CardioExchange Archive

January 10th, 2012

Researchers Find Lower Sweet Spot for Potassium Levels in MI

Larry Husten, PHD

Current guidelines for the treatment of acute MI recommend that serum potassium be maintained between 4.0 and 5.0 mEq/L, and some believe that the upper limit could be raised to 5.5, but evidence is based on small, outdated studies. Now a study published in JAMA suggests that the ideal potassium range should be adjusted downward. Abhinav Goyal […]

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January 9th, 2012

Statins Elevate Diabetes Risk in Postmenopausal Women

Larry Husten, PHD

Statins increase the risk for developing diabetes in postmenopausal women, according to a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study provides more evidence and details about the previously reported link between statins and diabetes development. Using data from more than 153,000 postmenopausal women who were participating in the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) and […]

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January 9th, 2012

Excess Risk for Cardiac Events Associated with Dabigatran

Larry Husten, PHD

A new meta-analysis finds that dabigatran is associated with a higher risk of myocardial infarction and acute coronary syndromes. An editorial raises questions about the enthusiasm to embrace new drugs.

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January 9th, 2012

What Are the Biggest Opportunities for Cost Savings in Cardiology?

Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM

Tell us the one test or procedure that you think should be carefully examined to make the biggest dent on waste in cardiac care.

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January 5th, 2012

Diets Differ in Effect on Weight Gain and Fat and Lean Mass

Larry Husten, PHD

A new study published in JAMA demonstrates the various effects of overeating of three diets that differed mainly in protein composition. George Bray and colleagues randomized 25 healthy volunteers to participate in an inpatient study to consume low-, normal-, or high-protein diets that provided 40% more calories than required to maintain one’s normal weight. After 8 […]

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January 4th, 2012

High STEMI Readmission Rate in U.S. Linked to Shorter Hospital Stays

Larry Husten, PHD

STEMI (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction) patients in the U.S. are more likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days compared with patients outside the U.S., but this difference loses significance when length of stay (LOS) is taken into account, according to a new study published in JAMA.  Robb Kociol and colleagues, analyzing data from 5745 STEMI […]

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January 3rd, 2012

Missing Data: The Elephant That’s Not in the Room

Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM

There is a problem so grave that it threatens the very validity of what we learn from the medical literature. Bad data? Not exactly. Actually, it’s missing data — information, relevant to the risks and benefits of treatments, that is simply not published. In some cases, these data would make a critical difference in the […]

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January 3rd, 2012

Measuring In-Hospital Mortality Favors Hospitals with Short Stays

Larry Husten, PHD

As a measure of performance and quality, in-hospital mortality systematically favors hospitals with shorter overall length of stay (LOS) times, according to a new study published in Annals of Internal Medicine. This finding may have important implications for quality improvement initiatives that use mortality as a performance measure. Elizabeth Drye and colleagues (including senior author Harlan Krumholz, […]

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January 3rd, 2012

A Look Back at 2011

CardioExchange Editors, Staff

CardioExchange invited several members and participants to give us a list of what they consider the top three most important developments in cardiology in 2011.  The same CardioExchange members offer predictions for 2012, which you can view here. Also, for comparison, check out last year’s predictions for 2011 to see which came to fruition. What […]

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January 3rd, 2012

A Look Forward to 2012

CardioExchange Editors, Staff

CardioExchange invited contributors and members to offer predictions for 2012. Several of these folks also offered predictions for last year and helped assess the most important developments in cardiology in 2011. What are your predictions for the year? Where have our Nostradamus’ gone wrong? Steven E Nissen, MD 1. In a 5:4 vote, the U.S. […]

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