Medscape Cardiology Headlines

World Congress of Cardiology (WCC) 2008

Fri, 16 May 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Read clinically focused news coverage of key developments from the meeting.
Medscape Cardiology

Coronary Calcification Thought to Predict Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients

Fri, 16 May 2008 08:33:39 EDT

For people on hemodialysis, coronary artery calcification appears to be an independent predictor of mortality.
Medscape Medical News

Implantable Device "Recall" vs "Safety Advisory": The Power of the R Word

Fri, 16 May 2008 13:53:43 EDT

Using the latter term might cause slightly fewer patients to insist on device change-outs and therefore fewer change-out-related complications, according to researchers.
Heartwire

Remote Pacemaker Follow-Up: Interrogation by Internet Likely Superior to "Over-the-Phone" ECG

Fri, 16 May 2008 14:09:00 EDT

Hopes are that having remote access to all the data modern devices collect will ultimately improve clinical outcomes, but for now, a randomized trial shows that remote pacemaker interrogations catch more events than standard transtelephonic monitoring.
Heartwire

First Clinical Data on "Healing" Stents Hint at Reduced Stent Thrombosis, But Also Increased Restenosis

Fri, 16 May 2008 14:26:53 EDT

Results from the ongoing multicenter TRIAS-HR/LR trials will be needed to determine whether the Genous endothelial-cell-capture stent becomes a niche product for people who can't take clopidogrel or who face a high thrombosis risk or if it will compete with DES.
Heartwire

"Delipidated" HDL: A New, Autologous Option for Plaque Regression?

Fri, 16 May 2008 14:46:10 EDT

Very preliminary data from a pilot study indicates that stripping a patient's own HDL of its lipid content, then reinfusing it, is feasible and safe and may even offer a novel means of stabilizing atherosclerotic plaques.
Heartwire

AHA Recommendations on Cardiovascular Monitoring in Patients With ADHD and Heart Disease

Fri, 16 May 2008 16:15:25 EDT

The AHA has recommended ECGs for children/adolescents being considered for, and in some cases, already receiving, stimulant agents for ADHD. What are the clinical implications of this recommendation?
Medscape Psychiatry & Mental Health

Costs of Heavy Drinking: Arterial Stiffness, Hypertension for Men, and Enlarged Hearts for Women

Fri, 16 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT

A study examining the link between heavy binge drinking, arterial stiffness, and cardiac structure and function has shown that the consumption of alcohol affects men and women differently.
Medscape Medical News

PROFESS: Combination Therapy Falls Short of Noninferiority vs Clopidogrel

Fri, 16 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT

Results of a secondary stroke prevention trial show that the combination of aspirin and extended-release dipyridamole do not meet prespecified noninferiority criteria vs clopidogrel.
Medscape Medical News

Post-Myocardial Infarction Cardiogenic Shock: What's New?

Fri, 16 May 2008 17:23:07 EDT

Advances in medical therapies, aggressive reperfusion, and the increasing availability of PCI and cardiac bypass may result in improvements in post-MI cardiogenic shock mortality rates.
Medscape Emergency Medicine

Cypher Direct-to-Consumer TV Ad Criticized

Thu, 15 May 2008 12:49:53 EDT

The new direct-to-consumer television advertisement for Cordis's Cypher sirolimus stent is the subject of a critical Perspective.
Heartwire

Biomarkers of Cardiovascular and Renal Disease Improve Risk Assessment Over Established Risk Factors

Thu, 15 May 2008 13:02:00 EDT

In men with and without cardiovascular disease, the addition of several biomarkers of cardiovascular and renal dysfunction significantly improves risk stratification for death from cardiovascular causes beyond other models based only on established cardiovascular risk factors, according to the results of a new study.
Heartwire

Troponins Prognostic for in-Hospital Death in Acute Decompensated HF

Thu, 15 May 2008 13:14:07 EDT

And the increased troponin-related risk starts almost right away, according to an observational study.
Heartwire

Laughing Your Way to Lower Blood Pressure and Less Stress

Thu, 15 May 2008 13:32:58 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.
Heartwire

Two-Year Danish Registry Results Raise Red Flag for Taxus, But Experts Warn Against Overreaction

Thu, 15 May 2008 13:51:28 EDT

The latest data from the Western Denmark registry, broken down by stent type, suggests that Taxus-treated patients face a nearly fivefold higher risk of stent thrombosis and a 50% higher risk of death between 12 and 24 months; no such increases were seen in Cypher-treated patients.
Heartwire

POISE Published, Debate on Perioperative Beta Blockers Continues

Thu, 15 May 2008 17:00:00 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.
Medscape Medical News

Air Pollution Increases DVT Risk

Thu, 15 May 2008 17:00:00 EDT

A new study suggests that long-term exposure to particulate air pollution may be associated with altered coagulation function and increased risk for deep vein thrombosis.
Medscape Medical News

Celecoxib No Clinical Utility as Chemopreventive Agent, Experts Say

Thu, 15 May 2008 17:25:00 EDT

They also warn that new trials studying the well-known pain reliever in high doses would be unethical.
Medscape Medical News

Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators and Prevention Of Sudden Cardiac Death In Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Commentary from F1000

Fri, 16 May 2008 10:30:21 EDT

Defining high-risk patients who should have ACDs: A practice-changing study
Faculty of 1000 Medicine

Newer-Generation DES: Promising Two-Year Results vs Taxus For Xience V and Nobori

Wed, 14 May 2008 13:36:11 EDT

Enduring clinical results suggest that the newer platforms, with limus-type drugs, may offer an edge over the first DES on the market.
Heartwire