March 15th, 2013
How Good Is Your Eye for Coronary Angiography?
Brahmajee Kartik Nallamothu, MD, MPH and John Ryan, MD
Brahmajee Nallamothu discusses his study group’s analysis comparing the accuracy of visually interpreted coronary angiography and quantitative coronary angiography.
March 14th, 2013
Fibrinolysis Now or Primary PCI Later?
Frans Van de Werf, MD,PhD, Richard A. Lange, MD, MBA and L. David Hillis, MD
CardioExchange’s Rick Lange and David Hillis ask Frans Van de Werf, principal investigator for the STREAM study, about his study group’s findings and their implications for clinical practice. THE STUDY In the STREAM trial, investigators compared two treatment strategies in STEMI patients presenting early after symptom onset who were unable to undergo primary PCI within […]
March 13th, 2013
FDA Officials Calm Concerns Over Excessive Bleeding with Dabigatran
Larry Husten, PHD
Concerns over excessive bleeding complications with dabigatran (Pradaxa, Boehringer Ingelheim) as compared with warfarin are most likely due to the heightened sensitivity and vigilance that can accompany a new drug, according to FDA officials in a perspective published online in the New England Journal of Medicine. “We believe that the large number of reported cases of bleeding […]
March 13th, 2013
Radiotherapy for Breast Cancer Increases Heart Disease Risk
Larry Husten, PHD
The increased risk of radiotherapy for breast cancer seen in this NEJM study may just be the tip of the iceberg.
March 12th, 2013
Azithromycin: FDA Issues Cardiac Warning
The antibiotic azithromycin (Zithromax and Zmax) can cause QT interval prolongation and torsades de pointes, the FDA warned on Tuesday. The agency says that healthcare providers should consider risk for fatal heart rhythms when treating patients already at high cardiovascular risk, including people with known prolongation of the QT interval, torsades de pointes, congenital long […]
March 12th, 2013
Sildenafil Does Not Improve Exercise Capacity in HF with Preserved Ejection Fraction
Nicholas Downing, MD
Sildenafil does not improve exercise capacity or clinical status in patients with symptomatic heart failure (HF) and preserved ejection fraction, according to a JAMA study. This finding contrasts with previous research suggesting a potential benefit in such patients. Some 220 HF patients with ejection fractions of 50% or greater were randomized to receive oral sildenafil […]
March 12th, 2013
Too Long, Too Short, or Just Right?
Tariq Ahmad, MD, MPH
What would be a better format for ACC?
March 12th, 2013
More Negative Heart Failure Trials: Blogging from ACC.13
Tariq Ahmad, MD, MPH
Might more accurate definitions of heart failure result in more positive trial results?
March 11th, 2013
The Affordable Care Act: The Carrots Are Becoming Sticks
Sandeep Mangalmurti, MD, JD
Before our eyes, the Affordable Care Act is attempting to change the traditional incentive structure of the American health care system.
March 11th, 2013
Two Trials Explore On-Pump Versus Off-Pump Bypass Surgery
Larry Husten, PHD
For more of our ACC.13 coverage of late-breaking clinical trials, interviews with the authors of the most important research, and blogs from our fellows on the most interesting presentations at the meeting, check out our Coverage Headquarters. Two large trials presented at the American College of Cardiology meeting in San Francisco and published simultaneously in […]