April 19th, 2011
Non-Evidence-Based ICD Implants: The Debate Continues
Larry Husten, PHD
A controversial study published earlier this year in JAMA that found that nearly a quarter of all ICD implantations did not meet evidence-based criteria is the subject of further debate this week in the letters section of JAMA. In the first letter, Jeanne Poole and George Crossley take issue with the designation by the authors […]
April 18th, 2011
100 Is the New 150: AHA Lowers Optimal Triglyceride Level
Larry Husten, PHD
In a newly released scientific statement on triglycerides, the AHA recommends that 100 mg/dL replace 150 mg/dL as the upper limit for the “optimal level” for triglycerides. But, the statement acknowledges, the cut point should not be used as a therapeutic target for drug therapy, “because there is insufficient evidence that lowering triglyceride levels” can […]
April 15th, 2011
Beyond Fellowship: Academia or Private Practice?
John Ryan, MD and Susan Cheng, MD
Published literature maintains that 20% of cardiology fellows continue into academic careers, with the remainder going into private practice. Fellowship Training Co-Moderator John Ryan, a second-year cardiology fellow in Chicago, and Associate Editor Susan Cheng, a fifth-year fellow in Boston, answer CardioExchange’s questions about the transition from fellowship to the next level – whatever that may […]
April 15th, 2011
Harnessing the Power of the EMR for Clinical Research Recruiting
Peter B Berger, MD
The days of passively recruiting for outpatient clinical trials by having a research coordinator in a clinic manually review charts to determine which patients are eligible will soon be over. How soon is hard to tell, but institutions like Geisinger Medical Center in Pennsylvania, where I am Director of the Center for Clinical Studies (and […]
April 15th, 2011
FDA Offers Cautious Support for Olmesartan (Benicar)
Larry Husten, PHD
The FDA announced on Thursday that it had reviewed the results of the ROADMAP and ORIENT trials and had determined that the benefits of olmesartan (Benicar, Daiichi Sankyo) “continue to outweigh its potential risks” when used as indicated for the treatment of high blood pressure. In June 2010 the FDA had announced that it was […]
April 14th, 2011
FDA Officials Offer Explanation for Absence of Low-Dose Dabigatran
Larry Husten, PHD
Following the approval last October of dabigatran, some observers criticized the FDA’s decision not to approve the lower 110 mg dose of the drug in addition to the higher 150 mg dose. Now, in a perspective in the New England Journal of Medicine, 3 FDA officials — B. Nhi Beasley, Ellis Unger, and Robert Temple — explain […]
April 14th, 2011
Sugar Is Not So Sweet
Larry Husten, PHD
You may want to skip your Sunday sweet this week. On Sunday, the New York Times magazine section will publish a major assault on sugar by the veteran and often controversial journalist Gary Taubes. In a long and detailed feature article, Taubes outlines the case for the prosecution against sugar, along with its nearly identical […]
April 13th, 2011
Increasing Disparity Found in Stroke Mortality in Europe and Central Asia
Larry Husten, PHD
The difference in stroke mortality among countries in Europe and Central Asia is large and, somewhat surprisingly, is growing larger, according to a new analysis of data from the World Health Organization. In a paper published online in the European Heart Journal, Josep Redon and colleagues examine recent 15-year trends from 39 countries. They report […]
April 13th, 2011
Which Chest-Pain Patients in the ED Are “Low Risk”?
Martin Than, MBBS
CardioExchange welcomes Dr. Martin Than, lead author of the Lancet article on ASPECT, an observational study of a 2-hour diagnostic protocol to assess chest pain in the emergency department. CardioExchange’s Dr. James de Lemos asks Than about the nuances of the protocol. We welcome you to offer your own questions and opinions. Background: The accelerated […]
April 12th, 2011
Particle Trap Reduces Harmful Diesel Emissions, Could Be Cardioprotective
Larry Husten, PHD
A commonly available particle trap can dramatically reduce harmful emissions from diesel engines and may prevent adverse cardiovascular effects from the emissions, according to a new study published in Circulation. In a randomized, double-blind, three-way crossover trial, Andrew Lucking and colleagues compared the effects of filtered air to diesel exhaust with or without a particle […]