May 30th, 2013
Large Meta-Analysis Quantifies Risks Posed by Coxibs and Traditional NSAIDs
Larry Husten, PHD
Findings from a very large meta-analysis of clinical trials of NSAIDs may now allow physicians to quantify the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal risks associated with these drugs. The results of the Coxib and traditional NSAID Trialists’ (CNT) Collaboration, employing data from more than 350,000 randomized patients, have been published in the Lancet. Here are some of the key findings: The risk […]
May 24th, 2013
Spinning RECORD: Battle Over Rosiglitazone Heats up Two Weeks Before Crucial FDA Meeting
Larry Husten, PHD
Battle lines are being drawn two weeks before a highly unusual two-day FDA advisory committee meeting to discuss the contentious diabetes drug rosiglitazone (Avandia, GlaxoSmithKline [GSK]). This will be the second time an FDA panel has wrestled with the fate of the drug and expectations have been that the discussion will once again be heated. But at […]
May 23rd, 2013
Small Study Suggests Statins May Blunt Benefits of Exercise
Larry Husten, PHD
A small study is raising big questions about whether statins may blunt the beneficial effects of exercise. The study has been published online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and is the subject of a New York Times blog. Some 37 previously sedentary, overweight or obese adults with at least two other risk factors underwent 12 weeks of aerobic […]
May 21st, 2013
European Medicines Agency Starts Review of Combined Use of Drugs that Block the Renin-Angiotensin System
Larry Husten, PHD
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said last week that it was initiating a review of the combined use of agents that block the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). The three classes of RAS-blocking drugs (ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and direct renin inhibitors) are used to treat hypertension and congestive heart failure. The EMA said that the review was being performed to […]
May 16th, 2013
Salt Report from IOM Sparks Much Heat, Only a Little Light
Larry Husten, PHD
An Institute of Medicine report on salt earlier this week sparked a lot of controversy. The report concludes that there’s no evidence to support current efforts to lower salt consumption to less than 2300 mg/day. Unfortunately, the press coverage offered little insight into the science behind the issue. On the Knight Science Journalism Tracker blog, […]
May 14th, 2013
Study Questions Role of Dual-Chamber ICDs for Primary Prevention
Larry Husten, PHD
The majority of patients who receive an ICD for primary prevention without a pacing indication have a dual-chamber ICD implanted. Although there are a number of theoretical advantages with dual-chamber devices, they are more likely to cause complications than single-chamber devices. Although CMS requires providers to justify the medical necessity of dual-chamber devices, current guidelines […]
May 9th, 2013
Bruise Control: Continued Warfarin Beats Heparin Bridging During Device Implantation
Larry Husten, PHD
Many patients receiving an ICD or a pacemaker are already receiving oral anticoagulants. Current guidelines recommend replacement of the oral anticoagulant with the temporary use of heparin as a bridging strategy. Now a new study, BRUISE CONTROL (Bridge or Continue Coumadin for Device Surgery Randomized Controlled Trial), offers convincing evidence that this strategy is not […]
May 9th, 2013
Another Disappointing Study for Fish Oil Supplements
Larry Husten, PHD
Another large study has failed to find any benefits for fish oil supplements. The Italian Risk and Prevention Study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, enrolled 12,513 people who had not had a myocardial infarction but had evidence of atherosclerosis or had multiple cardiovascular risk factors. The patients were randomized to either a fish oil supplement […]
May 3rd, 2013
FDA Approves Combination of Ezetimibe and Atorvastatin
Larry Husten, PHD
The FDA has approved a new combination drug from Merck for lowering cholesterol. The drug, which will carry the brand name of Liptruzet, is a combination of two previously approved cholesterol-lowering drugs, ezetimibe and atorvastatin. Merck said the new drug (pronounced “LIP-true-zett”) would be commercially available starting next week. Liptruzet will be available as a once-daily […]
April 29th, 2013
Unconventional Analysis Finds Threshold for LDL Reduction with Statins
Larry Husten, PHD
Using an unconventional mathematical approach, a group of Japanese researchers say there may be no good reason to reduce LDL cholesterol more than 40 mg/dl. Their research letter has been published online in JAMA Internal Medicine. According to the authors, members of the ALICE (All-Literature Investigation of Cardiovascular Evidence) Group, most meta-analyses use linear models that […]
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