June 10th, 2014
Major Medical Organizations Establish Ambitious Diabetes Registry
Larry Husten, PHD
Our knowledge of diabetes today is a bit like the way blind men understand an elephant. With a myriad of isolated perspectives it’s nearly impossible to gain a broad overview. Now, a new initiative from a group of major medical organization will seek to provide the tools to better see a full picture of the elephantine […]
June 5th, 2014
An Adverse Event on Lisinopril: What Do You Say to Your Patient?
John Ryan, MD
In this scenario of an adverse event after taking a guideline-recommended dosage of lisinopril to lower BP, John Ryan asks, “What do you say to your patient?”
June 4th, 2014
Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Disease in the U.K.: It’s Complicated
Larry Husten, PHD
Epidemiology studies have provided powerful evidence linking air pollution to cardiovascular disease, especially MI and stroke. By some estimates, air pollution may be responsible for 3.2 million deaths each year, most from cardiovascular causes. At first glance, a new study published in Heart appears to cast doubt on this association. Analyzing U.K. data from more than 400,000 MIs, […]
May 29th, 2014
Large Study Uncovers New Details About the Role of Hypertension in CVD
Larry Husten, PHD
Although high blood pressure has long been recognized and studied as a cardiovascular risk factor, a large new study published in the Lancet provides a more detailed, granular view of the specific role of different forms of hypertension. Eleni Rapsomaniki and colleagues in the U.K. analyzed data from 1.25 million people without existing cardiovascular disease age 30 and […]
May 28th, 2014
Portrait of the Global Obesity Pandemic
Larry Husten, PHD
A new, comprehensive analysis, published in the Lancet, paints a frightening portrait of the global obesity pandemic. Analyzing data from a wide variety of international sources, the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 finds that from 1980 through 2013, the worldwide prevalence of overweight and obesity rose by 27.5% for adults and by 47.1% for children. The […]
May 18th, 2014
Statins Disappoint In COPD And ARDS
Larry Husten, PHD
Two NHLBI studies have failed to find any benefit for statin therapy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Previous observational studies had raised the possibility that statins, perhaps due to their anti-inflammatory effects, might improve outcomes in people with these serious diseases. But both trials were stopped early by […]
May 15th, 2014
Exercise: Can There Be Too Much of a Good Thing?
Larry Husten, PHD
In recent years researchers have developed a more complicated view of the relationship of health and exercise. Although observational studies have consistently shown that some physical activity is better than none, studies that have drilled deeper into the data suggest that these health benefits may be curtailed in people who exercise very frequently or very […]
May 14th, 2014
BMJ Articles Critical of Statins Provoke Kerfuffle
Larry Husten, PHD
The authors of two BMJ articles have withdrawn statements about the adverse effects of statins. The papers inaccurately cite an earlier publication and therefore may overstate the incidence of adverse effects. As a result, the two papers have drawn much criticism and set off a kerfuffle involving the editor of BMJ and a highly prominent British trialist who is demanding a […]
May 14th, 2014
Informed Interpretation of the 20-Year Results of the DIGAMI Trial
Valentin Fuster, MD
Darren McGuire gives us his perspective on the DIGAMI trial results.
May 13th, 2014
A Second Darapladib Phase 3 Trial Misses Its Endpoint
Larry Husten, PHD
GSK said today that a large phase 3 trial of a once highly promising drug had failed to meet its primary endpoint. Last year the company announced that another phase 3 trial with the same drug had failed. GSK said it would “further analyse the data and better understand the findings” but that, for now at least, […]
NEJM Journal Watch — Recent Cardiology Articles- To Lower Stroke Risk in Patients Undergoing Atrial Fibrillation Ablation, Is a Device or a Medication Better?
- Intensive vs. Standard Blood Pressure Lowering in Patients with Diabetes
- Anticoagulation in Patients with Cancer-Associated Pulmonary Embolism: How Long is Long Enough?
- Spironolactone Use After Percutaneous Intervention for Acute Myocardial Infarction
- CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing for Transthyretin Cardiomyopathy