August 7th, 2012
Survey Finds Significant Drop in Cholesterol Levels in Youths
Larry Husten, PHD
New data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), published in JAMA, show significant and perhaps surprising improvements over the last 20 years in the lipid profile of youths aged 6-19 years. Among the key lipid parameters measured by the survey from 1988-1994 to 2007-2010: Total cholesterol decreased from 165 mg/dL to 160 mg/dL (p<0.001) Prevalence […]
August 7th, 2012
NY Times: HCA Concealed Significant Problems at Lucrative Cardiac Centers
Larry Husten, PHD
Despite numerous internal reviews that turned up a widespread pattern of unnecessary cardiology procedures being performed at many of its hospitals, the giant HCA corporation did little to rein in the problem or to inform regulators, payers, or patients about it, according to an investigative report in the New York Times by Reed Abelson and Julie Creswell. […]
August 7th, 2012
Reducing MI Readmissions: Time to Turn Objectives into Practice
Betsy Bradley, Ph.D.
A survey finds that while most hospitals have a stated objective to reduce AMI readmissions, adoption of actual strategies to achieve that goal is another matter.
August 6th, 2012
Hydrochlorothiazide and Nifedipine Linked to Increased Risk for Lip Cancer
Larry Husten, PHD
The antihypertensive drugs hydrochlorothiazide and nifedipine have been linked to a significantly increased risk for lip cancer in a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The link is plausible, write the authors, since the drugs are known to be photosensitizing. Using a large cohort from the Kaiser Permanente system, researchers at Kaiser […]
August 6th, 2012
DOJ Investigating Interventional Cardiology Services at HCA
Larry Husten, PHD
The hospital giant HCA has disclosed that the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami is investigating the company and has “requested information on reviews assessing the medical necessity of interventional cardiology services provided at any Company facility (other than peer reviews).” Following its own preliminary investigation, the company said it was aware of such reviews in about 10 […]
August 6th, 2012
TAVR and the Price of Innovation
Daniel Mark, Richard A. Lange, MD, MBA and L. David Hillis, MD
In an article published in Circulation, Daniel Mark and Robert Mentz of the Duke Clinical Research Institute and University Medical Center examine the economic and policy implications of the recent validation of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in the PARTNER trials. CardioExchange is fortunate and pleased to present Dr. Mark’s responses to questions about his […]
August 3rd, 2012
To Repeat — or Not to Repeat — the TEE
Eric Joseph Oligino, M.D. and James Fang, MD
Is cardioversion without a repeat transesophageal echocardiogram appropriate when an initial TEE revealed a small thrombus and the patient has already undergone 3 weeks of anticoagulation?
August 2nd, 2012
Survival Better with a Radial (vs. Femoral) PCI Approach: Sleight of Hand?
Richard A. Lange, MD, MBA and L. David Hillis, MD
Is there a plausible explanation for why the radial approach to PCI would yield better survival than the femoral approach in patients with ST-segment ACS?
August 2nd, 2012
DES in Patients at Low Risk for TVR: Is the Benefit Worth the Cost? (Part III)
John Spertus, MD, MPH, Robert W. Yeh, MD MSc MBA, Richard A. Lange, MD, MBA and L. David Hillis, MD
In a recent article in Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers performed an analysis of current use of drug-eluting stents (DES) in patients at various levels of risk for target-vessel revascularization (TVR), and estimated the cost and clinical outcomes of using BMS rather than DES in patients at low risk (see News). To gauge reaction to […]
August 1st, 2012
RIFLE-STEACS: Radial Access Improves Outcomes in Early Invasive Therapy
Larry Husten, PHD
For early invasive therapy for ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (STEACS), the use of radial access instead of femoral access reduces bleeding complications and improves outcomes, according to the first large, randomized trial testing the two approaches in this population. The results of the Radial Versus Femoral Randomized Investigation in ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome (RIFLE-STEACS) […]