August 28th, 2011
A “Straight A” Trial: Answers About Apixaban from ARISTOTLE
Samuel Goldhaber, MD
Several important questions about the relative safety and efficacy of apixaban versus warfarin in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation have been answered.
August 28th, 2011
ARISTOTLE Finds the Golden Mean of Anticoagulation
Larry Husten, PHD
In ancient Greece the philosopher Aristotle thought the golden mean was the desirable middle between two extremes, one of excess and the other of deficiency. In cardiology, apixaban may be the golden mean of anticoagulation, achieving the ideal balance of reduced strokes and deaths without causing any additional bleeding complications. The Apixaban for Reduction in Stroke and […]
August 26th, 2011
The Power of Zero on JUPITER
Anita Vashi, MD, MPH
This voluntary contribution from Dr. Nasir, the principal investigator of a recent study published in the Lancet, is an extension of his remarks in a recent panel discussion Background: The study showed that people with low LDL levels and high C-reactive protein levels may benefit from coronary artery calcium scans to identify the folks who are most likely […]
August 25th, 2011
“Numbers Traps” in Clinical Practice
John E Brush, MD
As we make clinical decisions every day, we assess probabilities in a subjective fashion. And in doing so, we tend to fall into very predictable traps — traps we can get better at avoiding if we learn about how they ensnare us. That requires familiarizing ourselves with a bit of history. Several decades ago Casscells […]
August 24th, 2011
ARISTOTLE at ESC: What to Look for When the Data Are Unveiled
Samuel Goldhaber, MD
At 11:54 a.m. on August 28 in Paris (5:54 a.m. U.S. east coast time), I can almost imagine a huge drop in cell phone call volume as the ARISTOTLE presentation begins at ESC. The ESC exposition site is right next to Charles de Gaulle airport. Will a temporary “no fly zone” be declared? We know […]
August 24th, 2011
Ambulatory BP Monitoring Gains NICE Recommendation in UK
Larry Husten, PHD
Ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) monitoring is receiving a strong endorsement in the UK from NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence). The recommendation is based on a cost-effectiveness study published in the Lancet. Kate Lovibond and colleagues found that compared with additional measurements in the clinic or home measurements, ABP monitoring was highly cost-effective in patients […]
August 23rd, 2011
William Kannel, Former Framingham Heart Study Director, Dead at 87
Larry Husten, PHD
William Kannel, the cardiovascular epidemiologist who helped find most of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease during his lifelong association with the Framingham Heart Study (FHS), died on Saturday at the age of 87. Indeed, Kannel coined the term “risk factor” in a 1961 article in Annals of Internal Medicine. Kannel “made the courageous […]
August 23rd, 2011
Door-to-Balloon Time Closes In On 1 Hour
Larry Husten, PHD
The door-to-balloon (D2B) time has fallen substantially since the launch of the D2B Alliance campaign in 2006, according to a new report in Circulation. Harlan Krumholz (editor-in-chief of CardioExchange) and colleagues analyzed data reported to CMS from the beginning of 2005 through September 2010. D2B dropped from 96 minutes in 2005 to 64 minutes in the first 9 months […]
August 22nd, 2011
CNN, ABC, and NBC Dumb Down the News About CV Screening
Larry Husten, PHD
An analysis of recent health news coverage in the mainstream media: “Exit complexity. Enter stupidity.”
August 22nd, 2011
Panel: Coronary Calcium vs. CRP for Predicting Cardiovascular Events
CardioExchange Editors, Staff
Drs. Paul Ridker and Sanjay Kaul offer their perspectives on a new coronary artery calcium/C-reactive protein study, published in the Lancet, and three of the study authors respond. The study showed that people with low LDL levels and high CRP levels may benefit from CAC scans to identify the folks who are most likely to […]