CardioExchange Archive

October 15th, 2013

Questions Remain About George W Bush’s Stent

L. David Hillis, MD

The National Journal reported yesterday that “George W. Bush’s recent heart problems were far more dangerous than generally believed — potentially life-threatening, in fact.” The Journal cited “an authoritative source”: “He was more than 95% occluded. With a blockage like that in a main artery you’re supposed to die. He was pretty lucky they caught it.” On the Nightly News” […]

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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, […]

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January 18th, 2013

Media Coverage of Research: Does It Sometimes Miss the Point?

Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM

Observing media coverage of a new study, Harlan Krumholz wonders if the spin misses the point of the research.

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May 31st, 2012

Reality Check: Stem Cell Science According To Perez Hilton

John Ryan, MD

Celebrity Blogger Perez Hilton recently ran a news story about stem cell research with the headline: “Scientists Convert Skin Cells Into Beating Heart Muscle!” According to the report, “the tissue could one day be used to treat” heart failure. Sites such as PerezHilton.com (which is among the top 150 most visited sites in the US), and Patientslikeme.com (with […]

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May 30th, 2012

Reality Check: Do Reporters Spin Trial Results?

Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM

Do reporters spin trial results – or do some reporters just not understand the science well enough to report results accurately? I was thumbing through Nature Reviews/Cardiology when I happened on this headline in the section on Research Highlights: Vorapaxar beneficial in setting of prior MI, but not in patients who have experienced stroke. This long […]

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November 15th, 2011

Hype Aside, Hope for Stem Cell Therapy May Be Emerging from Hibernation

Larry Husten, PHD

Two small studies of cardiac stem cells for the treatment of heart failure have shown promise, but ABC News, CBS News, and other media outlets are throwing around words like “medical breakthrough” and “heart failure cure.” ABC News correspondent Richard Besser was so enthusiastic that anchor Diane Sawyer commented that she had never seen him “so excited.” […]

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August 22nd, 2011

CNN, ABC, and NBC Dumb Down the News About CV Screening

Larry Husten, PHD

An analysis of recent health news coverage in the mainstream media: “Exit complexity. Enter stupidity.”

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