CardioExchange Archive

August 25th, 2014

Rise in Popularity of E-Cigarettes Sparks Concerns and Recommendations

Larry Husten, PHD

The recent dramatic rise in popularity of e-cigarettes threatens to reverse hard-fought progress in the war against smoking, according to a new policy statement from the American Heart Association. “E-cigarettes have caused a major shift in the tobacco-control landscape,” said the lead author of the statement, Aruni Bhatnagar, chair of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Louisville. But the […]

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November 15th, 2013

Hypertension Treatment Algorithm Fills in for Missing Guideline

Larry Husten, PHD

When the AHA and the ACC released four updated clinical guidelines earlier this week, a fifth document, the hypertension guideline, was conspicuous by its absence. According to the AHA and the ACC, the authors of the hypertension document have chosen to publish it independently. (No word has yet emerged about their reasons for doing so […]

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September 4th, 2012

CDC: Nearly 36 Million Americans Have Uncontrolled Hypertension

Larry Husten, PHD

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, new data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) show: 30.4% of U.S. adults (an estimated 66.9 million people) have hypertension. Of those with hypertension, 53.5% have uncontrolled hypertension (about 35.8 million people). 39.4% with uncontrolled hypertension (about 14.1 million) are unaware that they have hypertension. 89.4% with […]

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September 13th, 2011

HHS Announces Initiative to Prevent One Million Heart Attacks and Strokes

Larry Husten, PHD

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is launching a campaign to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes in the next 5 years.

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June 2nd, 2011

CDC: Death Rates for Heart Disease and Cancer Converge

Larry Husten, PHD

Preliminary data released by the CDC shows that the age-adjusted death rates for heart disease and cancer are converging dramatically. From 1999 through 2009, the death rates for heart disease and cancer declined by 30.8% and 11.9%, respectively. In 1999, the risk for death from heart disease was 31.9% higher than from cancer. By 2009, […]

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April 21st, 2011

CDC: Half the U.S. Now Protected by Comprehensive Smoke-Free Laws

Larry Husten, PHD

According to a CDC analysis in MMWR, nearly half the U.S. population is now protected from second-hand smoke by comprehensive laws that restrict smoking in three venues (private sector worksites, restaurants, and bars). If the current trend continues, all 50 states and the District of Columbia will be smoke-free by 2020. The first [statewide] law prohibiting […]

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February 17th, 2011

Quarter of U.S. Adults 45 and Older Taking Statins

Larry Husten, PHD

One-quarter of U.S. adults age 45 and older are taking statins, and one-half of men ages 65 to 74 are taking these drugs, according to the CDC’s annual report on trends in health statistics. From 1988 to 1994, only 2% of adults age 45 and older were taking statins. High cholesterol levels have been declining, according to […]

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