CardioExchange Archive

February 23rd, 2011

High Pacemaker Insertion Rate Observed After CoreValve TAVI Implantation

Larry Husten, PHD

One-third of patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation with the CoreValve device required a permanent pacemaker within 30 days, according to a report published online in Circulation. Researchers in the UK examined data from 243 patients who received the CoreValve device. The incidence of LBBB was 13% prior to the procedure and 61% afterward. Patients who […]

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February 22nd, 2011

Study Finds Nitroglycerin Improves Bone Density

Larry Husten, PHD

A new study raises hope that nitroglycerin may help stem the rising tide of fractures in the elderly. Earlier research with nitrates had suggested the possibility of benefit in this area. Now, in a paper published in JAMA, Sophie Jamal and colleagues report the result of a single-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 243 postmenopausal women randomized […]

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February 22nd, 2011

Study Links Stent Thrombosis to Circadian Variation

Larry Husten, PHD

Circadian patterns have long been known to influence the cardiovascular system, resulting in early morning peaks in blood pressure, heart rate, and certain hormone levels, as well as an increased risk for MI and sudden cardiac death. Now, in a study published in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions, Karim Mahmoud and colleagues have found that coronary stent […]

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February 17th, 2011

Quarter of U.S. Adults 45 and Older Taking Statins

Larry Husten, PHD

One-quarter of U.S. adults age 45 and older are taking statins, and one-half of men ages 65 to 74 are taking these drugs, according to the CDC’s annual report on trends in health statistics. From 1988 to 1994, only 2% of adults age 45 and older were taking statins. High cholesterol levels have been declining, according to […]

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February 15th, 2011

Study Sheds Light on Racial Disparities in Hospital Readmissions

Larry Husten, PHD

Although many studies in recent years have explored the issue of racial disparities in health care, a new study scrutinizes the effect of race on hospital readmissions, an area that has not been previously examined. In a report appearing in JAMA, Karen Joynt and colleagues examined Medicare data to study readmissions after hospitalizations for acute […]

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February 15th, 2011

AHA Releases Updated Guidelines for the Prevention of CV Disease in Women

Larry Husten, PHD

Newly published online in Circulation, updated AHA guidelines for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in women emphasize practical medical advice. “These recommendations underscore the fact that benefits of preventive measures seen day-to-day in doctors’ offices often fall short of those reported for patients in research settings,” said Lori Mosca, chair of the guidelines writing committee, in […]

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February 14th, 2011

CRT Found Beneficial in Less Severe Heart-Failure Patients

Larry Husten, PHD

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) appears to be beneficial in patients with less severe heart failure (NYHA class I and II), according to a new systematic review published online in Annals of Internal Medicine. In a previous analysis, Nawaf Al-Majed and colleagues had found that CRT was highly beneficial in HF patients with NYHA class III and IV […]

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February 14th, 2011

AF Guidelines Updated to Incorporate Dabigatran

Larry Husten, PHD

Less than two months after the publication of the 2010 updated atrial fibrillation (AF) guidelines, the AHA, the ACC, and the HRS have released a new focused update incorporating recommendations and a discussion concerning the direct thrombin inhibitor dabigatran, which gains a Class I recommendation: Class I: Dabigatran is useful as an alternative to warfarin for […]

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February 11th, 2011

SCAST Trial Provides No Support for Blood Pressure Lowering in Acute Stroke

Larry Husten, PHD

Lowering blood pressure with an angiotensin-receptor blocker in patients with acute stroke and hypertension produces no benefits, according to a new study presented at the International Stroke Conference and published simultaneously online in the Lancet. In the Scandinavian Candesartan Acute Stroke Trial (SCAST), investigators randomized 2029 acute stroke patients in 9 north European countries who had a […]

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February 10th, 2011

Apixaban Better Than Aspirin for Stroke Prevention in AF Patients Unable to Take Warfarin

Larry Husten, PHD

A new trial presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference and published online in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrates that the novel factor Xa inhibitor apixaban is better than aspirin for the prevention of stroke in AF patients who are unable to take warfarin. Stuart Connolly and investigators in the AVERROES (Apixaban […]

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