April 23rd, 2012
Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: Week of April 23rd
Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP
This week, Richard discusses JAMA’s coverage of patient-centered care and all things CABG in NEJM.
April 23rd, 2012
FDA Posts Results of Cameron Subcutaneous ICD Pivotal Trial
Larry Husten, PHD
In preparation for Thursday’s meeting of the FDA’s Circulatory System Devices advisory panel, the FDA has released the results of the pivotal trial for the Cameron Health subcutaneous ICD system (S-ICD). The results have not been previously available. Unlike previous ICDs, which require threading a transvenous lead to the heart, the S-ICD system contains no leads to connect the device to […]
April 23rd, 2012
How to Avoid a Lousy Practice Position After Fellowship
CardioExchange Editors, Staff
A CardioExchange member shares 10 tips for avoiding a lousy practice position – and finding a great one – after fellowship.
April 20th, 2012
Aliskiren (Tekturna) Gets New Warning and Contraindication from FDA
Larry Husten, PHD
The FDA has issued new warnings about antihypertensive drugs containing the direct renin inhibitor aliskiren (including Tekturna, Amturnide, Takamio, and Valturna) when used in combination with ACE inhibitors or angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs). The FDA now states that these drug combinations are contraindicated in patients with diabetes, and it is adding a new warning to avoid […]
April 19th, 2012
Arizona Cardiac Surgeons Pay $100,000 to Settle HIPAA Violations
Larry Husten, PHD
An Arizona cardiac surgery group has agreed to pay $100,000 to resolve an investigation into potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). In the agreement, the surgical group did not offer an admission of liability but did agree to implement a corrective action plan in addition to the payment. […]
April 19th, 2012
A Fellow at ISHLT: First-Day Impressions
Kathryn Jesseca Lindley, MD
Kate Lindley discovers the unique global focus and interdisciplinary breadth of ISHLT.
April 19th, 2012
Should We Pull the Trigger on Platelet Reactivity Testing (and Put It out of Its Misery)?
Richard A. Lange, MD, MBA and L. David Hillis, MD
“We said it before, and we’ll say it again: an assessment of platelet reactivity by this method doesn’t effectively identify individuals at high risk for a cardiovascular event following PCI.”
April 18th, 2012
Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: Week of April 16th
Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP
This week’s topics include an “awful question” about statin therapy, coronary computed tomographic angiography in the ED, vorapraxar for secondary prevention, and stent wars.
April 18th, 2012
AHA: No Convincing Evidence That Periodontal Disease Causes CV Disease
Larry Husten, PHD
Demonstrating once again that association and causation should not be confused, the American Heart Association today published a scientific statement in Circulation asserting that there is no convincing evidence showing that periodontal disease causes cardiovascular (CV) disease or that treating periodontal disease will reduce CV disease risk. The statement does not rule out the possibility that periodontal […]
April 18th, 2012
Preoperative Statins Found to Reduce AF and Length of Stay but Not Mortality
Larry Husten, PHD
In a systematic review published in the Cochrane Library, investigators at the University of Cologne in Germany analyzed data from 11 trials that tested the effects of preoperative statins in 984 patients undergoing heart surgery. Preoperative administration of statins reduced the risk for developing atrial fibrillation (AF) and shortened the length of stay in the ICU and in […]