CardioExchange Archive

October 22nd, 2010

Dabigatran Resource Round-Up

CardioExchange Editors, Staff

Our coverage of the FDA’s approval of dabigatran for the prevention of stroke and blood clots in patients with AF has triggered a flurry of comments from CardioExchange members, including questions about when dabigatran will be available, how much it will cost, who should — and shouldn’t — receive it, and what dosages should be […]

---

October 21st, 2010

News Briefs: Recurrent Stroke Prevention Guidelines, Vernakalant Trial Suspended, GSK Investigated, Generic Enoxaparin Takes Off, Kaul Speaks, Midei Sues

Larry Husten, PHD

The American Heart Association published revised recurrent stroke prevention guidelines. The new guidelines state that recurrent stroke may be prevented by carotid angioplasty or by treating metabolic syndrome. The FDA warned about arrhythmias tied to HIV therapy. The FDA today updated the label for Invirase (saquinavir), noting that when used in combination with Norvir (ritonavir) […]

---

October 21st, 2010

INR Home Testing Found Comparable to Point-of-Care Testing

Larry Husten, PHD

Weekly INR self-testing at home is comparable to monthly point-of-care testing, according to results of THINRS (the Home International Normalized Ratio Study), published in the New England Journal of Medicine. David Matchar and colleagues found no difference in the incidence of stroke, major bleeding episode, or death in the 2922 patients taking warfarin who were randomized to […]

---

October 21st, 2010

Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off!

Larry Husten, PHD

Some say “dabby-gat-ran.” I say “duh-big-a-tran.” Boehringer Ingelheim wants you to say “pra-dax-a.” One of the most important advances in cardiovascular therapeutics in years is dampened by the inability of cardiologists and other highly educated professionals to agree on how to pronounce “dabigatran.” What do you say? Update: Here’s an official response from a Boehringer […]

---

October 20th, 2010

Finally: Dabigatran – A New Oral Anticoagulant Is Approved by the FDA

Westby G Fisher, MD

CardioExchange welcomes this guest post reprinted with permission from Dr. Westby Fisher, an electrophysiologist practicing at NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL, and a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine. This piece originally appeared on his blog, Dr. Wes. A new era of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation management has arrived. Tuesday, the FDA approved the […]

---

October 20th, 2010

Dabigatran Is Approved

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. There can only be one cardiology story to discuss today. Tuesday, the FDA approved dabigatran (Pradaxa), an oral anticoagulant for the prevention of stroke in atrial fibrillation. Previously, the only drug approved to […]

---

October 20th, 2010

FDA Approves Dabigatran for Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation

Larry Husten, PHD

The FDA announced on Tuesday that it has approved Pradaxa (dabigatran, Boehringer Ingelheim) for the prevention of stroke and blood clots in patients with atrial fibrillation. The drug will be available in 75-mg and 150-mg capsules. “Unlike warfarin, which requires patients to undergo periodic monitoring with blood tests, such monitoring is not necessary for Pradaxa,” […]

---

October 19th, 2010

DES: Top Six Things You Should Know

CardioExchange Editors, Staff

Finding it hard to keep up with all of the new DES research? Interventional Cardiology Co-Moderator Rick Lange offers this brief tutorial on the “top six things every cardiologist should know about DES.” Would you add anything to Rick’s list? Tell us your thoughts here.

---

October 19th, 2010

Study Finds Link Between Invasive Dental Treatments and CV Events

Larry Husten, PHD

A new study adds to the evidence linking periodontal disease to cardiovascular events, suggesting a common basis in acute inflammation. In a report in the Annals of Internal Medicine, Caroline Minassian and colleagues analyzed a Medicaid database of 1175 patients discharged with ischemic stroke or MI who had received invasive dental treatment. They observed a […]

---

October 19th, 2010

FDA Advisors Recommend No Changes for Aranesp

Larry Husten, PHD

The FDA Cardiovascular and Renal Advisory Committee has endorsed the status quo for Aranesp (darbepoetin alfa). The committee met on Monday to discuss the Trial to Reduce Cardiovascular Events with Aranesp Therapy (TREAT) and voted 15-1-1 against withdrawal of the indication for chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients not on dialysis. The committee also voted against adoption […]

---