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Written by Justine Cadet
ATLANTA--Ablative intervention was more effective than drug therapy for preventing recurrent symptomatic atrial fibrillation, according to the CABANA trial results presented Monday during a late-breaking clinical trial session at the American College of Cardiology’s (ACC) 59th annual conference. Slides»
Behavioral changes such as reducing salt intake, eating healthier and exercising could help reduce the number of Americans with hypertension by 22 percent and reduce healthcare expenditures by $17.8 billion, according to a report published by the Institute of Medicine.
An amended whistleblower suit alleges that pharmaceutical company Pfizer unlawfully marketed Lipitor to the public for more than seven years and deliberately misrepresented U.S. guidelines, including those issued by the National Institutes of Health.
Although an investigation of 124 Veteran Affairs' (VA) hospitals revealed that the quality of care had significantly improved over the past decade, discrepancies of care still exist within certain segments, including minorities, gender and those with mental disorders, according to the 2009 Department of VA hospital quality report.
The European Commission has granted Novartis marketing authorization for Exforge HCT, a new 3-in-1 treatment for people with high blood pressure.
The FDA has approved Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals’ supplemental new drug application for its angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) Micardis (telmisartan) tablets 80 mg for reduction of the risk of MI, stroke or death from cardiovascular causes in patients 55 years of age or older at high risk of developing major cardiovascular events, who are unable to take angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors.
Patients with atrial fibrillation at risk of stroke could be offered percutaneous closure of the left atrial appendage instead of long-term warfarin therapy, according to findings from the PROTECT AF study reported in the Aug. 13 edition of the Lancet.
The FDA has approved Tekturna HCT (aliskiren and hydrochlorothiazide) tablets as initial therapy for patients who are likely to need multiple drugs to achieve their blood pressure goals. Tekturna HCT is a single-pill combination of Tekturna (aliskiren), a direct renin inhibitor, and the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), a common high blood pressure medication.
Mayo Clinic has received $48 million in grants to study the treatment of atrial fibrillation in 3,000 patients at 140 centers from the U.S., Canada and Europe.
Stents coated with paclitaxel (Taxus from Boston Scientific) may be a safe, effective treatment option for coronary artery disease (CAD) patients age 70 and older, and should not be withheld due to advanced patient age, according to a study reported in the June 2 issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions.
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Written by Kaitlyn Dmyterko & Justine Cadet
- CAD risk, cholesterol & statins - Women with a-fib shortchanged - Breast calcium not predictive of CAD
In an American Heart Association survey of 1,105 adults pre-identified with a heart condition, stroke or high blood pressure, 56 percent reported trouble paying their medical expenses, 16 percent had no health insurance coverage at all and 29 percent reported that medical costs to treat cardiovascular disease consumed most of their savings.
A strategy of tailoring statin therapy based on patients' overall risk of coronary artery disease events compared with a strategy of targeting cholesterol levels resulted in fewer cardiac events while treating fewer persons with high-dose statin therapy, according to a study published Jan. 19 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
The FDA has warned that sibutamine (Meridia; Abbott Laboratories), a drug used to curb obesity and enhance weight loss, could lead to an increased risk of cardiac events in patients.
Inhibitors of angiotensin-converting enzyme, or ACE inhibitors, and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB), which are commonly used to treat high blood pressure, appear to be effective in treating stable ischemic heart disease, according to a new comparative-effectiveness review funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The analysis was posted online Oct. 20 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
The FDA has approved Valturna (aliskiren and valsartan) tablets, the first drug to target two key points within the renin system, also known as the renin angiotensin aldosterone system, a regulator of blood pressure.
Heart disease patients with previous atherosclerosis are more likely to die in the hospital and less likely to be treated with recommended therapies, according to a study published Aug. 3 in Circulation.
Little is known about long-term benefits of radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation for treating atrial fibrillation, or the best methods and circumstances for applying it, according to research released July 6, and funded by Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
Professors from Michigan State University (MSU) have received nearly $400,000 for cardiovascular research from the National Institutes of Health via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Physicians who treat patients with multiple, co-existing, chronic health problems will fare well under pay-for-performance (P4P) initiatives, according to a report in the June 2 issue of Circulation.
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Middle age introduces itself in many ways; one is atrial fibrillation (AF). My onset of AF seems to have coincided with a mountain bike accident in the woods of North Carolina that resulted in some cracked ribs.
The use of health IT to reduce rehospitalizations will be welcome but also disruptive, said Stephen Jencks, an independent consultant in healthcare safety during a Feb. 24 webinar on the potential use of health IT to mitigate rehospitalizations, sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).