CardioExchange Archive

November 8th, 2011

Financial Incentives Increase Use of Stress Tests

Larry Husten, PHD

Following coronary revascularization, patients are more likely to undergo cardiac stress testing if their physician has a financial interest in the test, according to a new study published in JAMA. Bimal Shah and colleagues examined insurance data from 17,847 patients who underwent revascularization, dividing their physicians into three groups: those who billed for technical and professional fees, […]

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November 7th, 2011

ACC and AHA Release New PCI and CABG Guidelines

Larry Husten, PHD

The AHA and the ACC have released updated 2011 guidelines for PCI and CABG. The guidelines are available online on the JACC website (here and here) and on the Circulation website. The new guidelines include for the first time a strong recommendation that hospitals adopt a “heart team” approach in choosing a treatment strategy for patients with coronary […]

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November 4th, 2011

FDA Approves Rivaroxaban for Stroke Prevention in AF

Larry Husten, PHD

The FDA has approved rivaroxaban (Xarelto, Johnson & Johnson) for stroke reduction in people with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. The label will include a boxed warning that people should not discontinue taking the drug without talking with a healthcare professional. The FDA will also require that patients getting the drug receive a Medication Guide describing the […]

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November 4th, 2011

AHA and ACC Update Secondary Prevention Guidelines

Larry Husten, PHD

The AHA and ACC have released an update of their guidelines for secondary prevention in patients with heart disease. The guidelines are available in Circulation and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The updated guidelines place a new emphasis on cardiac rehabilitation for patients who have had an MI or CABG. They also stress the importance of diagnosing and […]

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November 3rd, 2011

FDA Advisory Committee Recommends Approval of Vytorin for Pre-Dialysis CKD Patients

Larry Husten, PHD

The FDA’s Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee on Wednesday strongly supported the combination of ezetimibe and simvastatin (Vytorin, Merck) to prevent cardiovascular events in pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. But the panel voted against recommending Vytorin for patients with end-stage renal disease on dialysis. The votes were 16-0 in favor of the pre-dialysis […]

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November 3rd, 2011

Sapien Transcatheter Aortic Heart Valve Gains FDA Approval

Larry Husten, PHD

After much anticipation and drama, the FDA has approved the Sapien transcatheter heart valve (THV). The news was announced late Wednesday afternoon by the FDA and by Edwards Lifesciences, the manufacturer of the device. Details about the approval are scarce. The FDA said the Sapien THV has been “approved for patients who are not eligible for […]

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November 2nd, 2011

FDA Approves Abbott’s Xience Prime Drug-Eluting Stent

Larry Husten, PHD

Abbott announced on Tuesday that it had received FDA approval for its Xience Prime everolimus-eluting stent. The cobalt chromium stent is designed to be delivered more easily to complex lesions and will be available in long lengths up to 38 mm. Approval of Xience Prime was based on the SPIRIT Prime clinical trial, an open-label registry […]

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November 1st, 2011

No Increased Risk for CV Events with ADHD Drugs, Large Study Finds

Larry Husten, PHD

A large new study may help lay to rest concerns that the widely prescribed ADHD drugs may increase the risk for cardiovascular (CV) events. In a study funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the FDA and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, William Cooper and colleagues analyzed data from 1.2 million […]

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October 31st, 2011

FDA Gives Favorable Review to SHARP Ahead of Vytorin Advisory Panel

Larry Husten, PHD

In preparation for Wednesday’s meeting of the FDA’s Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee, an FDA reviewer has generally endorsed the positive interpretation of the SHARP trial of Vytorin (ezetimibe and simvastatin) in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Based on the results of SHARP (Study of Heart and Renal Protection), Merck is seeking an expansion of its […]

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October 28th, 2011

Belgian Study Supports Use of FFR to Guide Therapy in Intermediate LAD Lesions

Larry Husten, PHD

A study published in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions suggests that fractional flow reserve (FFR) may be safely used to guide treatment in patients with an intermediate left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) stenosis. Olivier Muller and colleagues report on 730 patients at a single center in Belgium who had a 30% to 70% stenosis in the proximal segment […]

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