Cardiology news: award winning coverage by heartwire

Prevention

More doctors advising patients to exercise

1 COMMENT - Feb 10, 2012 14:45 EST

In 2010, one in three patients who visited a physician or other health professional had been told to start or maintain physical activity or exercise.

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.

Hypertension

Ten foods provide half of sodium eaten in US

Feb 9, 2012 10:00 EST

New estimates of salt consumption from a recent US survey show that 10 food groups provide almost half of the dietary sodium consumed in the country and that 90% of individuals eat more than the recommended daily amount of sodium.

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.

Brain/Kidney/Peripheral

For stroke risk, look for novel lipid/lipoprotein biomarkers

4 COMMENTS - Feb 8, 2012 11:15 EST

Women with triglyceride levels in the highest quartile had a significant 56% increased risk of stroke compared with women in the lowest quartile. Similarly, for women with highest quartile of VLDL particle size and IDL particle number, there was a significant 59% and 46% increased risk of ischemic stroke compared with women in the lowest quartile.

Lipid/Metabolic

Fitness and fatness independently linked with CVD risk factors

2 COMMENTS - Feb 6, 2012 16:00 EST

Individuals should be aware that exercising can have positive health effects, even if the weight doesn't necessarily come off, as can losing weight alone, researchers say, although the ideal combination is to improve fitness and lose fat.

Lipid/Metabolic

Lower mortality in NFL players—if weight is kept in check

2 COMMENTS - Feb 6, 2012 14:15 EST

The reduction in mortality and cardiovascular disease was observed in the smaller players—defensive backs, quarterbacks, and wide receivers, as well as fullbacks, halfbacks, and running backs, among others. For the true giants of the gridiron, the linemen, cardiovascular disease mortality was not significantly reduced compared with the US population.

Prevention

Photos on school lunch trays boost veggie intake

Feb 3, 2012 15:45 EST

A simple intervention, whereby photographs of green beans and carrots were placed in lunch trays in a school cafeteria, has had some success in boosting consumption of these vegetables among elementary schoolchildren.

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?

Prevention

"Cardiovascular health," new focus of the AHA, linked with reduced mortality

2 COMMENTS - Feb 1, 2012 16:15 EST

Individuals meeting five of seven cardiovascular health metrics outlined by the American Heart Association had a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality and deaths from diseases of the circulatory system when compared with unhealthy individuals who met none of the cardiovascular health criteria.

Lipid/Metabolic

Statins reduce cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in women: Meta-analysis

13 COMMENTS - Jan 30, 2012 16:00 EST

Based on the meta-analysis, which included 18 clinical trials, investigators conclude that the benefits of statin therapy for the reduction of cardiovascular outcomes and all-cause mortality extend to both men and women.

Hypertension

Interarm BP differences increase CVD risk

Jan 30, 2012 13:15 EST

New research indicates that large differences in systolic blood pressure between the right and left arm of 15 mm Hg or more point to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death. The findings should add weight to guidelines, which already encourage doctors to measure BP in both arms, say the authors and editorialists.

Prevention

Data mixed on role of parents and caregivers in combating childhood obesity

3 COMMENTS - Jan 27, 2012 15:00 EST

Despite the mixed data from the clinical trials, experts say there are some parenting strategies, such as monitoring unhealthy behaviors and positive reinforcement, that are helpful in getting children to change their behavior and lose weight.

Acute Coronary Syndromes

Heart attack deaths plummet in three EU nations

36 COMMENTS - Jan 26, 2012 12:15 EST

New statistics from Denmark, England, and Poland show a roughly 50% drop in deaths due to acute AMI in recent decades.

Prevention

Heart disease risk begins with middle-age risk factors

3 COMMENTS - Jan 25, 2012 17:00 EST

Risk-factor-reduction efforts are usually based on short-term risk scores, but most Americans at low risk for cardiovascular disease over the next 10 years are actually at much higher risk for heart problems over the rest of their lives.

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."

Brain/Kidney/Peripheral

Vytorin US label updated with SHARP results

5 COMMENTS - Jan 25, 2012 12:05 EST

But the FDA has not allowed an official indication for chronic-kidney-disease patients, which has concerned investigators who conducted the trial.

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.

Hypertension

Black tea lowers blood pressure in small trial

Jan 24, 2012 15:15 EST

Three daily cups, which provided approximately 400 mg/day of polyphenols, reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure between 2 to 3 mm Hg, according to researchers.

Imaging

Carotid images don't boost quit rates or cut CV risk factors in smokers

8 COMMENTS - Jan 23, 2012 17:00 EST

A new randomized controlled trial is the latest addition to a contentious field of research trying to establish whether "seeing is believing" when it comes to motivating cardiovascular risk reduction.

MediaPulse

To prescribe or not to prescribe: That is the statin question, experts debate

31 COMMENTS - Jan 23, 2012 12:30 EST

The two very different sides of the statin argument are debated today in the Wall Street Journal, with Dr Roger Blumenthal arguing the drugs prevent heart disease in patients with cardiovascular risk factors as well as in those who have already had a cardiovascular event. Dr Rita Redberg, on the other hand, argues against the current practice of prescribing statins to healthy patients with cardiovascular risk factors, including individuals with elevated cholesterol levels.

Lipid/Metabolic

Treat risk and not LDL-cholesterol targets, new perspective argues

17 COMMENTS - Jan 19, 2012 11:00 EST

In focusing on patient risk, rather than LDL-cholesterol treatment targets, doctors would improve patient outcomes and reduce adverse effects and costs that result from treating low-risk, low-benefit patients, say experts.

Hypertension

"High-normal" blood pressure linked to AF

Jan 18, 2012 17:15 EST

Upper-normal levels of blood pressure in otherwise-healthy middle-aged men appear to predict a higher risk for the development of atrial fibrillation in older age, a new study suggests.

Thrombosis

Contemporary look at VTE after joint surgery

Jan 17, 2012 16:00 EST

One in 100 patients who have knee-replacement surgery and one in 200 who undergo hip replacement will have a venous thromboembolic event in the hospital, despite receiving modern anticoagulant prophylaxis, a new review shows. These numbers will help inform patients and clinicians, say the authors, but an editorialist notes that to get a better picture, it will be necessary to look at a longer postsurgery time frame.

Medscape Medical News

NHANES: One in three adults, one in six children obese

Jan 17, 2012 13:00 EST

Obesity continues to be a significant public health problem in the US, affecting more than one-third of US adults and 17% of children and adolescents, but 2009-2010 data suggest trends may have plateaued for most groups.