CardioExchange Archive

June 19th, 2012

New Uses Found for a Traditional Walking Test

Larry Husten, PHD

The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) can improve risk prediction in people with stable coronary disease, according to a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The 6MWT may also be cost-effective and — and may help physicians motivate their patients to exercise, suggest the authors. Alexis Beatty and colleagues performed a 6MWT and a treadmill […]

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June 18th, 2012

The Grim Impact of Loneliness and Living Alone

Larry Husten, PHD

Two new reports published in the Archives of Internal Medicine throw a spotlight on the grim effects of loneliness and living alone on health. As part of the Health and Retirement Study, 1604 people were followed for 6 years after answering a questionnaire about loneliness. Some 43% reported feeling lonely. Loneliness was associated with significantly increased […]

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June 18th, 2012

Sexual Outcomes Following an MI: Let’s Talk About Sex, Doc

Emily M Abramsohn, MPH

Emily Abramsohn discusses her research on sex and mortality after an MI, and how doctors can better communicate with their patients about this issue.

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June 18th, 2012

Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: June 18th

Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP

This week’s topics include imaging risks, oral contraceptives and the risk for MI and stroke, smoking and mortality in those aged 60 and older, and wasteful spending on cardiovascular tests.

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June 11th, 2012

Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: June 11th

Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP

This week’s topics include two studies of prognosis: troponin and mortality after non-cardiac surgery and predictors of heart-failure mortality.

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June 6th, 2012

Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: June 6th

Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP

This week’s topics include cIMT and clinical outcome, CVD risk scores, door- vs. onset-to-balloon times, and dark chocolate consumption in people with high CVD risk.

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June 5th, 2012

Troponin T Test Helps Assess Mortality Risk Following Noncardiac Surgery

Larry Husten, PHD

A new study in JAMA finds that postoperative troponin T (TnT) tests can independently improve 30-day-mortality risk assessment among patients who have undergone noncardiac surgery. The VISION (Vascular Events in Noncardiac Surgery Patients Cohort Evaluation) study investigators evaluated the prognostic power of postoperative fourth-generation TnT testing in 15,133 patients. Overall mortality at 30 days was 1.9%. Some 11.6% […]

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May 31st, 2012

Women at Increased Risk for Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation

Larry Husten, PHD

Among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), women have a higher risk than men of having a stroke, according to a new study published in BMJ. The increased risk was mostly found in women over 65 years of age and in women with multiple risk factors. Leif Friberg and colleagues analyzed data from more than 100,000 Swedish patients […]

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May 31st, 2012

Reality Check: Stem Cell Science According To Perez Hilton

John Ryan, MD

Celebrity Blogger Perez Hilton recently ran a news story about stem cell research with the headline: “Scientists Convert Skin Cells Into Beating Heart Muscle!” According to the report, “the tissue could one day be used to treat” heart failure. Sites such as PerezHilton.com (which is among the top 150 most visited sites in the US), and Patientslikeme.com […]

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May 30th, 2012

Reality Check: Do Reporters Spin Trial Results?

Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM

Do reporters spin trial results – or do some reporters just not understand the science well enough to report results accurately? I was thumbing through Nature Reviews/Cardiology when I happened on this headline in the section on Research Highlights: Vorapaxar beneficial in setting of prior MI, but not in patients who have experienced stroke. This […]

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