August 19th, 2014
Increased Cardiac Risk Linked to Clarithromycin
Larry Husten, PHD
Acute use of the popular macrolide antibiotic clarithromycin has been linked to a small but significant increase in cardiac death. In a report in the BMJ, researchers in Denmark analyzed the effects over a 14-year period of the acute use of penicillin V, roxithromycin, and clarithromycin. Earlier research raised concerns that marcrolide antibiotics in general, and erythromycin and azithromycin in […]
August 18th, 2014
Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: August 18th
Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP
This week’s topics include the three sodium studies from NEJM, the CLARIFY study, and more.
August 18th, 2014
An Expert’s Perspective: Why Salt Is Not Like Tobacco and Why Guidelines Are Tricky
Larry Husten, PHD
At the center of this week’s renewed debate on salt was Salim Yusuf, the longtime influential and occasionally controversial cardiology researcher and clinical trialist based at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. I spoke with Yusuf before the publication of the New England Journal of Medicine papers, which include his own two papers from the PURE study. Yusuf was troubled by […]
August 18th, 2014
New Analysis of Old Study Fuels Debate Over Blood Pressure Guidelines
Larry Husten, PHD
In the last year new guidelines relating to cardiovascular disease have been the subject of intense criticism and debate. The status of the blood pressure guidelines has been particularly contentious, since several different groups have published contradictory guidelines, while several authors of the most prominent group, the Eighth Joint National Committee, published an impassioned dissent […]
August 18th, 2014
Disparities in Healthcare: Young Women Continue to Fare Worse than Men after an AMI
Aakriti Gupta, MD
Dr. Aakriti Gupta confronts the necessity to continue to spread awareness of the risk of AMI to young women in her analysis of the findings from her recent study on the subject.
August 13th, 2014
Two New Studies Fuel the Debate Over Sodium
Larry Husten, PHD
Three papers and an editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine are sure to throw fresh fuel on the ongoing fiery debate over sodium recommendations. Current guidelines recommend that people should limit their intake of sodium to 1.5 to 2.4 grams per day, but these recommendations are based on projections and have never been tested in […]
August 13th, 2014
With Health Disparities Research, Descriptive Analysis Isn’t Enough
Paul S. Chan, MD, MS
Paul Chan takes a critical look at the shortcomings of the current state of disparities research and asks what we could do differently to improve the lives of others.
August 12th, 2014
From the Mouths of Babes
Shengshou Hu, M.D.
Wes Fisher reflects on how his “Bring Your Daughter to Work” days, both then and now, caused him to value his experience as a physician.
August 11th, 2014
Potassium Supplements for Users of Loop Diuretics?
Charles E Leonard, PharmD, MSCE and Behnood Bikdeli, M.D.
Behnood Bikdeli interviews Charles Leonard about his PLOS ONE study investigating possible survival benefits from the empiric use of potassium supplements in new users of loop diuretics.
August 11th, 2014
Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: August 11th
Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP
This week’s topics include the effects of intensive glucose control on ischemic heart disease and a meta-analysis of the effects of thrombolysis with alteplase for acute ischemic stroke.