CardioExchange Archive

March 9th, 2011

ACTIVE I Examines Role for Irbesartan in AF Patients

Larry Husten, PHD

The angiotensin-receptor blocker irbesartan does not significantly reduce cardiovascular events in patients with atrial fibrillation, according to the results of the Atrial Fibrillation Clopidogrel Trial with Irbesartan for Prevention of Vascular Events (ACTIVE I), published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Participants had been previously randomized in the ACTIVE A trial or the ACTIVE W trial. More than 9,000 […]

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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 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 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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February 8th, 2011

FDA Approves First Pacemaker Designed For Use with MRI

Larry Husten, PHD

The FDA has approved Medtronic’s Revo MRI SureScan Pacing System, the first pacemaker designed for safe use during MRI exams. Here is Medtronic’s description in a press release of how the pacemaker differs from traditional pacemakers: “The pacemaker system includes hardware modifications to the device and leads that are designed to reduce or eliminate several hazards […]

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January 31st, 2011

Women and Younger Patients May Be At Higher Risk For Sprint Fidelis Failure

Larry Husten, PHD

Women, younger patients, those with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and those with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia or channelopathies may be more likely to develop Sprint Fidelis lead failure. Robert Hauser and colleagues at the Minneapolis Heart Institute, the Mayo Clinic, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center analyzed data from 1023 patients who received Fidelis leads and 1668 […]

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January 28th, 2011

Justice Department Files New Suit Against Boston Scientific

Larry Husten, PHD

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed another suit against Boston Scientific. The government claims that Guidant (bought by Boston Scientific in 2006) sold the Ventak Prizm 2 and the Renewal 1 and 2 devices even after the company knew they were defective. Earlier this month Boston Scientific was convicted and sentenced in a criminal case to pay more […]

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January 25th, 2011

Inappropriate ICD Shocks Linked to Increased Mortality

Larry Husten, PHD

A large, single-center observational study has found a link between inappropriate ICD shocks and mortality. In a report published in JACC, Johannes van Rees and colleagues from the Netherlands followed 1,544 patients who received an ICD from 1996 to 2006. Thirteen percent of patients had at least one inappropriate shock over 41 months of followup. Age below 70 […]

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January 21st, 2011

Heart Rhythm Society Advising DOJ in Investigation of ICD Implants

Larry Husten, PHD

The Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) has informed its members that it is “aware of an ongoing U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) civil investigation of Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) implants” and that it has “agreed to assist in an advisory role to lend expertise concerning proper guidelines for clinical decision making.” HRS explained that its role involved […]

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January 18th, 2011

Study Supports a New Enhanced Form of CPR

Larry Husten, PHD

A study published in the Lancet lends support to a new form of CPR that uses a combination of two devices to provide three times more blood flow to the heart and brain than standard CPR. The first device is a small suction cup on the patient’s chest used to actively lift the chest and […]

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