June 26th, 2013
Some Patients with Minor Stroke or TIA May Benefit from Early Clopidogrel and Aspirin
Larry Husten, PHD
Some people with minor ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) may benefit from dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel, according to a large new study from China published in the New England Journal of Medicine. In the immediate period following a TIA or minor stroke, people are at high risk for having a major stroke. Aspirin […]
March 25th, 2013
Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: March 25th
Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP
This week’s topics include the effect of aliskiren on postdischarge mortality and readmissions among those hospitalized for HF, PFO closure, and more.
March 20th, 2013
Controversial PFO Closure Trials Published in NEJM
Larry Husten, PHD
Two controversial trials testing PFO closure in patients with cryptogenic stroke missed their primary endpoints but contained suggestions of possible benefit.
March 11th, 2013
Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: March 11th
Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP
This week’s topics include antiplatelet therapy to prevent CV events and mortality in those with intermittent claudication, endovascular treatment for stroke, and more.
October 25th, 2012
TCT: Two PFO Closure Trials Miss Primary Endpoints
Larry Husten, PHD
Two trials presented today at the TCT meeting in Miami testing the benefits of PFO closure in patients with cryptogenic stroke have failed to convincingly demonstrate any significant benefit for the controversial procedure. The RESPECT (Randomized Evaluation of Recurrent Stroke Comparing PFO Closure to Established Current Standard of Care Treatment) trial randomized 980 patients to PFO closure with the […]
August 20th, 2012
Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: August 20th
Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP
This week’s topics include studies on the benefits of drug-eluting vs. bare-metal stents, using walking speed and blood pressure measurements to predict mortality in the elderly, stroke and bleeding in AF with chronic kidney disease, and the diagnosis and management of peripheral artery disease.
August 8th, 2012
Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: August 8th
Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP
This week’s topics include heart failure and depression, endoscopic vs. open vein-graft harvest for CABG, linagliptin vs. glimepiride in those with type-2 diabetes, weight gain with smoking cessation, ACE inhibitors and pneumonia risk, and the effect of speech therapy after stroke.
July 24th, 2012
St. Jude Spills the Beans on PFO Closure Trial
Larry Husten, PHD
Larry Husten asks readers to assess the ethical dimensions of St. Jude’s recent statements about the RESPECT trial.
May 8th, 2012
In AF, Women Have a Higher Stroke Risk Than Men
Larry Husten, PHD
In an elderly population, when compared to men with atrial fibrillation, women with AF have a significantly elevated risk for stroke. This increased risk occurs regardless of warfarin use.
May 6th, 2012
Patent Foramen Ovale — Are the Choices Patently Obvious?
Shelby Kutty, MD and John Ryan, MD
Shelby Kutty explains what we know and what we don’t know about how to manage patients with a PFO.
NEJM Journal Watch — Recent Cardiology Articles- Persistent Symptoms After Valve Replacement for Severe Aortic Stenosis
- Is Diltiazem Safe in Patients with AF Taking Apixaban or Rivaroxaban?
- Does Lowering High Childhood Lipid Levels Prevent Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Adulthood?
- Self-Expanding Supraannular Valve vs. Balloon-Expandable Valve in TAVR for Small Aortic Annulus
- A New TAVR Prosthesis for Aortic Regurgitation Shows Promise