CardioExchange Archive

May 16th, 2012

Changes in Air Pollution During Beijing Olympics Tied to Inflammatory Biomarkers

Nicholas Downing, MD

Reductions in air pollution during the Beijing Olympics were associated with decreases in certain biomarkers of inflammation and thrombosis in healthy young adults, according to a JAMA study. Researchers measured levels of air pollutants in 2-week periods before, during, and after the Olympics, and also measured blood levels of cardiovascular disease biomarkers in 125 healthy medical […]

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May 11th, 2012

A ‘Brilinta’ Theory on Why Ticagrelor Doesn’t Work as Well in the U.S.

Harry Peled, md

Harry Peled wonders whether intermediate-dose aspirin may simply be so effective that it obviates the need for a P2Y12-receptor antagonist.

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May 10th, 2012

FDA Advisory Panel Recommends Approval for Weight Loss Drug Lorcaserin

Larry Husten, PHD

The FDA’s Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee voted to recommend approval of lorcaserin (Lorqess, Arena). The vote was 18 in favor of approval, 4 against, and 1 abstention.

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May 10th, 2012

Atorvastatin Lifts Ranbaxy While Pfizer Abandons Its Lipitor Marketing Efforts

Larry Husten, PHD

Pfizer will no longer aggressively market Lipitor (atorvastatin), its former crown jewel and the most lucrative pharmaceutical product ever. At the same time, generic drug manufacturer Ranbaxy posted record revenue for the last business quarter, growth fueled largely by sales of generic atorvastatin in the United States. Pfizer told the Wall Street Journal that it was abandoning efforts […]

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May 8th, 2012

Persistent Concerns About Lorcaserin (Lorqess) from FDA Reviewers

Larry Husten, PHD

The FDA has posted briefing documents for Thursday’s meeting of the Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee to reconsider the new drug application for lorcaserin (Lorqess, Arena). The reviewers do not appear to have substantially altered their view of lorcaserin.

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May 7th, 2012

Roche Terminates Development of CETP Inhibitor Dalcetrapib

Larry Husten, PHD

Roche announced today that it has ended development of dalcetrapib, its entry into the once-promising class of HDL-raising CETP inhibitors. A data and safety monitoring board recommended that the dal-OUTCOMES phase 3 trial be stopped due to a lack of clinically meaningful efficacy. The DSMB found no evidence of safety problems.

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May 2nd, 2012

Half the News That’s Fit To Print: NY Times on ECG Screening for Student Athletes

Larry Husten, PHD

A “dizzy” New York Times article exploring whether to screen young athletes for heart risk leaves out relevant research and exaggerates some pretty important numbers.

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April 30th, 2012

Certain Hospital Management Strategies Associated With Higher MI Survival Rates

Betsy Bradley, Ph.D. and John Ryan, MD

John Ryan interviews Elizabeth Bradley about the hospital management strategies that can reduce 30-day risk-standardized mortality rates for acute myocardial infarction.

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April 20th, 2012

Aliskiren (Tekturna) Gets New Warning and Contraindication from FDA

Larry Husten, PHD

The FDA has issued new warnings about antihypertensive drugs containing the direct renin inhibitor aliskiren (including Tekturna, Amturnide, Takamio, and Valturna) when used in combination with ACE inhibitors or angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs). The FDA now states that these drug combinations are contraindicated in patients with diabetes, and it is adding a new warning to avoid […]

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April 18th, 2012

Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: Week of April 16th

Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP

This week’s topics include an “awful question” about statin therapy, coronary computed tomographic angiography in the ED, vorapraxar for secondary prevention, and stent wars.

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