investigators randomized 281 patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuria who were […]

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November 1st, 2010

Mind the Gap: Real-World ACE Inhibitor Cough Much More Common Than Listed on Labels

Larry Husten, PHD

The real-world incidence of ACE inhibitor-associated cough is much higher than the reported rate on drug labels and printed in the Physicians’ Desk Reference, according to a study published in the American Journal of Medicine. Sripal Bangalore and colleagues analyzed data from 125 published studies with ACE inhibitors including almost 200,000 patients. They found that […]

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November 1st, 2010

Rivaroxaban Equals Warfarin in ROCKET AF

Larry Husten, PHD

Rivaroxaban (Xarelto) was as effective as warfarin in patients with AF in the ROCKET AF study, according to an announcement released by Bayer on Sunday ahead of the  trial’s scheduled presentation at the AHA on November 15. ROCKET AF randomized more than 14,000 patients with nonvalvular AF to either rivaroxaban or warfarin. The goal of […]

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October 29th, 2010

Is the Time Right for a Preprint Archive for Clinical Trials?

Larry Husten, PHD

Here’s a great idea: a preprint archive for clinical trials. Taking inspiration from the well-established use of preprint archives in physics, math, and other scholarly areas, Martin Fenner, a cancer researcher, proposes the establishment of a preprint archive for clinical trial research papers. Fenner points out that “the results of clinical trials are rarely first reported […]

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October 27th, 2010

Meta-Analysis Examines Risk Associated with CYP2C19 Genotypes

Larry Husten, PHD

There has been widespread debate and disagreement over the clinical significance of people with reduced function CYP2C19 genotypes who take clopidogrel. In an effort to shed light on the topic, Jessica Mega and colleagues analyzed data from 9685 patients enrolled in nine clinical trials. Some 26% of patients had 1 reduced-function allele, and 2% had […]

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October 26th, 2010

Dabigatran to Cost $237 per Month at the Drugstore

Larry Husten, PHD

It looks like Pradaxa (dabigatran) will cost about $237 a month at the drugstore counter. A Boehringer Ingelheim representative says the wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) of the drug is set at $6.75 per day for 2 pills. The price will apply to both the 150-mg and the 75-mg capsules.  According to knowledgeable experts, the retail […]

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October 26th, 2010

Updated Appropriate Use Criteria for Cardiac CT Published

Larry Husten, PHD

An alphabet soup of medical organizations (ACCF, SCCT, ACR, AHA, ASE, etc.) have updated their appropriate use criteria for cardiac CT. The lengthy document includes an evaluation of 93 clinical scenarios and finds that cardiac CT is appropriate in 38% of them. Use of cardiac CT in the rest of the scenarios is deemed inappropriate […]

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October 25th, 2010

Can Barbers Help Fight High Blood Pressure in Black Men?

Larry Husten, PHD

A very long time ago, barbers performed surgical procedures. Now, once again, barbers may have a role to play in the health care of their community. In the BARBER-1 trial, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, Ronald Victor and colleagues compared two hypertension monitoring and referral programs based in 17 black-owned barbershops in Texas. […]

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October 21st, 2010

News Briefs: Recurrent Stroke Prevention Guidelines, Vernakalant Trial Suspended, GSK Investigated, Generic Enoxaparin Takes Off, Kaul Speaks, Midei Sues

Larry Husten, PHD

The American Heart Association published revised recurrent stroke prevention guidelines. The new guidelines state that recurrent stroke may be prevented by carotid angioplasty or by treating metabolic syndrome. The FDA warned about arrhythmias tied to HIV therapy. The FDA today updated the label for Invirase (saquinavir), noting that when used in combination with Norvir (ritonavir) […]

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