July 9th, 2012
AHA and ADA Cautiously Endorse Non-Nutritive Sweeteners
Larry Husten, PHD
In a newly released scientific statement, the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association offer a cautious endorsement of the use of non-nutritive sweeteners in the diet. But the statement notes that the products are not “magic bullets” and that there is no strong evidence demonstrating their beneficial effects. Sugar in the diet has been […]
July 7th, 2012
New Algorithm for Patients with LBBB and Suspected MI
John W McEvoy, MB BCh BAO, Ian Neeland, MD, James De Lemos, MD and John Ryan, MD
John McEvoy reflects on the clinical scenario of selecting patients with left bundle-branch block and suspected MI for primary PCI — and on a new algorithm to help in the decision-making process. The authors who created the algorithm respond.
July 6th, 2012
Screening (and Some Rescreening) for Aortic Aneurysms Found Cost Effective
A Danish study published in BMJ confirms the cost effectiveness of screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms in older men and explores the benefits of rescreening in those with increased aortic diameters. (The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends one-time screening for men between age 65 and 75 who have ever smoked.) Researchers used Danish national […]
July 6th, 2012
Panel: How to Develop the Best Fellowship Application — Part I
Andrew M. Kates, MD, James De Lemos, MD and John Ryan, MD
In this two-part post, the moderators of the Fellowship Training blog advise residents on everything from what not to say in the personal statement to whether you need to know your future career path.
July 5th, 2012
Stem Cell Therapy Company Hypes Preliminary Results
Larry Husten, PHD
A biotech company has been accused of releasing preliminary and misleading information about a clinical trial. The company, Osiris Therapeutics, is the manufacturer of a cultured mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy called Prochymal, which is being studied in a phase 2, placebo-controlled trial in post-MI patients. Earlier this week, Osiris issued a press release announcing preliminary results from the trial, in […]
July 3rd, 2012
Many CHF Patients Not Receiving – Or Getting Benefits From – High Dose ACE Inhibitors and ARBs
Larry Husten, PHD
Although current guidelines recommend that ACE inhibitors and angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) be used in high doses in patients with congestive heart failure, many CHF patients currently receive lower than recommended doses of these drugs. In a research letter published online in Archives of Internal Medicine, investigators in Montreal analyzed data from 43,405 patients with a first hospital […]
July 2nd, 2012
Eroding Confidence in ASD Occlusion Devices
Richard A. Lange, MD, MBA and L. David Hillis, MD
The FDA has identified more than 100 cases of cardiac erosion following atrial septal defect occlusion (ASO) device implantation. All were associated with implantation of the AMPLATZER (AGA Medical/St. Jude Medical) or related cribriform ASO devices; none have been reported thus far with the GORE HELEX (Gore Medical) ASO device. Although the estimated occurrence of cardiac […]
July 2nd, 2012
Severe Blood Conservation Appears Safe in Cardiac Surgery for Jehovah’s Witnesses
Larry Husten, PHD
Severe blood conservation in conjunction with cardiac surgery is not associated with long-term adverse consequences, according to a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Investigators from the Cleveland Clinic and the NHLBI compared 322 patients who were Jehovah’s Witnesses with an equal number of matched controls. Due to their religious beliefs, Witnesses […]
July 2nd, 2012
Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: July 2nd
Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP
This week’s topics include pay for performance, Don Berwick’s Harvard commencement address, tPA for ischemic stroke in warfarin-treated patients, surgery for infective endocarditis, the American health care system, and the record number of RECORD studies.