November 1st, 2013
Hip and Knee Replacements Associated with Lower CV Risk
Total joint arthroplasty was associated with reduced cardiovascular risk among patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis in a BMJ study. Researchers in Canada matched roughly 150 people aged 55 or older with moderate-to-severe knee or hip osteoarthritis who underwent total joint replacement to people with osteoarthritis who did not have surgery. People who underwent arthroplasty […]
October 31st, 2013
Does OPTIMIZE Reveal the Optimal DAPT Time Frame?
Richard A. Lange, MD, MBA and L. David Hillis, MD
Rick Lange and David Hillis pose several important questions triggered by the OPTIMIZE findings.
October 31st, 2013
EUROMAX Meets Primary Endpoint But Editorialist Raises Questions
Larry Husten, PHD
When started during transport to the hospital during a heart attack, bivalirudin (Angiox, Medicines Company) improves clinical outcomes and reduces major bleeding, though at the cost of a small but significant risk in stent thrombosis. The results of the European Ambulance Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) Angiography) Trial (EUROMAX) were presented on Wednesday by Phillippe Gabriel […]
October 28th, 2013
Radiation Dose Linked to Cardiac Risk in Breast Cancer Patients
Larry Husten, PHD
In the past, cardiovascular risk has been linked to the radiation dose received by breast cancer patients. Now, a new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine attempts to calculate the cardiac risk of breast cancer patients today undergoing current radiotherapy protocols. David J. Brenner and colleagues calculated the excess cardiac risk for 48 patients who received radiotherapy […]
October 28th, 2013
Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: October 28th
Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP
This week’s topics include thrombus aspiration during STEMI, the effect of statins on mortality in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia, and more.
October 24th, 2013
Surgery Preferable to Stents in Elderly People with Carotid Disease
Larry Husten, PHD
Age should play an important role in choosing a revascularization procedure for people with blocked carotid arteries, according to a new paper published in JAMA Surgery. Carotid endarterectomy surgery (CEA) is preferable to carotid artery stenting (CAS) in elderly people; for younger patients, the two revascularization procedures are broadly similar. George Antoniou and colleagues analyzed data from 44 […]
October 23rd, 2013
Flu Vaccine May Help Prevent Cardiovascular Events
Larry Husten, PHD
A new meta-analysis published in JAMA offers the best evidence yet that the flu vaccine may help prevent cardiovascular events. Jacob Udell and colleagues analyzed data from five published clinical trials in which 6469 patients were randomized to flu vaccination or placebo (or no treatment). People who received the flu vaccine were significantly less likely than controls […]
October 23rd, 2013
Open Heart: Will It Open the Way for Data Sharing?
Pascal Meier, MD
Pascal Meier discusses his new endeavor as Editor-in-Chief of Open Heart, an online-only, open-access journal from BMJ and the British Cardiovascular Society that is set to launch in early 2014.
October 22nd, 2013
No Support for Broad Screening of Chronic Kidney Disease
Larry Husten, PHD
Although taught in medical school and widely used in clinical practice, broad screening of otherwise healthy people for chronic kidney disease (CKD) is unwarranted, according to new recommendations from the American College of Physicians published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. People with early kidney disease, who are classified as having stages 1 to 3 CKD, usually […]
October 21st, 2013
Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: October 21st
Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP
This week’s topics include cholecalciferol to reduce BP in older patients with isolated systolic hypertension, the FREEDOM trial, and more.
