CardioExchange Archive

January 24th, 2014

Stent Remains Available Despite Trial Showing Dangers

Larry Husten, PHD

A leading critic says that the FDA has been remiss for not removing a stent from the market although strong evidence exists that its use leads to more deaths and strokes. The Wingspan intracranial stent, manufactured by Stryker Neurovascular, was approved in 2005 by the FDA through the humanitarian device exemption (HDE) for the rare condition […]

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September 9th, 2013

Nontechnical Skills Matter in the Cardiac Operating Room

Joyce Ann Wahr, M.D. and Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM

Joyce A. Wahr discusses the importance of teamwork and communication in performing cardiac surgery, as described in a new AHA scientific statement.

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August 28th, 2013

American Heart Association Announces Late-Breaking Clinical Trials

Larry Husten, PHD

There are still a few days left in August, and the European Society of Cardiology meeting doesn’t start until this weekend in Amsterdam. Nevertheless, the American Heart Association has released the list of late-breaking clinical trials for its annual meeting in November. Late-Breaking Clinical Trials 1: Acute Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Care Sunday, Nov 17, 2013, 4:00 PM – 5:19 PM […]

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June 3rd, 2013

How Do Patients with CAD Fare After TAVR?

Sachin Goel, MD and Erica Sarah Spatz, MD, MHS

Sachin Goel discusses his research group’s literature review focusing on patients with coronary artery disease who are evaluated for — and those who undergo — transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

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March 26th, 2013

Should the Use of IVC Filters be Filtered Until We Have More Data?

Behnood Bikdeli, M.D.

There’s been a remarkable increase in the use of IVC filters, but what is the evidence base behind this mechanistically appealing approach?

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February 27th, 2013

HPS2-THRIVE Coming Attraction: What Went Wrong with Niacin?

Larry Husten, PHD

In less than two weeks, on March 9, the main results of the HPS2-THRIVE (Heart Protection Study 2-Treatment of HDL to Reduce the Incidence of Vascular Events) study will be presented in San Francisco at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology. The results have been eagerly awaited since Merck’s brief announcement in December that the trial had not met its primary endpoint and that it […]

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February 5th, 2013

ACE Inhibitor Improves Walking in People with Peripheral Artery Disease

Larry Husten, PHD

Giving an ACE inhibitor to people with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and intermittent claudication reduces pain and increases walking time, according to a new study published in JAMA. Currently the pharmacologic options for this patient population are few and have limited efficacy. Researchers at three Australian hospitals randomized 212 patients with PAD to receive the ACE inhibitor ramipril or placebo for 24 […]

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January 7th, 2013

After Hurricane Katrina, Timing of Heart Attacks Shifted in New Orleans

Larry Husten, PHD

Prior to Hurricane Katrina, myocardial infarctions (MIs) in New Orleans followed a well-known circadian and septadian (today’s word of the day, meaning day of the week) pattern, with predictable increases on Mondays and in the morning hours. Now a new study from the American Journal of Cardiology finds that the notorious 2005 hurricane dramatically altered that pattern […]

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December 20th, 2012

Is “Zapping the Kidneys” Miraculous?

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

Renal denervation for resistant hypertension is generating a lot of excitement. In this blog, Rick Lange and David Hillis take stock of the evidence and the efforts underway to explore the potential scope of indications for the procedure.

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October 24th, 2012

Four CV Risk Factors Predict Most of Peripheral Artery Disease Risk in Men

Nicholas Downing, MD

Four common cardiovascular risk factors — smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and type 2 diabetes — appear to account for most of the risk for peripheral artery disease in middle-aged and older men.

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