CardioExchange Archive

October 20th, 2014

Are Women Who Live Near Roadways at Greater Risk for Sudden Cardiac Death?

Jaime E Hart, Sc.D and Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM

Jaime E. Hart discusses her study of the relation between residential proximity to roadways and sudden cardiac death in women.

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October 20th, 2014

Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: October 20th

Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP

This week’s topic is the safety of adding nitrous oxide to general anesthesia in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease who are having major non-cardiac surgery.

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October 15th, 2014

Another Diet Myth Exploded: Gradual Weight Loss No Better Than Rapid Weight Loss

Larry Husten, PHD

Once again, a popular weight loss myth has been exploded. It has been widely believed that weight loss, which is nearly always difficult to maintain, is even less likely to be sustained if it’s the product of a rapid weight-loss regimen. This belief is even enshrined in current guidelines. Now a study published in The […]

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October 14th, 2014

Inappropriate Cardiac Stress Tests May Cost Half a Billion Dollars a Year

Larry Husten, PHD

Inappropriate cardiac stress tests may cost the U.S. healthcare system as much as half a billion dollars each year, according to a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Joseph Ladapo and colleagues set out to analyze long-term trends in the use of cardiac stress testing in the U.S. Using data from national surveys, they found […]

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October 13th, 2014

Medicare Reimbursement for Lung Cancer Screening Provokes Debate

Larry Husten, PHD

Although 160,000 people in the U.S. die each year from lung cancer, accounting for more than a quarter of all cancer deaths, screening for lung cancer remains controversial. Based on results from the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) in 2011, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued a B recommendation in favor of low-dose […]

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October 13th, 2014

Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: October 13th

Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP

This week’s topics include a comparison of once-weekly dulaglutide and once-daily liraglutide in metformin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes and variation in patients’ perceptions of elective PCI in stable CAD.

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October 13th, 2014

First Drug-Coated Balloon Approved by FDA for Leg Blockages

Larry Husten, PHD

The FDA today announced that it had approved for use in the U.S. the first drug-coated angioplasty balloon catheter to re-open blocked arteries in the superficial femoral and popliteal arteries. The Lutonix 035 Drug Coated Balloon Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty Catheter (Lutonix DCB) is manufactured by CR Bard and has been available in Europe since 2012. “Peripheral artery disease can be quite serious. Preventing […]

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October 9th, 2014

Why Bad Doctors Are Like Bad Writers: The Curse Of Knowledge

Larry Husten, PHD

Larry Husten applies Steven Pinker’s ideas about the difficulties of writing to the field of medicine by looking at what makes it difficult for doctors to communicate with their patients.

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October 9th, 2014

FDA Panel Gives Cautious Endorsement to Novel Boston Scientific Device

Larry Husten, PHD

The FDA’s Circulatory System Devices advisory panel gave an extremely cautious endorsement on Wednesday to Boston Scientific’s Watchman device, a novel catheter-delivered left atrial appendage closure device for people with atrial fibrillation. They signaled that although they thought the device should be made available they also thought that there should be significant restrictions on its use. The panel wrestled throughout […]

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October 7th, 2014

Another Reason for Open Access to Clinical Trial Data?

Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM

A correction to the RE-LY trial results, partly brought to light because of litigation, has Harlan Krumholz wondering if this is another example of why we should have open access to clinical trial data.

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