September 30th, 2013
Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: September 30th
Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP
This week’s topics include the RE-ALIGN trial of dabigatran vs. warfarin in patients with mechanical heart valves, general population echo screening and long-term survival, and antihypertensives and breast cancer risk among middle aged women.
September 30th, 2013
Nesiritide Does Not Increase Diuresis in ADHF Patients
Stephen Gottlieb, MD
Stephen Gottlieb discusses his research group’s analysis of ASCEND-HF data, which shows that nesiritide does not increase urine output in patients with ADHF.
September 27th, 2013
Saying Sorry May Not Be Good Enough for Novartis
Larry Husten, PHD
Novartis has issued a formal apology over misconduct relating to valsartan (Diovan) research in Japan, but that apology does not appear likely to satisfy the Japanese Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, which plans to fully investigate the company’s role in the scandal. If necessary, ministry officials are prepared to raid the company’s offices in Japan. A Novartis official apologized […]
September 27th, 2013
Higher Physician Volume Leads to Lower Mortality in HF
Karen Joynt, MD, MPH
Karen Joynt discusses her research group’s study of the relationship between physician volume, clinical outcomes, and costs among patients with HF.
September 26th, 2013
Scrutinizing the PRAMI Trial of “Preventive Angioplasty”
Victor Montori, MD, MSc
Victor Montori offers his analysis of the PRAMI trial and the many ramifications of stopping an investigation early.
September 26th, 2013
Increase In Deaths Linked To First-Line Treatment With Sulfonylureas
Larry Husten, PHD
First-line treatment with sulfonylureas instead of metformin in people with type 2 diabetes is associated with a significantly elevated risk of death, according to results from an observational study presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) meeting in Barcelona. Although guidelines do not recommend the use of sulfonylureas for first-line treatment, the drugs are […]
September 25th, 2013
Is It Safe to Treat Acute Pulmonary Embolism in an Outpatient Setting?
Christopher Kabrhel, MD MPH
Christopher Kabrhel discusses his research group’s study of the factors associated with clinical deterioration and the need for hospital-based interventions after an acute pulmonary embolism.
September 24th, 2013
Study Raises Questions About Digoxin Use Today
Larry Husten, PHD
Digoxin is one of the oldest medicines in the cardiovascular arsenal. When William Withering identified it as the active ingredient in the foxglove plant more than 200 years ago, he was only codifying a longstanding folk remedy for heart failure, or “dropsy” as it was known then. Digoxin fully entered the modern era with the […]
September 24th, 2013
A New Model to Predict Post-PCI Bleeding
Sunil Rao, MD
Sunil Rao discusses his research group’s risk model that uses an expanded definition of bleeding to predict which patients will have bleeding complications after PCI.
September 23rd, 2013
Using Registry Data, FDA Expands Indication for Edwards’ Sapien Transcatheter Heart Valves
Larry Husten, PHD
Relying on an important new source of information, the FDA said today that it had expanded the label for the Sapien Transcatheter Heart Valve (Edwards Lifesciences). Previously, the Sapien was approved for insertion via the transfemoral or transapical access points in patients not eligible for traditional aortic valve surgery. The new labeling no longer mentions access points […]