January 21st, 2015
A Tragic Loss
Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM
The news of the death of Michael Davidson, a surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, allegedly at the hands of a patient’s relative, has shaken us all. The words of Betsy Nabel, on behalf of BWH, conveyed how much he was respected and loved. To his family, friends and colleagues, we send our sympathy. As […]
January 19th, 2015
Intense Exercise Doesn’t Eliminate the Hazard of Intense Sitting
Larry Husten, PHD
A large new analysis published in Annals of Internal Medicine supports earlier observations that the health hazards of sedentary behavior aren’t completely neutralized by exercise. Researchers in Toronto scoured the literature to find studies that assessed the health effects of sedentary behavior adjusted for physical activity. They found 47 studies, including 13 that assessed all-cause mortality, 14 […]
January 19th, 2015
Putting Your Heart Into Your Music: Beethoven’s Cardiac Arrhythmia
Edward J. Schloss, MD
Zachary Goldberger discusses his collaborative study of the relationship between cardiac health and musical composition inspired by the work of Ludwig van Beethoven.
January 19th, 2015
Optimum Salt Intake in Elderly Remains Elusive
Larry Husten, PHD
A new study offers fresh evidence that current salt recommendations should be taken with, well, a grain of salt. Current guidelines now recommend that everyone should have sodium intake levels below 2300 mg per day. For many people at higher risk, including everyone over 50 years of age, sodium intake should be below 1500 mg/d. […]
January 18th, 2015
“I’m Just Not a Pill Person”: Emotional Underpinnings of Nonadherence
The CardioExchange Editors interview Lisa Rosenbaum about her recent commentary on patients’ emotional responses to taking medications as a factor in nonadherence to therapy for heart disease. The article is published in the New England Journal of Medicine. CardioExchange Editors: In the current model of healthcare delivery, care is fragmented into 15–20 minute clinic visits. […]
January 15th, 2015
Low-Quality Discharge Summaries May Have Consequences
Leora Horwitz, MD
Leora Horwitz discusses her research group’s study of the association between the quality of discharge summaries and risk for readmission for heart failure.
January 14th, 2015
Hidden Clinical Trial Data: A Dam About to Burst
Larry Husten, PHD
Two important new developments may mean that many more researchers will soon be able to access and analyze data from many more clinical trials. In recent years, in response to troubling and far-reaching questions about the availability and reliability of clinical trial data, reformers have called for new policies that would require drug companies and […]
January 14th, 2015
Ticagrelor Improves Outcomes After Myocardial Infarction
Larry Husten, PHD
For the first time, a very large trial has shown that dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) improves cardiovascular outcomes when given to patients 1 to 3 years after a myocardial infarction. Because DAPT has been shown previously to reduce the high risk of recurrent events for up to a year following an MI, it is considered to be standard […]
January 13th, 2015
40-Year Effort in One Rural County to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease Found Successful
Larry Husten, PHD
A 40-year program in one poor rural county to combat cardiovascular disease appears to have been successful, resulting in reduced rates of hospitalization and death compared with other counties in the same state over the same period. The new findings are described in a paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Beginning in 1970, Franklin […]
January 12th, 2015
Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: January 12th
Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP
This week’s topics include the effects of BP reduction in mild hypertension, the association between dietary whole grain intake and risk of mortality, and more.