CardioExchange Archive

September 4th, 2012

FDA Warns Against Using Revatio in Kids with Pulmonary Hypertension

Revatio (sildenafil) should not be prescribed to children and adolescents with pulmonary arterial hypertension, according to an FDA MedWatch alert. The warning is based on the results of a trial published in Circulation that showed increased mortality at medium and high doses of Revatio, compared with low-dose treatment, among patients aged 1 to 17 years. Low-dose […]

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August 13th, 2012

Universal Screening for Dyslipidemia in Children: A Debate with Equipoise, but Tarnished by Industry Influence

William O Roberts, MD, MS

James H. Stein, MD sounds a clarion about the influence of the medical industry on the debate over whether children should be universally screened for dyslipidemia, as recommended by recent guidelines.

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July 2nd, 2012

Eroding Confidence in ASD Occlusion Devices

Richard A. Lange, MD, MBA and L. David Hillis, MD

The FDA has identified more than 100 cases of cardiac erosion following atrial septal defect occlusion (ASO) device implantation. All were associated with implantation of the AMPLATZER (AGA Medical/St. Jude Medical) or related cribriform ASO devices; none have been reported thus far with the GORE HELEX (Gore Medical) ASO device. Although the estimated occurrence of cardiac erosion […]

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