CardioExchange Archive

August 30th, 2012

ICD Investigation: DOJ Sends Resolution Model to Hospitals

Larry Husten, PHD

Hospitals across the country received emails from the U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday containing a proposed “Resolution Model” that will allow the hospitals to begin to settle the long-standing and much-feared DOJ investigation into improper Medicare billing for ICDs. The action appears to confirm an article, published earlier in August in Report on Medicare Compliance, that summarized the […]

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August 21st, 2012

New Questions About Latest-Generation ICD Leads from St. Jude

Edward J. Schloss, MD

A highly anticipated study analyzing failures of St. Jude Durata and Riata ST Optim ICD leads has been published online in Europace by prominent electrophysiologist and ICD critic Dr. Robert Hauser along with associates from the Minneapolis Heart Institute. Over the past year St. Jude Medical has been beset with bad news about its ICD leads. Until […]

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August 16th, 2012

FDA Calls for Imaging of Implantable Cardiac Devices with Riata Leads

The FDA is recommending imaging studies for patients whose implantable cardioverter/defibrillator or cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator has Riata or Riata ST leads. The studies are to check for abnormalities in the leads’ insulation, which can cause the devices to deliver inappropriate or no shock therapy. The abnormalities may be detected with two-view chest X-ray or fluoroscopy. […]

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August 15th, 2012

Observational Study Fills Gaps in Understanding AF Patients with Kidney Disease

Larry Husten, PHD

Although people with atrial fibrillation (AF) and people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at elevated risk for stroke and other vascular events, people with both conditions have not been well studied, since those with CKD have been excluded from most clinical trials of stroke prevention for AF. The problem is further compounded because the […]

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August 9th, 2012

Overview of the New HRS/ACCF Pacemaker Guidelines

Edward J. Schloss, MD

A pithy primer on the 2012 supplement to the 2008 guidelines

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August 3rd, 2012

To Repeat — or Not to Repeat — the TEE

Eric Joseph Oligino, M.D. and James Fang, MD

Is cardioversion without a repeat transesophageal echocardiogram appropriate when an initial TEE revealed a small thrombus and the patient has already undergone 3 weeks of anticoagulation?

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July 19th, 2012

New ICD Lead Technology Creates New Set of Problems: A Perspective From One Electrophysiologist

Edward J. Schloss, MD

Edward Schloss discusses his dislike of the DF-4 ICD lead and his belief that the industry is designing devices for the benefit of the doctor, not the patient.

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July 18th, 2012

Lessons from EKG Class

Shengshou Hu, M.D.

Dr. Westby Fisher shares his experiences in an EKG class for residents and asks how young doctors can pay so much for their education but know so little about basic skills like the EKG.

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June 25th, 2012

FDA Once Again Delays Approval of Apixaban (Eliquis)

Larry Husten, PHD

The FDA has once again delayed approval of apixaban (Eliquis), the much-anticipated oral anticoagulant. Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer announced today that it had received a a Complete Response Letter (CRL) to the New Drug Application (NDA) for the drug for the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. The two companies reported that […]

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May 31st, 2012

Women at Increased Risk for Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation

Larry Husten, PHD

Among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), women have a higher risk than men of having a stroke, according to a new study published in BMJ. The increased risk was mostly found in women over 65 years of age and in women with multiple risk factors. Leif Friberg and colleagues analyzed data from more than 100,000 Swedish patients with […]

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