The American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session and Expo
The annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology was held from March 24 to 27 in Chicago and attracted more than 19,000 participants from around the world, including clinicians, academicians, allied health professionals, and others interested in cardiology. The conference highlighted recent advances in the treatment, management, and prevention of cardiovascular diseases, with presentations also focusing on novel drugs and surgical approaches to improve the quality of care for patients with cardiovascular diseases.
In one study, Safiya Richardson, M.D., of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, and colleagues found that consuming more foods that contain isoflavones was associated with lowered blood pressure.
"Specifically, we found that individuals who consumed the most isoflavones (more than 2.5 mg per day) had a significantly lower systolic blood pressure (5.5 mm Hg lower on average), as compared to those consuming less than 0.33 mg of isoflavones per day," Richardson said. "The study also revealed a more pronounced effect among African-American individuals in minimally adjusted models. One potential explanation for the more pronounced effect among African-Americans is due to their higher rates of endothelial dysfunction, which isoflavones address in their mechanism of action."
Abstract No. 1178-25
In another study, Val Rakita, M.D., of Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, and colleagues evaluated how telemedicine influences the way physicians prescribe blood pressure medications.
"One-half of 240 patients were randomly assigned to telemedicine and were taught how to measure and report their blood pressure to a Web site either via the Internet or a phone. They would report these results twice per week, where a nurse would review them. Reports were generated once per month and sent to the patients and their doctors," Rakita explained.
After six months, the investigators found that individuals in the telemedicine group were more likely than those seen in regular practice to be prescribed blood pressure lowering drugs by their primary care physician.
"The role of telemedicine seems to be two-fold. It empowers the patient to take part in their health care, giving them ownership and motivation in their health, and at the same time providing their doctors with more data to make more timely and appropriate medical decisions," Rakita said. "However, it remains unclear if there is a cost-savings benefit. Because telemedicine is still in its infancy, the true benefits have yet to be studied, namely, the long-term ability to reduce heart attacks, strokes, and other adverse cardiovascular events. This is what future projects will be focusing on."
Abstract No. 1179-68
Harold Bays, M.D., of the Louisville Metabolic and Atherosclerosis Research Center in Kentucky, and colleagues found that, among patients with mild increases in blood pressure (prehypertension), consuming three servings of raisins per day lowered blood pressure, compared with consuming processed food three times per day.
"People intrinsically believe that natural foods are more healthy than processed food. Unfortunately, too often, health claims for foods that are thought to be healthy have not been substantiated through the conduct of clinical trials. This is one of the first studies to validate what many people believe to be true, which is that consuming raisins three times per day may have health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure," Bays said. "As a result, we can now tell patients with mild increases in blood pressure that at least some objective evidence exists that consuming raisins three times per day will help them lower their blood pressure, especially if eaten instead of processed foods."
Abstract No. 1179-64
ACC: Antibody to PCSK9 Plus Statins Lowers LDL Cholesterol
TUESDAY, March 27 (HealthDay News) -- For statin-treated patients with high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, concomitant treatment with a monoclonal antibody to proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is associated with a further reduction in LDL cholesterol, according to a study published in online March 26 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology to coincide with presentation at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from March 24 to 27 in Chicago.
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ACC: CABG Beats PCI for Long-Term Survival in Older Adults
TUESDAY, March 27 (HealthDay News) -- For older adults with multi-artery disease, long-term survival is better for those who undergo coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) rather than percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), according to a study published online March 27 in the New England Journal of Medicine to coincide with presentation at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from March 24 to 27 in Chicago.
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ACC: Rapid Infusion of GIK Doesn't Prevent MI in ACS
TUESDAY, March 27 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with suspected acute coronary syndromes (ACS), immediate administration of glucose-insulin-potassium (GIK) is not associated with a reduction in the progression to myocardial infarction (MI), according to a study published online March 27 in the Journal of the American Medical Association to coincide with presentation at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from March 24 to 27 in Chicago.
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ACC: Shot of Bone Marrow Cells No Use in Chronic Heart Failure
MONDAY, March 26 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with chronic ischemic heart failure, transendocardial injection of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMCs) is not associated with improved prespecified outcomes, according to a study published online March 24 in the Journal of the American Medical Association to coincide with presentation at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from March 24 to 27 in Chicago.
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ACC: Bariatric Surgery Improves Glycemic Control in Diabetes
MONDAY, March 26 (HealthDay News) -- For obese patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes, bariatric surgery results in significantly improved glycemic outcomes compared with medical therapy alone, according to a study published online March 26 in the New England Journal of Medicine to coincide with presentation at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from March 24 to 27 in Chicago.
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ACC: Bolus Intracoronary Abciximab Reduces Infarct Size
MONDAY, March 26 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), administration of bolus intracoronary abciximab to the infarct site reduces the infarct size, according to a study published online March 25 in the Journal of the American Medical Association to coincide with presentation at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology, held from March 24 to 27 in Chicago.
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