Cardiology

Data presented at the 16th International Symposium on Amyloidosis in Japan were presented this morning, showing that inotersen-treated patients with hATTR amyloidosis continued to exhibit sustained benefit.

Participants taking anti-depressants 36% more likely to develop atrial fibrillation.

The survey estimates from the National Center for Health Statistics report that more people are vaccinating for flu and testing for HIV.

Positive data from a Phase 3 study of inotersen (IONIS-TTRx) in patients with hereditary ATTR amyloidosis was presented at the 2018 American College of Cardiology Annual Meeting.

With the ongoing rollout of Mayo Clinic’s new EHR system, Epic, the hospital continues to build on its commitment to integrated care that patients have come to expect.

Kevin Maki discussed the constant need for more options, the importance of balancing the cost and benefits of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, and the impact of the new hypertension guidelines.

In recent years, cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibition has become contentious in lipidology and cardiology circles. Many believe that we have reached the end of the CETP inhibition class, and not without good reason—many drug makers have failed to bring the class to market.

Although the factor Xa (FXa) inhibitor oral anticoagulants have fewer drug interactions and are without burdens associated with warfarin, such as blood test monitoring, dosage adjustment, and diet restriction, they also lack an approved antidote to their anticoagulant effect.

Although about 9.4% of the US population has been diagnosed with diabetes, almost one-quarter of that group—23.8%—are as yet undiagnosed.

Incorporating underused, but available, imaging technologies like PET/CT to test for calcium in coronary arteries more precisely predicts those at risk for MI and similar threats.

While copayment reduction significantly affected clinician’s choice of medication and improved patient persistence with treatment, it did not impact clinical outcomes at 1 year.

Larry Allen, MD, was part of a deeper look into the hospital readmissions reduction program (HRRP), and what the data that have been presented about it actually mean.

For patients with heart failure, the influenza vaccine can result in a mortality reduction up to 50% in season and 20% out of season.

Listening to music may help prolong exercise and participation, and may possibly have broader implications for exercise.

Findings suggest climate change may increase MI risk.

The risk of myocardial infarction was 2.4-fold higher in patients on short-term P2Y12 inhibitors after 18 months and 5.1-fold higher from month 6 to month 18.

Andexanet was shown to reduce FXa inhibition activity by 91% for patients on apixaban, 88% for patients on rivaroxaban, and 75% for patients on enoxaparin.

No events of primary endpoint occurred in PFO closure arm, whereas it developed in 6 of 60 patients receiving medication therapy alone.

Aggressive supplementation with vitamin D3 just before and after surgery can completely eliminate the observed drop.

As canakinumab lowers hsCRP, as well as interleukin-6, without a negative effect on lipid levels, it characterizes a new class of atherosclerosis medications.

The combined efforts of coaxing from barbers and monthly in-shop care from pharmacists resulted in 63.6% of the cohort achieving target BP levels.

At 6 weeks 68% of those receiving the Triple Pill achieved a blood pressure within their target range, versus 44% of those receiving usual care.

The CVD-REAL 2 study found that compared with other glucose-lowering drugs, SGLT-2 inhibitors reduce all-cause death, hospitalization for heart failure, myocardial infarction, and stroke.

While receiving a large dose of statin therapy did not have an impact on major adverse cardiac events among a broad population of patients, those that underwent percutaneous coronary intervention saw reductions.

Patients that were more optimistic had fewer heart-related hospital visits.