Cardiology

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) reported that one in 10 American adults had some level of chronic kidney disease (CKD), and that kidney disease is the 9th leading cause of death in the US.

Each year, the American Heart Association's (AHA's) Scientific Sessions is the organization's largest yearly gathering of healthcare professionals and researchers in the field of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Providing 5 days of comprehensive education with more than 4000 presentations by world leaders in cardiovascular disease, the AHA 2014 Scientific Sessions featured the results of landmark and long-awaited clinical trials.

Worsening renal function over time is associated with poorer outcomes in patients with acute and chronic HF. Although this association is established in patients with reduced ejection fraction, there are no data about the relationship between WRF and outcomes in HF patients with preserved ejection fraction.

Patients with high body mass indexes and obesity are at greater risk for developing obstructive sleep apnea. This meta-analysis looked to determine if the use of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure for sleep apnea would result in weight loss or weight gain.

This study was a prospective cohort of 198 self-selected, adult patients with documented coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, carotid artery disease, or peripheral arterial disease who followed a strict, plant-based dietary intervention in addition to standard medical therapy. The study examined compliance with diet as well as adverse cardiovascular events in both adherent and nonadherent patients.

A 60 year-old man presents with complaints of a skipped heartbeat, shortness of breath and some light-headedness while sitting. When he is active, he has none of these symptoms. He is able to walk, climb stairs and even exercise on his elliptical without symptoms.

While various behavioral and pharmacologic agents have proven to be effective and safe for continued smoking cessation, a combination of varenicline and nicotine replacement (NRT) with transdermal patches has not been shown definitively to be more efficacious than varenicline alone. In the framework of a randomized clinical trial (RCT), the present study evaluates whether a combination of varenicline with NRT improved smoking cessation rates and abstinence duration compared with varenicline alone.

In a study of older adults, salt intake was not associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart failure, or mortality.

Working more than 3 night shifts per month for years can be hazardous to health, say an international team of researchers

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a polypill for hypertension, a combination of perindopril arginine and amlodipine (Prestalia/ Symplmed Pharma-Servier).

The hospital shooting death of Boston cardiac surgeon Michael Davidson, MD, 44, has shocked the cardiology world-far beyond his colleagues at Brigham and Women's Hospital where he was director of endovascular cardiac surgery. On a remembrance page and in formal statements, tributes are pouring in. Davidson, a respected innovator in heart valve replacement, died late Jan. 20, hours after he was shot by the son of a former patient who then turned his gun on himself.He leaves his wife Teri Davidson, who is 7 months pregnant, and 3 children ages 2 to 9.

The incidence and mortality of pancreatic adenocarcinoma, the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, are both on the rise. Globally, the disease is responsible for 227,000 deaths annually. Researchers from the National Taiwan University College of Medicine recently published a meta-analysis that demonstrated a dose-response relationship between fasting blood glucose levels and pancreatic cancer risk. They also examined the link between prediabetes and pancreatic cancer risk.

New research indicates that an over-the-counter supplement doesn't raise testosterone levels but a widely used class of prescription drug may lower them.

A new analysis of several prospective health studies indicates that low testosterone levels at any age are associated with an increased risk ischemic stroke in men.

This 27-year old female medical student with recently diagnosed hypertension is seen following a chest x-ray in work up of a positive PPD. Upon questioning, the patient notes what she described as "gray-out spells" when tired and leg numbness with exercise after periods of sitting.

Just weeks after JAMA published a National Institutes of Health study refuting the idea that there are "good carbs" and "bad carbs' a new study in the journal finds eating whole grains is associated with lower overall mortality and death from heart disease

With a new year comes New Year's resolutions, many of which involve getting healthy in the year ahead. A recent study has shown that by keeping those resolutions people can not only lose the weight they want but also avoid other health issues like diabetes.

A 75 year-old man with a history of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and a single-chamber pacemaker placed for bradycardia 5 years prior presents with dizziness and nausea to clinic. He notes that he has also been feeling short of breath with normal activities of daily living.

Eating a low carbohydrate diet compared to a low fat diet leads to greater loss of weight as well as a significant reduction in Framingham Risk Score.

Researchers from Vanderbilt University have developed a new tool for deciding when hospitals should admit patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation and when they should send them home.

In the second part of an interview with Kim Van Naarden Braun, PhD, the screening process used in New Jersey is discussed at the national level.

This limited systematic review found some evidence of benefit of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation and little evidence of significant adverse outcomes.