October 9th, 2012
PCI Utilization Lower in States with Public Reporting of Outcomes
Larry Husten, PHD
In patients with acute MI, utilization of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is lower in states that publicly report outcomes data, according to a new study published in JAMA. Despite the difference in utilization, however, there was no difference in mortality between reporting and nonreporting states. Karen Joynt and colleagues used Medicare data to analyze PCI utilization […]
October 9th, 2012
Erasmus Medical Center Releases Final Report on Cardiovascular Research Scandal
Larry Husten, PHD
After an extensive investigation, a large medical center in the Netherlands has confirmed earlier charges of research misconduct against a prominent cardiovascular researcher. On Tuesday, Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam released a final report on the scientific integrity of trials conducted by Don Poldermans, a well-known and highly prolific Dutch cardiovascular researcher. The final report contains numerous […]
October 9th, 2012
Observational Study Links Common Household Chemical to Cardiovascular Disease
Larry Husten, PHD
High levels of a man-made chemical widely used in common household products and detectable in more than 98% of people may increase the risk for cardiovascular (CV) disease and peripheral arterial disease (PAD), according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. (The study was published online in September and will appear in this week’s […]
October 8th, 2012
Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: October 8th
Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP
This week’s topics include beta-blockers and the lack of a cardioprotective effect for certain patients; intra-aortic balloon support for MI with cardiogenic shock; prasugrel vs. clopidogrel for acute coronary syndromes without revascularization; CRP, fibrinogen, and CVD prediction; and a comparison of thrombectomy devices for acute ischemic stroke.
October 8th, 2012
Triple Antithrombotic Therapy: What — and When — Is the Bleeding Risk?
Morten Lamberts, MD and John Ryan, MD
Morten Lamberts, MD, lead investigator of a recent registry study of various combinations of antithrombotic agents in patients with AF and CAD, answers John Ryan’s questions about the study and its implications.
October 5th, 2012
A Plea For Open Science And Data Sharing
Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM
I am still out pushing the cause of open science and data sharing. Something we can do better through the scientific community. It starts with the will – and a focus on societal good. The ‘how’ is challenging – but the problems can be solved. Earlier this week I gave a talk at an Institute of […]
October 4th, 2012
U.K. Study Casts Doubts on Value of Type 2 Diabetes Screening
Larry Husten, PHD
The dramatic growth in type 2 diabetes has resulted in increased interest in screening programs. Now a new study published in the Lancet raises concerns that screening programs may not result in long-term improvement in outcomes. In the ADDITION-Cambridge study, investigators in the U.K. randomized general practices to either screening or no screening. The practices allocated to screening […]
October 4th, 2012
Beta-Blockers May Not Work as Well as We Thought: So What Does “Optimal Medical Therapy” Really Mean?
Ajay J Kirtane, MD, SM
Proponents of optical medical therapy believe that the benefits of coronary revasculartion in stable ischemic disease were established in outdated studies. But if beta blockers aren’t very effective, is optimal therapy just aspirin and a statin?
October 3rd, 2012
CRP and Cholesterol Emerge as Equally Strong Predictors of Cardiovascular Risk
Paul Ridker, MD, MPH
Paul Ridker discusses findings from the Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration showing that C-reactive protein provides incremental risk information comparable to that of total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol.
October 3rd, 2012
What Is the Benefit of Adding CRP to Risk Factor Assessment?
Larry Husten, PHD
In recent years, controversy has swirled around the role of inflammation in cardiovascular disease and the relative worth of measuring novel risk factors like C-reactive protein (CRP). Now, in a paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers from the Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration provide detailed calculations that estimate the benefits of adding inflammatory markers to […]