Cardiology

Latest News


CME Content


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.

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.

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.

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

A 35 year-old man with a history of hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea and obesity presents to clinic with complaints of non-cardiac chest discomfort. He is requesting refills of his blood pressure medications. His insurance changed 6 months ago and he has not had them since. The nurse performs the intake vital signs and reports that the patient has a blood pressure of 280/150 mmHg.

Cardiologists have discussed the pros and cons of drug-eluting stents (DES) for several years. Some evidence seems to indicate that DES reduce risk of restenosis or ischemia-driven target vessel revascularization. They may, however, be more prone than bare metal stents to late (beyond 1 year) and sudden coronary artery occlusion.

The ESC Congress 2014 was one of the largest meetings in the history of the society, with more than 30,300 delegates in attendance at 27 clinical Hot Line presentations; 15 clinical trial updates; 19 registry studies; 4 new guidelines; and 4597 abstracts presented. Cardiology Review profiles 7 presentations.