CardioExchange Archive

April 10th, 2012

Baseline ECG Abnormalities in Older Patients Tied to Increased CHD Risk

Larry Husten, PHD

Although routine ECG screening in asymptomatic people is not recommended by guidelines, a new study raises the possibility that ECGs in an elderly population can provide a modest improvement in risk classification. In the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study, published in JAMA, Reto Auer and colleagues followed 2192 adults 70 to 79 years of age without known […]

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April 10th, 2012

Round Two: Heart Rhythm Editor Rejects St. Jude Request to Retract Riata Paper

Larry Husten, PHD

Douglas Zipes, the editor of Heart Rhythm, said the journal will not retract a controversial paper that has raised new safety concerns about St. Jude’s embattled Riata leads. On Friday, as electrophysiologist Wes Fisher told CardioExchange, St. Jude issued a press release alleging numerous mistakes and oversights in an article by Robert Hauser published online in Heart Rhythm linking the company’s Riata and […]

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April 9th, 2012

Meta-Analysis: No Secondary CV Prevention Benefits for Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplements

Larry Husten, PHD

A new meta-analysis published in the Archives of Internal Medicine finds no evidence to support claims of a beneficial effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplements on secondary CV prevention. Sang Mi Kwak and colleagues in the Korean Meta-analysis Study Group analyzed data from more than 20,000 patients with a history of CV disease who were randomized in […]

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April 9th, 2012

CEO Jack Lewin Leaving ACC After 5 Years

Larry Husten, PHD

The American College of Cardiology today announced that Jack Lewin, its CEO for the last 5 years, is leaving the ACC “to pursue other opportunities and challenges.” The ACC’s General Counsel and COO, Tom Arend, will serve as the interim Chief Staff Officer, according to the college. The Board of Trustees will soon begin recruiting […]

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April 5th, 2012

NIH Appoints Gary Gibbons As Next Director of the NHLBI

Larry Husten, PHD

Gary Gibbons will be the next Director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The selection of Gibbons was announced today by the National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins. Gibbons is the founder and current director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute, chairperson of the Department of Physiology, and professor of physiology and medicine at the […]

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April 4th, 2012

Suicide and CV Death Increase After Cancer Diagnosis

Larry Husten, PHD

The risks for suicide and cardiovascular death rise sharply after cancer is diagnosed, according to a new study from Sweden published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Fang Fang and colleagues analyzed data from more than 6 million Swedes, including more than half a million who received a first diagnosis of cancer. Following sharp initial increases in […]

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April 4th, 2012

Medical Societies Release Lists of Overused Tests and Procedures

Larry Husten, PHD

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and other medical societies have released lists of commonly overused or misused tests and procedures. The action is part of Choosing Wisely, a broad initiative from the ABIM foundation. Here are the five tests or procedures identified by the ACC: Cardiac imaging tests (particularly, stress tests or advanced noninvasive imaging) should not be […]

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April 2nd, 2012

Improved Survival After Non-Shockable Cardiac Arrest with New CPR Guidelines

Larry Husten, PHD

In recent years, resuscitation guidelines have evolved to emphasize chest compressions. At the same time, a greater proportion of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) cases are now due to “nonshockable” rhythms, defined as asystole and pulseless electrical activity, but the effect of the new guidelines on these type of OHCA cases is unknown. In a study published in Circulation, Peter […]

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March 28th, 2012

Proof-of-Concept for Bedside Rapid Genotyping Test of CYP2C19

Larry Husten, PHD

A new point-of-care test can rapidly identify people with a common genetic variant associated with impaired clopidogrel function. The authors claim that this is the first study to demonstrate the feasibility of delivering a genetic test at bedside. In an article published online in the Lancet, Jason Roberts and colleagues report on a new point-of-care test that can identify […]

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March 28th, 2012

20 Deaths Linked to New Problem with Riata Leads

Larry Husten, PHD

Electrical malfunctions, not externalized conductors, may be the cause of 20 or more deaths associated with the troubled Riata ICD leads from St. Jude Medical, according to a new report published online in Heart Rhythm. Robert Hauser and colleagues at the Minneapolis Heart Institute searched the FDA’s MAUDE database and found 22 deaths caused by Riata or Riata […]

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