CardioExchange Archive

June 26th, 2014

To Screen or Not for AF: Is That the Question?

Physician's First Watch, CardioExchange Staff

Up to one third of ischemic strokes are of uncertain etiology or “cryptogenic,” meaning that there is no overt explanation such as severe carotid stenosis, intracranial stenosis, or documented atrial fibrillation (AF). For some of these patients, intermittent AF may be present and could explain the ischemic stroke. This issue has been addressed by two […]

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June 9th, 2014

Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: June 9th

Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP

This week’s topics include the CORONARY trial, the association of azithromycin with mortality and CV events among older patients hospitalized with pneumonia, and more.

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March 24th, 2014

Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: March 24th

Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP

This week’s topics include non-leg venous thrombosis in critically ill adults, a comparison of factor Xa inhibitors and warfarin for preventing stroke and thromboembolism in atrial fibrillation, and more.

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March 4th, 2014

AF Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease Also Benefit from Warfarin

Larry Husten, PHD

Anticoagulation is a cornerstone of therapy for atrial fibrillation because it lowers the heightened risk for stroke in this population. People with chronic kidney disease are also at increased risk for stroke, but the benefits of anticoagulation are less clear in this group, and anticoagulation is used less often in AF patients who have CKD. […]

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February 27th, 2014

U.K. Geriatrician: Statins, Antihypertensives “Greatly” Overprescribed for Adults 80 and Older

Nicholas Downing, MD

“The data strongly suggest that we are over-treating many healthy patients aged 80+ regarding stroke prevention,” concludes U.K. geriatrician Kit Byatt in a perspective published in Evidence-Based Medicine. Byatt offers a brief review of the evidence, noting that the large HYVET study in China and Europe showed only modest stroke-prevention benefits with antihypertensive therapy in those […]

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February 14th, 2014

FDA Once Again Rejects New Indication For Rivaroxaban

Larry Husten, PHD

The third time wasn’t the charm. The FDA today turned turned down — for the third time — the supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for rivaroxaban (Xarelto, Johnson & Johnson) for use in acute coronary syndrome patients to reduce MI, stroke, or death. In addition, the FDA — for the second time — turned down the sNDA for rivaroxaban in […]

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January 13th, 2014

Merck’s Vorapaxar Gets Positive FDA Review

Larry Husten, PHD

A few years ago a novel antiplatelet agent from Merck seemed all but dead. Vorapaxar, a thrombin receptor antagonist, was widely thought to have no future after unacceptably high serious bleeding rates were found in two large clinical trials studying the drug in a wide variety of acute and chronic cardiovascular patients. But hopes for the drug resurfaced with […]

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November 11th, 2013

Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: November 11th

Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP

This week’s topic is the association between testosterone therapy with mortality, MI, and stroke in men with low testosterone.

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September 17th, 2013

How Well Does Hypertensive Retinopathy Predict Stroke?

Mohammad Kamran Ikram, MD PhD

Mohammad Kamran Ikram discusses his research group’s investigation of the value of hypertensive retinopathy in predicting the long-term risk for stroke in patients with hypertension.

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August 12th, 2013

Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: August 12th

Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP

This week’s topics include BP targeting in patients with recent lacunar stroke, intermittent pneumatic compression for reducing DVT risk in patients who’ve had a stroke, and more.

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