Center of Excellence: Heart Failure: News & Perspective

• Most Severe COVID Tied to Four Cardiometabolic Conditions The authors of a new study are calling for stronger public health lifestyle advice to minimize the risk for COVID-19 hospitalization.
  Medscape Medical News, February 25, 2021
• A Tribute to Bernard Lown There are lessons for us all in the life and legacy of the renowned cardiologist and peace activist Bernard Lown, notes John Mandrola, MD.
  theheart.org on Medscape, February 25, 2021
• Big Data 'Clinch' Link Between High Glycemic Index Diets and CVD Data from nearly 120,000 adults worldwide in the PURE study forms the clearest evidence so far that a diet with less processed carbs is associated with fewer deaths and CVD events.
  Medscape Medical News, February 24, 2021
• Dapagliflozin Quickly Reduces Heart Failure Events A significant reduction of the incidence of cardiovascular death or worsening heart failure with dapagliflozin became apparent in DAPA-HF within 28 days after patients started treatment.
  Medscape Medical News, February 23, 2021
• Task Force Tackles FDA Lamotrigine Cardiac Risk Warning A joint international task force has issued an advisory to address concerns arising from an FDA warning of cardiac risk in patients taking the antiseizure drug lamotrigine.
  Medscape Medical News, February 22, 2021
• Is Taking BP Meds at Night Really Better?   A controversial trial suggests that chronotherapy is key for hypertension management; cardiologist Christopher Labos takes a closer look.
  theheart.org on Medscape, February 22, 2021
• Alert FDA: S-ICD Generator Recall Due to Short Circuit Risk Is Class I It was issued for two models of Boston Scientific EMBLEM S-ICD pulse generators, a follow-up to a recent recall of their leads due to a fracture risk associated with at least one death.
  News Alerts, February 19, 2021
• Outcomes Have Improved for PAH in Connective Tissue Disease There is growing evidence that treatments for idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension can also benefit those with connective tissue diseases.
  Medscape Medical News, February 19, 2021
• New Light Cast on Type-2 MI Aims to Sharpen Diagnosis, Therapy A large survey of type 2 MI, triggered when myocardial oxygen demand outstrips supply, points to confusion hindering its diagnosis and treatment and reveals the rarity of revascularization.
  Medscape Medical News, February 18, 2021
• Cardiologist, Antiwar Activist Bernard Lown Dies at 99 Bernard Lown, MD, a Massachusetts cardiologist who invented the first reliable heart defibrillator and later cofounded an anti-nuclear war group that was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize, died Tuesday.
  Associated Press, February 17, 2021
• Alert FDA Expands Sacubitril/Valsartan Indication to Embrace Some HFpEF The newly approved labeling for sacubitril/valsartan (Entresto) is simply for "chronic heart failure" but almost teasingly adds, "the benefits are most clearly evident" at below-normal LVEF.
  FDA Approvals, February 17, 2021
• Feb 12 2021 This Week in Cardiology   Prediabetes, AI and ECGs, HFpEF, and observational studies are the topics discussed by John Mandrola, MD in this week’s podcast.
  theheart.org on Medscape, February 12, 2021
• More Americans Hospitalized, Readmitted for Heart Failure The rising burden of heart failure cuts across both sexes, but notable sex differences in hospitalizations were found, with higher rates for men.
  Medscape Medical News, February 11, 2021
• Inhaled Hyaluronan May Bring Sigh of Relief to COPD Patients Aerosolized high-molecular-weight hyaluronan may improve acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, findings of a new study suggest.
  Medscape Medical News, February 11, 2021
• Colchicine Post-MI: Close but No Cigar The inflammatory hypothesis of coronary artery disease has gained traction, but prescribing drugs with anti-inflammatory effects has yet to take off. Could recent data on colchicine change that?
  theheart.org on Medscape, February 11, 2021
• Exercise Quandary in HFpEF: Training Regimens Fall Short in Trial High-intensity exercise wasn't better than a moderate regimen, and neither vastly improved peak VO2. But no one training type was necessarily best for all, and small gains may have been enough.
  Medscape Medical News, February 10, 2021
• Coffee Tied to Lower Heart Failure Risk Coffee consumption is associated with the risk for heart failure, according to a machine-learning-based algorithm that analyzed data from three large observational trials.
  Medscape Medical News, February 10, 2021
• Beyond COVID-19: Can mRNA Treat Diseases, Too? Now, scientists and researchers are looking to harness mRNA for a tantalizingly greater purpose: treating chronic illnesses.
  WebMD Health News, February 10, 2021
• GME Funding Tied to Better Outcomes, Resident Scores However, hospitals are not financially healthier with more GME funding, new data show. But researchers agree transparency and equitable distribution are lacking.
  Medscape Medical News, February 09, 2021
• What's the Best Second-Line Drug Class for Type 2 Diabetes? Findings reinforce results of cardiovascular outcomes trials, but also fill in data gaps for older adults and those without baseline CVD.
  Medscape Medical News, February 08, 2021