CardioExchange Archive

August 28th, 2014

Predicting PARADIGM-HF, or What to Expect When You’re Expecting

Larry Husten, PHD

Larry Husten analyzes the expectations surrounding the upcoming release of PARADIGM-HF and its centerpiece LCZ696 from the perspective of the medical field as well as the world of economics.

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August 14th, 2014

The CardioMEMS HF System: What Do You Say to Your Patient?

John Ryan, MD

In this scenario based on a patient’s question about the CardioMEMS device, John Ryan asks, “What do you say to your patient?”

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August 11th, 2014

Study Offers Little Support for an Old Drug

Larry Husten, PHD

Digoxin is one of the oldest drugs in the cardiovascular arsenal, derived from the foxglove plant and first described in the 18th century by William Withering. It is frequently used in patients with heart failure (HF) and with atrial fibrillation (AF). The few trials supporting its use were performed in HF patients before newer treatments […]

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July 29th, 2014

Cardiac Rehab for Heart Failure Patients: The CMS Is Convinced — Are You?

Ileana Piña, MD, MPH and John Ryan, MD

John Ryan interviews Dr. Ileana Piña about her work in HF-ACTION as it relates to the CMS’s recent expansion of cardiac rehabilitation coverage.

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July 10th, 2014

Behind the Patient Decision-Making Process for a Destination-Therapy LVAD

Colleen Kelley McIlvennan, DNP, ANP, Larry Allen, MD, MHS and Dan Matlock, MD, MPH

Colleen K. McIlvennan, Larry A. Allen, and Daniel D. Matlock discuss their study of how patients choose whether to get a left ventricular assist device as destination therapy.

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July 3rd, 2014

Sitagliptin Associated with Increase in Heart Failure Hospitalizations

Larry Husten, PHD

The cardiovascular effects of drugs used for glucose control in patients with diabetes have been a subject of controversy for many years now. More recently, attention has started to focus specifically on the risk for heart failure (HF). Now, an observational study will likely raise new questions about the dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4 inhibitor sitagliptin (Januvia, Merck). In […]

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June 16th, 2014

Positive Results for New Oral Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Drug

Larry Husten, PHD

Actelion has announced positive top-line results for a phase III trial of a new oral drug for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The drug, selexipag, is a first-in-class orally available selective prostacyclin IP receptor agonist. The pivotal, double-blind GRIPHON study was the largest outcome trial ever performed in PAH. A total of 1,156 PAH patients were randomized to selexipag or placebo. […]

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June 16th, 2014

European Medicines Agency Initiates Review of Ivabradine

Larry Husten, PHD

There may be trouble on the horizon for ivabradine, a heart drug marketed by Servier under the brand names of Corlentor and Procoralan. The drug is widely available in Europe and elsewhere, though it is not available in the U.S., where it is under development by Amgen. Although it hasn’t been widely reported,  the European […]

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June 3rd, 2014

Prophylactic ICDs Appear Effective in Less Severe HF Patients

Larry Husten, PHD

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators are routinely implanted in heart failure patients with ejection fractions of 35% and lower to prevent sudden cardiac death. However, the benefits in patients at the higher end of the spectrum — EFs between 30% and 35% — have not been well demonstrated in clinical trials, since few patients in this range have […]

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May 16th, 2014

FDA Turns Back Novel Drug for Acute Heart Failure

Larry Husten, PHD

Novartis said today that the FDA had issued a complete response letter for the biologics license application for RLX030. The drug, also known as serelaxin, is a recombinant form of the naturally occurring human hormone relaxin-2, which has been found to help women adjust to the cardiovascular changes that occur during pregnancy. The FDA decision was not unexpected since earlier this […]

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