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A national survey shows that although the majority of state Medicaid programs offer coverage for some form of tobacco-dependence treatment, most fall far short of a stated mandate to provide unrestricted access to approved therapies.
The syndrome (defined by ATP III criteria) can predict increased cardiovascular and mortality risk or not, depending on which three of five risk factors contributed to the diagnosis, a cohort study suggests; its investigators caution that their observations are only preliminary.
More discussion about the J-curve in hypertension is published this week; one expert believes the undue attention being paid to this subject might discourage doctors from treating high blood pressure aggressively.
In keeping with all the other evidence showing no effects of homocysteine-lowering with B vitamins, the FAVORIT study now confirms that this lack of benefit is also seen in renal-transplant recipients.
Long work shifts with nighttime on-call duty, with the inevitable interruptions of sleep, are associated with ECG, blood-pressure, and biochemical changes associated with increased cardiovascular risk, suggests a randomized crossover study that hints at a sustained effect on the risk markers if the 24-hour shifts happen too frequently.
UPDATED // An 1126-patient trial shows that SPECT and CAC scoring imaging tests are independent and complementary predictors of short- and long-term cardiac risk, respectively.
A synergistic approach of educating general practitioners about hypertension control together with a program to send lay workers into people's homes to educate them about the management of high blood pressure has proven successful in low- to middle-income households in Pakistan.
Supporters of the Canadian Heart Health Strategy and Action Plan continue to solicit support from physicians and the public for a comprehensive strategy for improving Canadian's heart health at both the provincial and federal level.
Just weeks before ARBITER-HALTS 6 results come out at AHA 2009, an MRI study suggests that niacin is better than placebo in statin-treated patients with low HDL, at least for reducing carotid wall area. Experts say they'd also like to see insights into niacin effects on lipid-rich plaque volumesthe more commonly seen end point with MRI.
The protective effects of diet modification, exercise, and other lifestyle changes against new-onset diabetes showcased in the three-year Diabetes Prevention Program continued out to 10 years in a follow-up analysis.
Two well-known observational registries highlight such changes in women and men over a decade or more: Do women younger than 55 still have an advantage over men in the same age group?
After a median follow-up of 12 years, MI rates were essentially the same among those treated with surgery and those who received conventional care for weight loss.
Among overweight patients, including those with preexisting echocardiographic valvulopathy, the average weight loss was approximately 5 kg with lorcaserin. Importantly, there were no concerns raised about new or worsening cardiac valve problems with the 5HT2C-receptor agonist.
Results showing that people eat less when they know how many calories are in that Big Mac are mixed, but experts say that menu labeling provides only upside, with no public-health cost, and that over time results will show the information to have a positive effect on obesity rates in the US.
The distribution of body fat, as well as the amount, is important when it comes to the risk of venous thromboembolism, Danish researchers have discovered.
Intensive lifestyle intervention in the management of diabetes produces sustained weight loss and improvements in fitness, as well as improvements in glycemic control, systolic blood pressure, and HDL-cholesterol levels.
Pericardial fat, which is found around the heart, predicts future CHD events and may even be a better predictor of these than conventional obesity measures, such as BMI and waist circumference, a new study of MESA participants shows.
Data from Japanese atomic-bomb survivors and people exposed to radiation in their jobs show that even low doses of ionizing radiation may contribute to cardiovascular disease risk. British researchers have created a complex mathematical model to better understand the relationship between radiation exposure and heart disease.
A drug originally developed to treat diabetes may have promise as an obesity therapy, a new study shows. Those taking liraglutide, a GLP-1 analog, lost more weight than those on an established obesity medication, orlistat.
The donor, who was later shown to be affected by a novel beta-myosin heavy-chain mutation that causes HCM, is responsible for at least nine children known to be genetically affected with HCM.
Although the case for intensive glucose lowering in diabetic patients to prevent CVD is not straightforward, glucose control is still important for other reasons, and blood pressure and lipid control should not be neglected, according to debaters at a diabetes meeting.
Researchers using different international databases report that the Framingham and UKPDS risk equations overestimate the probability of CV events in diabetic patients.
After 10 years of clinical use of TZDs, "we are still at the beginning," and randomized controlled trials shed light on their use in appropriate diabetic patients, speakers at a diabetes symposium reported.
The drug can now be used to reduce the risk of MI, stroke, or death from cardiovascular causes in patients 55 years of age or older who are intolerant to ACE inhibitors but at high risk for cardiovascular events.
Variations on chromosome 4q25 are associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). If you had a family history of AF, would you be tested? Dr. Christopher Granger who has such a personal history underwent testing. He discusses the role of genetics in the management of patients with or at risk for AF.
The 2008 AHA meeting included a special session on "Personalized Genomics: Ready for Prime Time?" Read Dr Wang's article on recent genetic findings in CAD, AF and HF while Drs Ballantyne, Granger, Herrington, Mega and Topol address related AHA presentations and the clinical utility of genetic data in CVD management.
The following test-and-teach case is an educational activity modeled on the interactive grand rounds approach. The questions within the activity are designed to test your current knowledge. After each question, you will be able to see whether you answered correctly and will then read evidence-based information that supports the most appropriate answer choice. Please note that these questions are designed to challenge you; you will not be penalized for answering the questions incorrectly. At the end of the case, there will be a short post-test assessment based on material covered in the activity.
Genetic findings that affect the course of diseases have been increasing geometrically. Cardiology is one of the specialties that has benefited from recent discoveries. David Danar, MD, Scientific Director, MedscapeCME, interviewed John P. Kane, MS, MD, PhD, about the role of genetics in determining the risk for and management of heart disease.