January 10th, 2012
Researchers Find Lower Sweet Spot for Potassium Levels in MI
Larry Husten, PHD
Current guidelines for the treatment of acute MI recommend that serum potassium be maintained between 4.0 and 5.0 mEq/L, and some believe that the upper limit could be raised to 5.5, but evidence is based on small, outdated studies. Now a study published in JAMA suggests that the ideal potassium range should be adjusted downward. Abhinav Goyal […]
January 9th, 2012
Statins Elevate Diabetes Risk in Postmenopausal Women
Larry Husten, PHD
Statins increase the risk for developing diabetes in postmenopausal women, according to a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study provides more evidence and details about the previously reported link between statins and diabetes development. Using data from more than 153,000 postmenopausal women who were participating in the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) and […]
January 9th, 2012
Excess Risk for Cardiac Events Associated with Dabigatran
Larry Husten, PHD
A new meta-analysis finds that dabigatran is associated with a higher risk of myocardial infarction and acute coronary syndromes. An editorial raises questions about the enthusiasm to embrace new drugs.
January 9th, 2012
Do Drug-Eluting Stents Reduce Death? The Devil, the Details, and the Missing Swedes
Richard A. Lange, MD, MBA and L. David Hillis, MD
In a 2009 NEJM article, the Swedish Coronary Angiography and Angioplasty Registry (SCAAR) study group published 1 to 5 (mean, 2.7) year follow-up data for almost 48,000 registry patients who received a bare metal (BMS) or drug-eluting coronary stent (DES) between 2003 and 2006, concluding that the two are associated with a similar long-term incidence […]
January 9th, 2012
What Are the Biggest Opportunities for Cost Savings in Cardiology?
Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM
Tell us the one test or procedure that you think should be carefully examined to make the biggest dent on waste in cardiac care.
January 5th, 2012
Diets Differ in Effect on Weight Gain and Fat and Lean Mass
Larry Husten, PHD
A new study published in JAMA demonstrates the various effects of overeating of three diets that differed mainly in protein composition. George Bray and colleagues randomized 25 healthy volunteers to participate in an inpatient study to consume low-, normal-, or high-protein diets that provided 40% more calories than required to maintain one’s normal weight. After 8 […]
January 5th, 2012
Coach Wants Me to Play. Will You Let Me, Doc?
Tariq Ahmad, MD, MPH and James Fang, MD
A 21-year-old Division I college football player presented with palpitations that had started during athletic practice. He was referred to a cardiologist for further evaluation. Vital signs and physical exam were normal. An EKG showed prominent R waves, inverted T waves in leads V1–V2, along with a biphasic T wave in lead V3. QRS axis and […]
January 4th, 2012
High STEMI Readmission Rate in U.S. Linked to Shorter Hospital Stays
Larry Husten, PHD
STEMI (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction) patients in the U.S. are more likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days compared with patients outside the U.S., but this difference loses significance when length of stay (LOS) is taken into account, according to a new study published in JAMA. Robb Kociol and colleagues, analyzing data from 5745 STEMI […]
January 4th, 2012
Missing Data: The Elephant That’s Not in the Room
Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM
There is a problem so grave that it threatens the very validity of what we learn from the medical literature. Bad data? Not exactly. Actually, it’s missing data — information, relevant to the risks and benefits of treatments, that is simply not published. In some cases, these data would make a critical difference in the […]
January 3rd, 2012
Missing Data: The Elephant That’s Not in the Room
Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM
There is a problem so grave that it threatens the very validity of what we learn from the medical literature. Bad data? Not exactly. Actually, it’s missing data — information, relevant to the risks and benefits of treatments, that is simply not published. In some cases, these data would make a critical difference in the […]