Cardiology news: award winning coverage by heartwire

Prevention

Tea and coffee lower blood pressure in large French registry

Jun 18, 2013 10:00 EDT

Good news for caffeine lovers! A large French analysis showed that drinking tea or coffee was associated with a small but statistically significant reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Hypertension

Salt in the wound: Experts debate lowering worldwide sodium intakes

Jun 17, 2013 11:00 EDT

At the ESH meeting, two experts took opposing views concerning the current war on salt. One believes the current salt/sodium targets were simply pulled out of a hat and have no scientific basis at all, while the other believes the targets are necessary to help start a low-sodium environment for future generations, lowering their potential risks of hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Hypertension

Spironolactone provides benefit in resistant hypertension, small study shows

3 COMMENTS - Jun 17, 2013 09:45 EDT

Daytime blood pressure measured by 24-hour ambulatory blood-pressure monitoring was reduced by 8.9/3.7 mm Hg, report investigators. The data suggest that the addition of spironolactone might be beneficial in this hard-to-treat patient population already receiving multiple antihypertensive medications, they add.

Thrombosis

EMA committee concludes diclofenac poses similar risks as COX-2 inhibitors

Jun 14, 2013 14:45 EDT

The committee says the benefits of diclofenac exceed the known risks and that physicians should take the same precautions to minimize thromboembolic risk as they do with patients treated with selective COX-2 inhibitors.

MediaPulse

Yaz, Yasmin BCPs linked to 23 deaths in Canada

Jun 13, 2013 16:50 EDT

At least 23 deaths and 600 adverse-event reports have been collected by Health Canada since 2007. The agency says it still believes the benefits of the drospirenone-containing birth-control pills outweigh the risks, although VTE risk is higher with these pills than with earlier-generation ones.

Thrombosis

Oversized 2-mg warfarin tablets recalled

Jun 13, 2013 10:30 EDT

One lot (#MM5767) made by Zydus Pharmaceuticals may include pills that contain an increased pharmacological effect, due to their larger size.

Brain/Kidney/Peripheral

Low diastolic blood pressure linked to brain atrophy

1 COMMENT - Jun 13, 2013 10:30 EDT

A new study presents more evidence of the importance of target blood-pressure levels in middle-aged patients.

Arrhythmia/EP

Dabigatran 110 mg similar in benefit to 150 mg in weighted analysis

1 COMMENT - Jun 12, 2013 15:45 EDT

European, Canadian, and Australian regulators all approved both the 110-mg and 150-mg doses studied in the RE-LY trial, while the FDA approved only the higher dose. A new analysis is once again calling this decision into question.

Hypertension

Higher LV mass after preeclampsia predicts later hypertension

Jun 7, 2013 17:00 EDT

Postpartum CV risk goes up in women who had preeclampsia, but their CVD still tends to be identified late. What if they could be identified sooner?

Thrombosis

Aspirin unneeded with anticoagulation/clopidogrel after MI, PCI in AF

9 COMMENTS - Jun 6, 2013 17:00 EDT

A large national cohort study somewhat confirms what the WOEST trial suggested: that an oral anticoagulant plus one antiplatelet is sufficient in patients with multiple indications for antithrombotic therapy.

Thrombosis

SNP influencing warfarin dose identified in African Americans

Jun 6, 2013 15:45 EDT

Patients carrying the SNP, which is located in the CYP2C9 gene, require a significantly lower stable dose of warfarin than do those without the variant, say researchers. The addition of the SNP also improved the International Warfarin Pharmacogenetics Consortium treatment algorithm by 21%.

Lipid/Metabolic

Statins linked with risk of musculoskeletal injury

14 COMMENTS - Jun 5, 2013 16:15 EDT

Researchers suggest the full range of musculoskeletal adverse events might not be fully known and that further studies are needed, especially in active individuals.

Brain/Kidney/Peripheral

SPS3: Systolic BP <130 beneficial in lacunar stroke

Jun 5, 2013 14:30 EDT

Although the primary end point was not quite significant, results did suggest a reduction in stroke with lower blood pressure. The secondary end point of hemorrhagic stroke was significantly reduced.

Lipid/Metabolic

Mixed results for PCSK9 inhibition in homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia

Jun 5, 2013 12:30 EDT

A new proof-of-concept study has shown for the first time that the investigational monoclonal antibody lowers LDL cholesterol in this rare inherited disorder, but only in patients who have residual LDL-receptor activity, and not in those with none.

Thrombosis

Aspirin effective for VTE prevention after hip replacement

1 COMMENT - Jun 5, 2013 11:30 EDT

Aspirin is as effective as dalteparin for venous-thromboembolism prevention after hip replacement, according to a multicenter randomized controlled trial of 778 patients.

Acute Coronary Syndromes

AMI, sudden death tracked with seismic activity during East Japan quake

Jun 5, 2013 08:30 EDT

For these events, say the authors, the original quake and aftershocks may have been more important in terms of acute physical and psychological stress than the tsunami and the displacement it caused.

Hypertension

Childhood BP linked to adult atherosclerosis, but reversing BP may help

1 COMMENT - Jun 4, 2013 08:45 EDT

The study shows once again that kids with high blood pressure are likely to remain hypertensive as adults, but in a glimmer of hope, young people who got their blood pressure under control did not appear to have the same atherosclerotic progression seen among those who remained or became hypertensive.

Imaging

Mediterranean diet slows atherosclerosis progression in PREDIMED

6 COMMENTS - Jun 3, 2013 19:30 EDT

High adherence to a Mediterranean diet, particularly one supplemented with nuts, appeared to slow the progression of atherosclerosis as measured by internal carotid artery intima-media thickness.

Lipid/Metabolic

New EAS consensus document tackles familial hypercholesterolemia

6 COMMENTS - Jun 3, 2013 19:00 EDT

According to the European Atherosclerosis Society, familial hypercholesterolemia is woefully underdiagnosed and undertreated. The society has recently completed a new consensus paper offering some advice.

Heart failure

Coenzyme Q10 supplementation reduces HF admissions and improves survival: Q-SYMBIO

33 COMMENTS - May 31, 2013 16:00 EDT

To heartwire, a couple of doctors expressed caution and curiosity about the extraordinary results, including the 50% reduction in mortality, and say they need to see the data published in a peer-reviewed journal before jumping on the CoQ10 bandwagon. The Q-SYMBIO investigators say they are planning to submit the study for publication.

Heart failure

New mineralocorticoid-receptor antagonist passes in phase 2 study

May 30, 2013 16:45 EDT

Patients treated with the drug, known only as BAY94-8862 at the moment, had a significantly lower risk of hyperkalemia than patients treated with spironolactone, as well as a lower risk of worsening renal failure. The drug also reduced BNP levels as much as spironolactone.

Clinical cardiology

NSAID CV-event risk high overall, but predictable in individuals, says analysis

1 COMMENT - May 30, 2013 15:30 EDT

One standard NSAID stood out for having no significant effect on CV risk, consistent with past findings.

News

House GOP advances "doc fix" for SGR crisis

2 COMMENTS - May 29, 2013 17:00 EDT

Draft legislation from Republicans would replace the SGR with a hybrid of fee-for-service and pay-for-performance and give physicians a choice of payment options.

Interventional/Surgery

New guideline issued on thrombotic therapy management during procedures

May 28, 2013 15:30 EDT

Continuing aspirin is usually acceptable, but there is less guidance on how to manage other antithrombotic meds during surgery or other procedures in patients with cerebrovascular disease, according to the American Academy of Neurology document.

Prevention

Obesity, hypertension prevalent in growing number of children

3 COMMENTS - May 28, 2013 14:30 EDT

Excessive weight in young people suggests their risk for metabolic syndrome, hyperlipidemia, sleep disorders, type 2 diabetes, and kidney disease as adults will be high.