Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Cardiology for December 2012. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Urine Biomarkers May Help Diagnose Kawasaki Disease
FRIDAY, Dec. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Proteins present in urine exhibit excellent diagnostic performance for Kawasaki disease, according to a study published online Dec. 20 in EMBO Molecular Medicine.
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Indicators Show Little Change in Overuse of Ambulatory Care
THURSDAY, Dec. 27 (HealthDay News) -- In the United States from 1999 to 2009, the delivery of underused care in the ambulatory setting improved, but fewer changes were seen in inappropriate care, according to a study published online Dec. 24 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Review: Poor Outcomes With Blood Transfusion in MI
THURSDAY, Dec. 27 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with acute myocardial infarction, a strategy of blood transfusion is associated with increased all-cause mortality and subsequent myocardial infarction compared with a strategy of no transfusion, according to a meta-analysis published online Dec. 24 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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FDA Approves Juxtapid for Rare Cholesterol Disorder
THURSDAY, Dec. 27 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the orphan drug Juxtapid (lomitapide) for patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH), for use in combination with a low-fat diet and other lipid lowering treatments, according to a Dec. 26 press release.
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Fewer Than a Quarter Call 911 During Acute Heart Problem
THURSDAY, Dec. 27 (HealthDay News) -- During acute coronary syndromes, fewer than one-quarter of patients call 911, according to a study published in the Jan. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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Invasive Strategy Ups Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Survival
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) who do not regain consciousness, an invasive strategy characterized by emergency coronary angiography and subsequent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), if indicated, is associated with improved in-hospital survival, according to a study published in the Dec. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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C-Peptide Levels May Predict Mortality in Angiography Patients
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Higher levels of C-peptide, a pro-insulin cleavage product, is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients undergoing coronary angiography, according to a study published online Nov. 30 in Diabetes Care.
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Atherosclerosis Seen in 8.5 Percent of U.S. Service Members
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 26 (HealthDay News) -- For U.S. Service members who have died of combat or unintentional injuries in support of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn, the prevalence of atherosclerosis is about 8.5 percent, and varies based on age and cardiovascular risk factors, according to a study published in the Dec. 26 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Small Survival Advantage Noted for Olympic Athletes
TUESDAY, Dec. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Olympic athletes have a small survival advantage, with no significant difference in the mortality risk based on the level of exercise intensity variation of each discipline, according to two studies published Dec. 13 in BMJ.
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Sit and Rise Test Score Inversely Linked to Mortality
MONDAY, Dec. 24 (HealthDay News) -- For adults aged 51 to 80 years, the ability to sit and rise from the floor without support (hand/knee) is associated with improved survival, according to a study published online Dec. 13 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
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Motor Vehicle Incidents Common in Medical Residents
FRIDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- During training, internal medicine residents commonly experience motor vehicle incidents, including crashes and near misses, but less commonly experience blood and body fluid (BBF) exposures, according to research published in the December issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
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High Perceived Stress Related to Incident CHD
FRIDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- High perceived stress is associated with a moderate 27-percent increased risk of incident coronary heart disease (CHD), according to the results of a meta-analysis published in the Dec. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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Fatty Acids Don't Reduce Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence
THURSDAY, Dec. 20 (HealthDay News) -- Polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) do not reduce the recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF), according to a study published online Dec. 19 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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FDA: Pradaxa Not for Patients With Mechanical Heart Valves
THURSDAY, Dec. 20 (HealthDay News) -- Pradaxa (dabigatran etexilate mesylate) should not be used to prevent stroke or blood clots (major thromboembolic events) in patients with mechanical heart valves, according to a Dec. 19 safety announcement issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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In U.S., Only 3.3 Percent Have Ideal Cardiovascular Health
THURSDAY, Dec. 20 (HealthDay News) -- Only 3.3 percent of Americans are in ideal cardiovascular health, with considerable between-state variation noted, according to research published online Dec. 19 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
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Renal Denervation Reduces BP at One-Year Post-Procedure
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Renal denervation seems safe and provides sustained reduction of blood pressure up to one year post-procedure, according to a study published in the Dec. 18 issue of Circulation.
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Many Docs Use Social Media to Find, Share Medical Data
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Most physicians use social media on at least a weekly basis, and report that it improves the quality of patient care they deliver, according to a study published in the September/October issue of the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
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Paroxetine Protects Endothelial Cells From Hyperglycemia
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 19 (HealthDay News) -- The antidepressant paroxetine protects endothelial cells against hyperglycemia-induced injury, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, according to a study published online Dec. 7 in Diabetes.
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Aspirin Use 10 Years Prior Tied to Incidence of Late AMD
TUESDAY, Dec. 18 (HealthDay News) -- For adults, regular use of aspirin 10 years prior to retinal examination is associated with increased incidence of late and neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a study published in the Dec. 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Length-of-Stay, Readmissions Down in VA Hospitals
TUESDAY, Dec. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Over a 14-year period (1997 to 2010), the risk-adjusted hospital length of stay (LOS) and hospital readmission rates decreased throughout Veterans Affairs hospitals, according to a study published in the Dec. 18 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Aerobic Exercise Optimal for Reducing Fat Mass, Body Mass
TUESDAY, Dec. 18 (HealthDay News) -- For sedentary, overweight, or obese adults, aerobic training (AT) seems to be the optimal mode of exercise for reducing fat mass and body mass, while a combined approach of AT and resistance training (RT) increases the time commitment with no added loss compared with AT alone, according to a study published in the Dec. 15 issue of the Journal of Applied Physiology.
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Urine Calcium Excretion Not Linked to Cardiovascular Events
MONDAY, Dec. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Higher urine calcium excretion (UCaE) is not associated with a higher overall rate of cardiovascular events or mortality in outpatients with stable coronary heart disease (CHD), according to research published in the Dec. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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STEMI Guidelines Emphasize Timely Reperfusion, Ideally PCI
MONDAY, Dec. 17 (HealthDay News) -- New guidelines urge timely management for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), according to a scientific report co-published online Dec. 17 in Circulation and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Health Care Satisfaction Rated As High by Unacculturated Hispanics
MONDAY, Dec. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Hispanic patients, particularly unacculturated Hispanics, rate their health care experience more highly than do other patient groups, according to a study published in the October issue of the Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health.
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Cardiac Rhythm Devices Mar Quality of Life for Children
FRIDAY, Dec. 14 (HealthDay News) -- The presence of cardiac rhythm devices negatively impacts pediatric patient and parent-reported quality of life (QOL), according to a study published online Dec. 4 in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology.
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Leisure-Time Physical Activity Could Add Up to Five Years to Life
FRIDAY, Dec. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Leisure-time physical activity is associated with an increased life expectancy of up to 5.5 years, according to a study published online Dec. 11 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
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Life Expectancy Up But More Healthy Years Lost to Disability
FRIDAY, Dec. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Although life expectancy is increasing, global estimates of healthy life expectancy indicate that the world's population loses more years of healthy life to disability today than in the past, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010, published in the Dec. 15 special issue of The Lancet.
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For Elderly, Stroke Risk Up With Psychosocial Distress
FRIDAY, Dec. 14 (HealthDay News) -- In older black and white adults, psychosocial distress is related to fatal and nonfatal stroke, according to a study published online Dec. 13 in Stroke.
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Exercise Performance Enhanced With Virtual Partner
THURSDAY, Dec. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Exercise duration is improved by exercising with a virtual partner, especially with a moderately superior partner, according to a study published in the October issue of the Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
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Racial/Ethnic Differences ID'd in HTN Medication Behaviors
THURSDAY, Dec. 13 (HealthDay News) -- For adults with hypertension who are new users of antihypertensive medication, racial/ethnic differences in medication-taking behavior occur early in the course of treatment and may be mediated by health system factors, according to a study published online Dec. 10 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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FDA: Chantix May Raise Risk for Cardiovascular Events
THURSDAY, Dec. 13 (HealthDay News) -- People who take the smoking cessation drug Chantix may be at increased risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), according to a Dec. 12 Drug Safety Coummnication bulletin posted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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Raising Taxes on Sugars, Fats May Be Viable Health Strategy
THURSDAY, Dec. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Taxes on sugar and saturated fats could be associated with beneficial dietary change, according to a study published online Dec. 11 in PLOS Medicine.
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Current Health Costs Pushing Docs to Make Urgent Choices
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12 (HealthDay News) -- The current growth in health care's share of the gross domestic product (GDP) and need to implement learning health systems is forcing physicians to make important choices, according to a perspective piece published online Dec. 12 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Admission for Syncope Ups Risk of Death, Cardio Events
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Among patients without previous comorbidity admitted for syncope, there is a significant increased risk of all-cause mortality, stroke, and cardiovascular hospitalization, according to a study published online Dec. 12 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Any Amount of Smoking Ups Sudden Cardiac Death in Women
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 12 (HealthDay News) -- For women without coronary heart disease (CHD) at baseline, smoking, even in small quantities, is associated with a significantly increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD), according to research published online Dec. 11 in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology.
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NHANES Data Don't Support BPA, Chronic Disease Link
TUESDAY, Dec. 11 (HealthDay News) -- An analysis of data from a public health database has shown no association between urinary bisphenol A (BPA) levels and chronic diseases, unlike previous studies, but this dataset may be inappropriate to analyze such associations, according to research published online Dec. 5 in PLOS One.
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Compression-Only CPR Best for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
TUESDAY, Dec. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Among out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients who receive shocks with public-access defibrillation, compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is more effective than conventional CPR, according to a study published online Dec. 10 in Circulation.
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Number of Independent Physicians Continues to Decline
MONDAY, Dec. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Physician business models are transforming, with a sustained shift away from independent practice, according to report released by the consulting firm Accenture.
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Raised Risk of Ischemic Stroke in Women With A-Fib Explored
MONDAY, Dec. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Women with atrial fibrillation (AF) have a higher risk of ischemic stroke than men with AF, related in part to differences in the percent time in the therapeutic range (TTR) associated with warfarin anticoagulation control, according to research published in the Dec. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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No Evidence That Doping Enhances Athletic Performance
FRIDAY, Dec. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Although use of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) is prohibited among athletes because it reportedly enhances performance, there is no scientific evidence that it does so, according to a study published online Dec. 6 in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
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Liver Transplant Outcomes No Worse With Echo Abnormalities
FRIDAY, Dec. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Intracardiac shunts (ICSs), diagnosed using an echocardiogram, or mild or moderate pulmonary hypertension (PH), do not affect short- or long-term mortality in liver transplant candidates, according to research published online in the Dec. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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Anticompetitive Market Power Common in Managed Care Plans
FRIDAY, Dec. 7 (HealthDay News) -- For each of the three most popular types of managed care plans in the United States (point-of-service plan [POS], health maintenance organization [HMO], and preferred provider organization [PPO]), anticompetitive market power is widespread, according to a Nov. 28 news release from the American Medical Association (AMA).
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Health Care Law Boosts Savings on Meds for Medicare Recipients
FRIDAY, Dec. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Savings on prescription drugs related to the Affordable Care Act have reached $5.1 billion, according to a Dec. 3 news release from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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FDA: Public-Private Venture Set to Improve Regulatory Science
THURSDAY, Dec. 6 (HealthDay News) -- The Medical Device Innovation Consortium (MDIC), the first public-private partnership to promote medical device regulatory science, has been established, according to a Dec. 3 news release issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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Impact of HTN Meds on Cardio Risk Affected by Body Size
THURSDAY, Dec. 6 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with hypertension, the impact of the type of treatment on cardiovascular risk is affected by body size, according to a study published online Dec. 6 in The Lancet.
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Few Internal Medicine Residents Choosing Primary Care
TUESDAY, Dec. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Only about one in five graduating internal medicine residents in the United States plan to enter general internal medicine (GIM), which is more common among graduates of primary care programs, women, and U.S. medical graduates, according to a study published in the Dec. 5 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Five-Hour Protected Sleep Feasible for Medical Interns
TUESDAY, Dec. 4 (HealthDay News) -- Implementation of a five-hour period of protected sleep is feasible for medical interns on long shifts, resulting in interns getting more uninterrupted sleep and feeling more alert the next day, according to a study published in the Dec. 5 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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United States at Tipping Point in Helping Smokers Quit
MONDAY, Dec. 3 (HealthDay News) -- The United States stands poised on the brink of implementing health insurance coverage requirements that will help smokers quit, but the federal government and many states now offer too little help, according to a report issued Dec. 3 by the American Lung Association.
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Increasing Number of Workers in Self-Insured Health Plans
MONDAY, Dec. 3 (HealthDay News) -- There has been a recent increase in the percentage of workers in the private sector who are enrolled in self-insured health plans, in which the employer assumes the financial risk related to health insurance (unlike a fully-insured plan, where the insurance company assumes the risk), according to research published in the November issue of the Employee Benefit Research Institute's Notes.
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