Who fares best on CRT? Medicare data support ECG predictors
Published in JAMA, an observational study supports in a clinical-practice setting what clinical trials have shown and, as a result, what the guidelines have recently recognized. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - August 14, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
Vitamin D no help in isolated systolic hypertension: VitDISH
A small randomized trial of elderly subjects looking at vitamin D in isolated systolic blood pressure has delivered disappointing results. Authors say the findings should dissuade investigators from doing larger trials in this setting. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - August 14, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
Stents, precedents, and presidents
In 2013, what's the meaning of "standard of care," and what are the implications when it doesn't seem to apply to all? (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - August 14, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: theheart.org Tags: Topolog Source Type: blogs
Ensuring the validity of published clinical research
The veracity of clinical research has come under fire from varying angles—from concerns of bias from associations such as the Cochrane group, to the widespread outcry caused by the periodic discovery of "strategically repressed" studies. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - August 14, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: theheart.org Tags: The Bob Harrington Show Source Type: blogs
Early surgery bests "watchful waiting" in severe MR patients without symptoms
Faced with the conundrum of early surgical intervention vs a wait-and-see approach, a new study suggests that patients with severe mitral regurgitation without symptoms—those without a class I indication for surgery—fare better long term when cardiac surgeons intervene early. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - August 13, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
Antioxidant level related to CAD in type 1 diabetes
A prospective study suggests that a greater capacity for antioxidant response to oxidative stress in patients with type 1 diabetes might mitigate CAD risk. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - August 13, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
Radiation dose for coronary CTA plummets with new scanner technology
By using advanced scanner hardware and software, the radiation dose that a patient is exposed to during coronary CT angiography can be decreased considerably, on top of the lower radiation dose attained by following a best-practices algorithm, researchers report. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - August 13, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
Newborn screening for critical CHD is cost-effective
Routine screening for critical congenital heart disease could cost $6.28 additional per newborn and $40 385 per life-year gained, according to a cohort model. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - August 13, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
New study teases out gender differences in obese kids
Obese boys were more likely to have higher total cholesterol, higher LDL cholesterol, elevated triglyceride levels, and lower HDL cholesterol, while obese girls had elevated triglycerides and lower HDL cholesterol than their nonobese peers and higher random glucose levels than other girls. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - August 12, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
SCA more likely at "alternative" exercise sites than the gym
The data, from Seattle and King County, WA, suggest that a broader placement of automated external defibrillators could help improve resuscitation from sudden cardiac arrest, say researchers. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - August 12, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
Suboptimal therapy may explain half of apparent treatment-resistant hypertension cases
There is room for improvement in treating apparent treatment-resistant hypertension, according to a large study of patients seen in clinics in the Southeast US. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - August 9, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
When all else fails, examine the patient?
Dr Melissa Walton-Shirley brings a personal and practice-focused perspective to headlines, research, and overlooked cardiology gems. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - August 9, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: theheart.org Tags: Heartfelt with Dr Melissa Walton-Shirley Source Type: blogs
Self-measured BP monitoring can mean fewer mm of Hg
Systolic and diastolic readings dropped—a little—in patients who followed various strategies for self-monitoring of blood pressure for six to 12 months, compared with the usual in-office approach, in a meta-analysis covering 52 prospective studies. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - August 8, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
FDA advisors recommend approval of novel agent for pulmonary hypertension
The unanimous vote was to okay the drug, called riociguat, for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary arterial hypertension. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - August 8, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
Persistence rates higher with dabigatran than warfarin
Using a large US claims database, the authors found consistently higher persistence with therapy in those treated with dabigatran at six, nine, and 12 months compared with those who received warfarin. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - August 7, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
