June 22nd, 2011
JAMA: Skeptical Perspectives on Consumer Cardiac Tests and Vitamin D
Larry Husten, PHD
Two commentaries published in JAMA offer skeptical perspectives on the roles of direct-to-consumer (DTC) cardiac tests and vitamin D in cardiovascular health. In the first commentary, Kimberly Lovett and Bryan Liang write that DTC screening tests “likely pose more risk than benefit to patients,” and point out that for companies selling these tests there is no […]
June 21st, 2011
Meta-Analysis Examines Risk of Diabetes Associated with Statins
Larry Husten, PHD
Although the cardiovascular benefits of statin therapy are well-characterized, recent studies have raised concerns that intensive statin therapy increases the risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Now, a new meta-analysis published in JAMA provides a more precise estimate of the risk for diabetes associated with statin therapy and also weighs that risk against the cardiovascular […]
June 21st, 2011
Study Finds Critical Delay in Most MI Patients Transferred for Primary PCI
Larry Husten, PHD
MI patients who arrive at hospitals unable to perform primary PCI need to be promptly transferred to another hospital in order to receive the full benefits of reperfusion. Unfortunately, these patients often have prolonged door-to-balloon times. A key element in the delay is the time spent at the first hospital, referred to as the door-in […]
June 20th, 2011
When the Stuff Hits the Fan
Westby G Fisher, MD
CardioExchange welcomes this guest post, reprinted with permission, from Dr. Westby Fisher, an electrophysiologist practicing at NorthShore University HealthSystem in Evanston, Illinois, and a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine. This piece originally appeared on his blog, Dr. Wes. Easy case. Seen it a hundred times. Old guy (or gal). Comes into […]
June 16th, 2011
Advice for New Cardiology Fellows — Part 1: The Learning Curve
John Ryan, MD, Andrew M. Kates, MD and James De Lemos, MD
With July just around the corner and a new generation of cardiologists about to start their training, the CardioExchange editors have asked the fellowship moderators to share their advice about how to face this exciting new challenge. We bring you that advice in a three-part series through the end of June. Part 1 focuses on […]
June 16th, 2011
Case Study: Advanced Heart Failure in a Prison Inmate
Tariq Ahmad, MD, MPH and James Fang, MD
A 37-year-old prisoner with end-stage nonischemic cardiomyopathy was transferred from a local county hospital to a tertiary care center for heart failure therapy. Soon after his arrival, he developed ventricular tachycardia and cardiogenic shock. He was sent urgently to the cardiac catheterization laboratory, where he underwent placement of an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP). Right-heart catheterization, on dobutamine […]
June 16th, 2011
FDA: Varenicline (Chantix) May Increase Risk for CV Events
Larry Husten, PHD
The FDA said that the anti-smoking drug varenicline (Chantix) may increase the risk for cardiovascular events in people who already have cardiovascular disease. The new information will be added to the drug’s label and Medication Guide for patients. The FDA does not recommend that people with cardiovascular disease stop taking varenicline, but it says that […]
June 16th, 2011
FDA Says Pioglitazone Use Is Linked to Bladder Cancer
Larry Husten, PHD
The FDA has issued a safety announcement stating that the use of pioglitazone (Actos) for more than 1 year may be associated with increased risk for bladder cancer. The FDA announcement follows last week’s suspension of the drug in France and Germany by regulatory authorities in those countries. The FDA said that pioglitazone should not […]
June 15th, 2011
NEJM: FDA Officials Explain the New Simvastatin Label
Larry Husten, PHD
In a perspective published in the New England Journal of Medicine, two FDA officials, Amy Egan and Eric Colman, explain in some detail the recent changes made by the FDA regarding simvastatin. They note that in the SEARCH trial, myopathy developed in 52 (0.9%) patients in the 80-mg group compared with only 1 (0.02%) patient […]
June 15th, 2011
Johnson & Johnson Steps Out of the Stent Market
Larry Husten, PHD
Johnson & Johnson announced today that it is exiting the stent business. The company will discontinue development of its Nevo sirolimus-eluting stent and will end sales of its Cypher family of stents by the end of the year. The company was the manufacturer of both the first stent, the Palmaz-Schatz stent, in the 1990s and […]