CardioExchange Archive

July 1st, 2011

AF Update: Flecainide Misinformation

John Mandrola, MD, FACC

John Mandrola is a cardiac electrophysiologist and blogger on matters medical and general. Here is a recent post from his blog, Dr John M. I have said that the best tool for treating atrial fibrillation (AF) is education. I still strongly believe that, perhaps more than ever. AF presents itself to people in so many different ways […]

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June 30th, 2011

Advice for New Cardiology Fellows — Part 3: Subspecialization

John Ryan, MD, Andrew M. Kates, MD and James De Lemos, MD

With July just around the corner and a new generation of cardiologists about to start their training, the CardioExchange editors have asked the fellowship moderators to share their advice about how to face this exciting new challenge. Our third and final installment of this series focuses on subspecialization. Do fellows need to have an idea […]

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June 27th, 2011

TAVI: Playing in the Sandbox Together

Richard A. Lange, MD, MBA and L. David Hillis, MD

Kudos to the the American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF) and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for getting ahead of the game by rolling out a joint position statement regarding transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) before the FDA panel convenes in July to consider approval of the procedure.  It’s a terrific first step to avoid some of the […]

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June 27th, 2011

Asprin Dosage in U.S. May Explain Disparity in Ticagrelor Results in PLATO

Larry Husten, PHD

Although the PLATO trial demonstrated the overall superiority of ticagrelor (Brilinta, AstraZeneca) to clopidogrel in more than 18,000 acute coronary syndrome patients worldwide, approval of the drug in the U.S. has been delayed because of ticagrelor’s lack of effect in the prespecified subgroup of patients from North America. Now, two analyses of the trial, presented […]

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June 25th, 2011

Limited Benefit Found for Early Aggressive Management of Diabetes

Larry Husten, PHD

In the ADDITION-Europe trial, 3055 patients without diabetes were randomized to either routine care or screening followed by intensive treatment of multiple risk factors. The results were presented at the American Diabetes Association meeting and published online in the Lancet. After five years, cardiovascular risk factors — HbA1c, lipids, and blood pressure — were “slightly but significantly better in the […]

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June 25th, 2011

Diabetes Growth Termed a Rising Global Hazard

Larry Husten, PHD

In 2008, some 347 million people in the world had diabetes, more than twice the 153 million in 1980, according to estimates contained in a report in the Lancet from the Global Burden of Metabolic Risk Factors of Chronic Diseases Collaborating Group. The paper appears in conjunction with the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association. Throughout  the […]

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June 24th, 2011

FDA Recommends More-Conservative Dosing of ESAs

Larry Husten, PHD

The FDA today said that it was recommending more-conservative dosing of ESAs (erythropoiesis-stimulating agents) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The possible beneficial effects of the drugs to decrease the need for transfusions in CKD patients should be weighed against the increased risk for cardiovascular events, the FDA said. ESA therapy should be given at […]

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June 23rd, 2011

The Elusive 30-Minute “Door-In to Door-Out” Benchmark for Primary PCI Transfers

CardioExchange Editors, Staff

The editors at CardioExchange have again asked a panel of experts to respond to a clinically important study. This time it was a retrospective cohort study, published in JAMA, of door-in to door-out (DIDO) times for patients with ST-segment-elevation MI who had been admitted to one hospital and then were transferred to another center for […]

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June 23rd, 2011

Advice for New Cardiology Fellows — Part 2: Reading and Research

John Ryan, MD, Andrew M. Kates, MD and James De Lemos, MD

With July just around the corner and a new generation of cardiologists about to start their training, the CardioExchange editors have asked the fellowship moderators to share their advice about how to face this exciting new challenge. We bring you that advice in a three-part series through the end of June. Part 2 focuses on […]

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June 22nd, 2011

Apixaban (Eliquis) Meets Primary Endpoint in ARISTOTLE

Larry Husten, PHD

Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb said that their new oral direct Factor Xa drug apixaban, which will be marketed under the brand name of Eliquis, had met the primary endpoint of the ARISTOTLE study. The Apixaban for the Prevention of Stroke in Subjects With Atrial Fibrillation (ARISTOTLE) study was designed to compare the factor Xa inhibitor apixaban […]

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