Cardiology panels
From evidence to practice: Narrowing the gap
Dr Keith Fox talks to Drs Gregg Stone and Robert Harrington about why it takes so long for new evidence-based therapies to be adopted in clinical practice, the importance of national registries, and what can be done to make treatment guidelines more useful.
Genetic beta-blockade
What are the implications of an exciting discovery of intrinsic genetic beta-blockade common to 40% of people of African ancestry?

Dr Eric Topol invites you to share your opinions.

Click here to view the video blog and join the discussion.

HeartWire clips
On moving to industry: Interview with Dr Terry Ferguson
In conversation with heartwire news and features editor Larry Husten, Dr Terry Ferguson muses on changes to daily life, decision making processes, and patient care from a different perspective resulting from his new position in industry.
The Cardiology Show
Surrogate end points on trial: ENHANCE and other controversies
Part 2 is now live!
Nine of the world's top cardiologists gathered in Chicago to take on the issues raised by data released at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions.

Dr Valentin Fuster moderates this frank and sometimes heated discussion on the results of ENHANCE, STRADIVARIUS, ONTARGET, and PERISCOPE, and the questions they raise about the responsibility of industry and the relevance of surrogate end points.
Forum
Smoking ban?
Read about our forum moderator's heroic and sometimes comic efforts to get a smoking ban passed by her city council in tobacco country.
Thumbs up, thumbs down
Controversies: ENHANCE and ACCORD
Clinical trials are under attack and in the headlines. What is the proper role of the investigators? What are the responsibilities of industry? Join Drs Eric J Topol and Robert M Califf in a discussion of the many issues surrounding ENHANCE and ACCORD.
Question
Is insufficient disclosure of conflicts of interest a bigger problem in the cardiac device literature than it is in that of cardiac drugs?”
(See:Both researchers and journals are to blame for inconsistent disclosure of conflicts of interest)
Yes
No
Vote








This section is presented in collaboration with the American Society of Hypertension, Inc. (ASH).

Hypertension Educational Alliance

Announcing the launch of a new educational alliance between the American Society of Hpertension, Inc. (ASH), theheart.org and Medscape to improve prevention, detection and management of hypertension. This collaboration is designed to educate all professionals treating patients with hypertension and associated disorders and is under the educational direction of a steering committee of top experts. In this video highlight, Drs Thomas D. Giles, Suzanne Oparil, and Henry R. Black introduce the launch of the Hypertension Condition page.

Complementary resources available on the Hypertension
Curriculum at medscape.com/curriculum/hypertension.
Steering Committee Members
Apr 24, 2008 15:25 EDT / Meet the Hypertension Program steering committee: Drs Bakris, Messerli, Raij, Sica, and Phillips. They are the thought leaders who guide content development and oversee direction of the themes and programs. The satellite programs of Hypertension clinical condition are accredited by ASH.
Slides and resources
Mar 28, 2008 14:06 EDT / Hypertension is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, stroke, heart failure, and kidney disease. Learn more about Hypertension clinical condition through this new resource center and keep up to date through slides and links to abstracts or full text. This page is presented in collaboration with the American Society of Hypertension, Inc. (ASH)


Heartwire - Hypertension - Latest news


Dual-acting receptor antagonist reduces systolic blood pressure: No safety signals raised in phase 2a trial
May 16, 2008 17:45 EDT / The drug, designed to achieve blockade of the endothelin and angiotensin receptors, reduced ambulatory systolic blood pressure almost 15 mm Hg at the highest dose and was safe and well tolerated in a small study of hypertensive patients, report investigators. (American Society of Hypertension 2008 Annual Meeting.)


Laughing your way to lower blood pressure and less stress
May 15, 2008 09:15 EDT / Practicing laughter yoga, a blend of playful laughter exercises coupled with gentle breathing and stretching, can significantly lower systolic and diastolic blood-pressure levels, as well as reduce the levels of stress hormones, adding real credence to the cliché that laughter is the best medicine. (American Society of Hypertension 2008 Annual Meeting.)


POISE published, debate on perioperative beta blockers continues
May 13, 2008 12:45 EDT / Publication of the landmark POISE trial has triggered another heated debate about the pros and cons of using beta blockers perioperatively in noncardiac surgery. (POISE Study Group. Lancet; published online before print May 12, 2008.)


New MESA data show obesity is not inevitable
May 12, 2008 16:00 EDT / A new analysis of MESA has found that while 30% to 50% of blacks, whites, and Hispanics are obese, only 5% of Chinese Americans are. The results should serve as a stark reminder that obesity is not inevitable, say the researchers. (Burke GL et al. Arch Intern Med 2008; 168:928-935.)


Best bet for reducing new-onset diabetes in hypertensives disputed
May 2, 2008 17:45 EDT / Authors of a new ASCOT-BPLA analysis say the strongest protective factor in preventing new-onset diabetes was taking a calcium-channel blocker and ACE inhibitor. Others say this is stretching the evidence too far. (Gupta AK et al. Diabetes Care 2008; 31:982-988.)


Commercial support acknowledgement

This page is supported by independent educational grants from



Mission statement

The mission of the American Society of Hypertension, Inc. (ASH) is to promote strategies to prevent hypertension and to improve the care of patients with hypertension and associated disorders.