May 12th, 2014
Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: May 12th
Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP
This week’s topic is the influence of healthy candidate bias when assessing clinical effectiveness for ICDs.
May 12th, 2014
My Recent ABIM Maintenance of Certification Experience
John E Brush, MD
John Brush describes his positive experience with the ABIM’s maintenance of certification process, and explains why he thinks the petition against it asking for the wrong thing.
May 8th, 2014
Novel Antiplatelet Agent Vorapaxar Gains FDA Approval
Larry Husten, PHD
The FDA today approved vorapaxar (Zontivity), Merck’s once-troubled platelet receptor antagonist, to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, cardiovascular death, and revascularization procedures. The drug is approved for use in people with a history of MI or peripheral arterial disease. The approval represents an amazing turnaround for a drug that has experienced nearly as many […]
May 8th, 2014
Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: May 8th
Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP
This week’s topics include darapladib for preventing ischemic events in stable CHD, the DAMASCENE analysis, a review of John Brush’s new book, and more.
May 6th, 2014
FDA Approves New Omega-3 Supplement
Larry Husten, PHD
The FDA has approved a new omega-3 supplement for the treatment of adults with severe hypertriglyceridemia, defined as triglyceride levels 500 mg/dL or higher. The drug, which will be marketed under the brand name of Epanova, is manufactured by AstraZeneca, which acquired the drug when it purchased Omthera Pharmaceuticals in 2013. AstraZeneca said that Epanova is the first omega-3 […]
May 5th, 2014
Physical Activity Improves Heart Rate Variability In The Elderly
Larry Husten, PHD
A new study in Circulation offers fresh evidence that physical activity is beneficial to the heart in people aged 65 and older. Benefits were observed both in elderly people who reported the highest amount of overall physical activity and in those who increased their physical activity over time. U.S. researchers evaluated heart rate variability (HRV) using […]
May 5th, 2014
Two Experts Look at a Failed HDL Trial
William Edward Boden, MD and Prediman K Shah, MD
William Boden and PK Shah discuss the CHI-SQUARE trial, which failed to show a benefit for an HDL mimetic.
May 5th, 2014
What Role Should Coca-Cola Play in Obesity Research?
Larry Husten, PHD
Larry Husten asks: “What role should Coca-Cola and other food and beverage companies play in funding and communicating research about nutrition and obesity?”
May 5th, 2014
FDA Comes Out Against Aspirin for Primary Prevention
Larry Husten, PHD
In the latest development in a long-simmering debate, the FDA has announced that aspirin should not be marketed for primary prevention for heart attack or stroke. The announcement follows the FDA’s rejection on Friday of Bayer Healthcare’s decade-old petition requesting approval of a primary prevention indication. [PDF of FDA rejection letter] Aspirin is still widely used for primary prevention. Many physicians, […]
April 29th, 2014
Dietary Fiber After MI Linked to Improved Survival
Larry Husten, PHD
Consuming more dietary fiber after myocardial infarction is associated with a reduced risk for death. In a report published in BMJ, researchers analyzed long-term data about diet and other risk factors from more than 4000 healthcare professionals who had an MI. Nine years after the MI, people who were in the highest quintile of fiber consumption had a […]
NEJM Journal Watch — Recent Cardiology Articles- CTA-Guided Care in Stable Angina: Long-Term Results
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- Does P2Y12 Inhibitor Pretreatment Improve Outcomes in Non–ST-Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndromes?
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