CardioExchange Archive

December 7th, 2011

CV Risk of Prostate Cancer Therapy Underappreciated

Larry Husten, PHD

Androgen suppression therapy (AST) for prostate cancer may be a serious risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) disease, according to a Viewpoint published online in Heart. The scope of the problem is widely underappreciated and is rarely considered in clinical practice, write Liam Bourke and colleagues. The subject was also the topic of a 2010 scientific statement from the American Heart […]

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December 7th, 2011

FDA Undertakes Safety Review of Dabigatran (Pradaxa)

Larry Husten, PHD

The FDA announced today that it is initiating a safety review of dabigatran (Pradaxa, Boehringer Ingelheim). The review was prompted by reports of serious bleeding events in people taking the drug. Bleeding complications, the FDA acknowledges, are a “a well-recognized complication of all anticoagulant therapies.” The agency says it is “working to determine whether the reports of bleeding […]

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December 6th, 2011

Change in Fitness Appears More Important Than BMI Over Time

Larry Husten, PHD

Experts have been debating the relative roles of obesity and fitness in cardiovascular risk. Now a new report from the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, published in Circulation, finds that maintaining or improving cardiorespiratory fitness significantly lowers CV mortality irrespective of changes in BMI. Duck-chul Lee and colleagues followed 14,435 men for 11.4 years. Compared with people […]

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December 6th, 2011

FDA Reviewers Raise Questions About CardioMEMS CHAMPION Trial Ahead of Advisory Panel

Larry Husten, PHD

FDA reviewers have raised serious questions about the results of the CHAMPION trial of the implantable CardioMEMS HF Pressure Measurement System (HF System), which provides daily pulmonary artery pressure measurements for the purpose of guiding heart failure treatment. On December 8, the FDA’s Circulatory System Devices Panel is scheduled to review the PMA for the device. (Click here […]

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December 5th, 2011

CMS Tightening the Screws on Unnecessary Procedures in Florida and 10 Other States

Larry Husten, PHD

After years of criticism that it has paid billions of dollars for unnecessary procedures, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will soon ramp up efforts to rein in costs for unnecessary procedures. In 2012, CMS will perform an audit before paying for several big ticket cardiology and orthopedic procedures in certain key states. The news has […]

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December 1st, 2011

ACC and STS Announce Launch of TAVR Registry

Larry Husten, PHD

Following the approval of the first device for transcathether aortic valve replacement therapy (TAVR) earlier this month, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) have announced the launch of the TVT Registry, a joint initiative that will monitor the rollout of the new technology. The registry was created in response to the […]

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December 1st, 2011

Meta-Analysis Finds Benefits for Self-Monitoring in Some Warfarin Patients

Larry Husten, PHD

Despite the advent of newer anticoagulants that don’t require monitoring, millions of people will continue to take warfarin for many years to come. Now a new meta-analysis published in the Lancet suggests that some of these patients may benefit from self-monitoring. Carl Heneghan and colleagues analyzed data from 11 trials with 6417 patients on oral anticoagulation and 12,800 person-years […]

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November 30th, 2011

Generic Atorvastatin Hits the Market

Larry Husten, PHD

The first generic version of Lipitor (atorvastatin) became available today as the exclusive patent held by Pfizer finally expired. Lipitor was by far the most successful prescription drug in history. Watson Pharmaceuticals announced an authorized generic version. One other company, Ranbaxy, has been authorized to market atorvastatin, but has struggled to gain FDA approval of its manufacturing plant. The company has […]

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November 29th, 2011

Study Finds 10% of PCI Patients Readmitted to Hospital Within 30 Days

Larry Husten, PHD

Nearly 1 in 10 PCI patients is readmitted to the hospital within 30 days, according to a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study is a good example of the increased focus on rehospitalization, which is being used more frequently as a key measure of outcome. Farhan Khawaja and colleagues analyzed data from 15,498 […]

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November 28th, 2011

Long Transfer Delays for STEMI Patients at Most Hospitals Without Primary PCI

Larry Husten, PHD

Fewer than 10% of STEMI patients eligible for PCI who arrive at a hospital without PCI capability are transferred within the recommended times, according to a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Although dramatic improvements in door-to-balloon times have been achieved in recent years in PCI-capable hospitals, the new report suggests that […]

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