Cardiology news: award winning coverage by heartwire

Arrhythmia/EP

Fidelis failures climb: "Strongly consider" replacement at ICD change-out

Feb 10, 2012 17:00 EST

It may be a good time to replace patients' Medtronic Sprint Fidelis leads, which were recalled due to an increased fracture risk, if they are getting new ICD generators anyway—even if the Fidelis hasn't shown signs of trouble, a group recommends.

Thrombosis

More hope for factor Xa reversal

1 COMMENT - Feb 10, 2012 14:00 EST

A new study has suggested that the anticoagulant effects of edoxaban could be reversed by several hemostatic agents currently used to control excessive bleeding in other situations.

Features

The doctor will see you now (from the other side of the world)

5 COMMENTS - Feb 10, 2012 12:30 EST

A unique "medical mission" using handheld echo in a remote rural population in India is being hailed as a success after cardiologists around the globe logged on over a two-day period to read the echocardiograms of unseen patients half a world away.

Thrombosis

US judge upholds FDA approval of generic enoxaparin

Feb 9, 2012 16:30 EST

Sanofi-Aventis had sued the agency in 2010, saying it had failed to follow its own rules and had not appropriately established that a generic drug made by a rival company included the same active ingredient as Lovenox.

Lipid/Metabolic

Over 1300 deaths in Mediator scandal in France

Feb 9, 2012 14:15 EST

The number of deaths attributable to heart-valve insufficiency as a result of the use of benfluorex in France is likely more than double that previously thought, a new investigation finds.

Arrhythmia/EP

Referring MDs fall short on ICD-indication guidelines

Feb 9, 2012 12:15 EST

A lot of generalists and some cardiologists apparently don't know some of the fundamental criteria for indication of a primary-prevention device and so may not be referring all patients who might benefit, a survey suggests.

Medscape Medical News

Apixaban superior for AF patients with previous stroke, TIA

Feb 9, 2012 11:15 EST

Substudies of the ARISTOTLE and AVERROES trials find apixaban is safe and effective for patients with previous events vs warfarin and aspirin respectively.

Prevention

Like father, like son: Y-chromosome variant may explain CAD

Feb 8, 2012 18:30 EST

New genetic work has unveiled an association between some lineages of the relatively empty male Y chromosome and coronary artery disease. The hypothesis, while "intriguing," requires more research to confirm, says one expert.

Arrhythmia/EP

More bleeding, thromboembolic events with dabigatran in AF ablation

Feb 8, 2012 16:45 EST

Dabigatran was stopped the morning of the procedure; its long half-life combined with the use of unfractionated heparin during the procedure likely explains the increased risk of bleeding.

Arrhythmia/EP

ICDs charged with sex discrimination: Women get fewer shocks

Feb 6, 2012 17:00 EST

Differences in appropriate-therapy and device-related complication rates in a prospective study question (once again) whether women and men should have the same ICD-eligibility criteria.

Acute Coronary Syndromes

MI-shock proposal is cold comfort: Hypothermia might boost survival

1 COMMENT - Feb 6, 2012 16:00 EST

Some data suggest therapeutic hypothermia might reduce the currently high mortality from cardiogenic shock; let's do the necessary clinical studies to see whether it might be true, urges a published viewpoint.

Medscape Medical News

Cardiac telemetry identifies AF in cryptogenic stroke

2 COMMENTS - Feb 2, 2012 16:00 EST

Outpatient monitoring for 21 days detected atrial fibrillation in 17% of patients, and this could change management.

Features

The flap over flavonoids

7 COMMENTS - Feb 2, 2012 15:15 EST

The field of flavonoids and polyphenols continues to attract a massive amount of interest, from researchers and the public alike. But can health really be improved by eating chocolate and drinking red wine?

Interventional/Surgery

Women do better after TAVI, hints small study

Jan 30, 2012 16:00 EST

The first foray into possible gender differences in presentation and outcome among patients undergoing TAVI for severe aortic stenosis hints that women may fare better than men after this procedure.

Heart failure

Don't routinely replace spent ICDs: Proposal

1 COMMENT - Jan 27, 2012 17:00 EST

It may have little to offer and it might not be what the patient wants, argues a perspective in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Arrhythmia/EP

Riata Summit insights: Vigilance key to following functional but "recalled" ICD leads

Jan 27, 2012 10:00 EST

UPDATED // Most attending the recent Riata ICD lead summit felt that fluoroscopic screening of Riata recipients was a reasonable thing to do, at odds with some recommendations; remote monitoring has its limits here, say VA data.

Murmurs

Cardiologists flagging woeful patient care say they paid with their jobs

8 COMMENTS - Jan 25, 2012 15:30 EST

An echocardiographer and cardiac surgeon who say their jobs were axed in retaliation after they lodged numerous complaints of substandard patient care at a county hospital in Santa Clara are suing some of their former bosses, including two other cardiologists. The plaintiffs also claim they suffered severe harassment as a result of expressing their concerns. The defendants' attorney says the case "is hotly disputed."

Medscape Medical News

Pay for SGR repeal with war savings, say medical groups

3 COMMENTS - Jan 24, 2012 15:45 EST

A letter to Rep Dave Camp from 110 medical societies admits that war savings from military pullbacks are a "budget gimmick" but says they could retire SGR debt, another budget gimmick.

Arrhythmia/EP

"Recalled" Riata ICD leads: Brainstorming conference aims for guidance

4 COMMENTS - Jan 20, 2012 13:30 EST

The lead failures can take years to manifest with inappropriate shocks or a variety of other issues, or they may not cause problems at all. There could be more agreement on how to manage the patients after today's Minnesota Heart Institute Riata ICD Lead Summit.

Acute Coronary Syndromes

Pillow talk: First AHA advice on sex and CVD

Jan 19, 2012 16:00 EST

The first-ever guidance on sexual activity and cardiovascular disease from the AHA encourages doctors, patients, and their partners to discuss the subject during consultations. The majority of those with heart disease can safely engage in sex, which is important to quality of life, it concludes.

Arrhythmia/EP

New AF ablation programs need time, money, and data

Jan 18, 2012 15:00 EST

Starting up an atrial fibrillation ablation program takes more than just a couple of skilled electrophysiologists, Dr Rodney Horton explained at the Boston Atrial Fibrillation Symposium.

Arrhythmia/EP

Dronedarone gets another chance to prove itself in ranolazine combo trial

4 COMMENTS - Jan 16, 2012 18:00 EST

Researchers of the beleaguered antiarrhythmic dronedarone believe the drug may still have a role to play in AF therapy for some patients and are testing it as a low-dose complement to another newer antiarrhythmic drug, ranolazine.

Arrhythmia/EP

New AF ablation consensus doc previewed at Boston AF symposium

1 COMMENT - Jan 13, 2012 19:30 EST

A group of 45 AF experts from North America and Europe will soon publish a major update to the 2007 international clinical consensus statement for the use of catheter and surgical ablation for the treatment of AF.

News

Resveratrol scientists react to Das fraud scandal: "Research will continue"

4 COMMENTS - Jan 13, 2012 17:20 EST

As the controversy over the research fraud allegations against Dr Dipak Das enters its third day, researchers told heartwire what the news means for the field of resveratrol research and, more pressingly, an upcoming scientific meeting.

Arrhythmia/EP

Yoga therapy for AF yields insight into brain-heart axis

2 COMMENTS - Jan 13, 2012 11:10 EST

Yoga has shown to help some patients manage atrial fibrillation, so researchers are moving forward with investigations of yoga's influence on cardiac autonomics to better understand the biology of meditative practice.