Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Cardiology for January 2014. 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.
Deal Could Trade Tort Reform for Additional Health Reform
FRIDAY, Jan. 31, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians may be willing to make a trade in accepting some additional health reform efforts in exchange for tort reform, according to an article published in the January issue of Health Affairs.
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Improved Outcomes Seen With Ventricular Assist Devices
FRIDAY, Jan. 31, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Among Medicare patients receiving implantation of ventricular assist devices (VADs) for advanced heart failure, mortality has decreased, but readmission rates did not change, according to research published online Jan. 29 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Four-Stage Model Developed to Prevent Young Adult Weight Gain
FRIDAY, Jan. 31, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Application of a four-stage model facilitated development of a successful intervention to prevent excessive weight gain in young adults, according to research published online Jan. 23 in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.
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Improving Infection Control Could Mean No More White Coats
THURSDAY, Jan. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Health care personnel should consider their clinical attire, such as white lab coats, carefully with regards to risk of transmitting infection, according to guidelines published in the February issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology.
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Study IDs Cardiovascular Risk for 'Silent' Adrenal Tumors
THURSDAY, Jan. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with adrenal tumors of intermediate phenotype or subclinical Cushing's syndrome are at increased risk of cardiovascular events and mortality compared to those with stable non-secreting adrenal incidentalomas, according to a study published online Jan. 29 in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.
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Docs Prefer Tablets Over Smartphones for Reading Articles
THURSDAY, Jan. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Although physicians generally use smartphones rather than tablets for professional purposes, they are more likely to read articles from medical publications and access medically oriented webcasts/podcasts on tablets, according to the results of a survey conducted by Kantar Media.
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Report Reveals Payment Methods for Physicians
THURSDAY, Jan. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Many physicians in non-solo practice settings are paid using different methods, with just over half receiving all or most of their compensation from salary, according to a report from the American Medical Association.
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Practices Must Engage Vendors for ICD-10 Updates Now
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 29, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Practice owners need to communicate with system vendors to coordinate International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) updates, according to an article published Dec. 25 in Medical Economics.
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Businesses Urge Change to ACA's Insurance Mandate
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 29, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Beginning in 2015, U.S. businesses with 50 or more workers must provide health insurance to "full-time" employees, meaning workers who log at least 30 hours a week, on average.
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Insurance Eligibility Headaches Expected With ACA
TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- With the influx of newly insured patients under the Affordable Care Act, physician practices should be prepared to spend even more time verifying coverage, according to an article published Jan. 2 in Medical Economics.
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Framework Established to Promote Safety of Care
TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A framework has been established to advance clinical learning environments that promote change in the quality and safety of care, according to a perspective piece published online Jan. 27 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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BMI Thresholds Predict Metabolic Syndrome in Teens
TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and FITNESSGRAM (FGram) body mass index (BMI) thresholds are predictive of metabolic syndrome in U.S. adolescents, according to a study published online Jan. 27 in Pediatrics.
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First Trimester Growth Restriction Tied to Childhood CVD Risk
TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- First trimester fetal growth restriction correlates with an adverse cardiovascular risk profile in childhood, according to a study published online Jan. 23 in BMJ.
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USPSTF: Draft Recommendations Issued for AAA Screening
TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has issued recommendations for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) screening. This draft recommendation statement is based on an evidence review published online Jan. 28 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Role of Vitamin D in Disease Prevention Is Uncertain
TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Supplementation with vitamin D to prevent disease does not appear to improve health outcomes, according to research published online Jan. 24 in The Lancet: Diabetes & Endocrinology.
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Costs Cut With Workplace Wellness Disease Management
MONDAY, Jan. 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Workplace wellness programs, particularly those with a disease management component, can reduce monthly health care costs for members, according to a study published in the January issue of Health Affairs.
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Exercise After Cancer Improves Survival in Men
MONDAY, Jan. 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Men who are physically active after a cancer diagnosis have significantly improved survival, according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of Physical Activity & Health.
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Circulating Uric Acid May Play Protective Role in Obesity
MONDAY, Jan. 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Circulating uric acid affects non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity (NEAC) and markers of oxidative stress in obese subjects, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in Diabetes.
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Top Ten Physician Challenges of 2014 Discussed
MONDAY, Jan. 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The top ten challenges for physicians in 2014 relate to payment for medical services and government mandates, as well as adapting to a changing patient population and the need to improve work-life balance, according to an article published Dec. 25 in Medical Economics.
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Telomere Length Prognostic for 50 to 75 Year-Old Men With ACS
MONDAY, Jan. 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For men aged 50 to 75 years with acute coronary syndrome, short telomeres are independently associated with worse prognosis, according to a study published in the Feb. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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Long-Term Exposure to Pollutants Ups Coronary Event Risk
MONDAY, Jan. 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Long-term exposure to particulate matter is associated with increased risk of acute coronary events, even at levels below the current European limit values, according to a study published online Jan. 21 in BMJ.
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FDA Wants to Update Food Labels
MONDAY, Jan. 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- America's food labels may get their first makeover in more than 20 years. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the agency is working toward publishing proposed rules to update nutrition labels and serving size information.
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Online Fitness Tool Users Want Images Similar to Themselves
FRIDAY, Jan. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Incorporating images that reflect the user may make Internet-based physical activity promotion tools more acceptable to users, including young overweight African-American women, according to a study published Jan. 16 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Preventing Chronic Disease.
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Financial Value Overrides Health in Supersized Food Buys
FRIDAY, Jan. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- "Supersized" pricing increases the quantity of food purchased and consumed because of focus on financial value, while diminishing the importance of health effects, according to a study published in the Journal of Marketing.
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Writing a Blog Can Up a Doc's Visibility
FRIDAY, Jan. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Blogs can be a valuable tool to promote physician practices, according to an article published Dec. 17 in Medical Economics.
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Off-Hours Myocardial Infarction More Likely to Be Fatal
FRIDAY, Jan. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Off-hour presentation is linked with poorer outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI), according to research published online Jan. 21 in BMJ.
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Physical Activity, Sedentary Time Linked to Heart Failure in Men
FRIDAY, Jan. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For middle-aged men, physical activity and sedentary time are associated with the risk of heart failure, according to a study published in the January issue of Circulation: Heart Failure.
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Editorial Discusses Ultrasound in Point-of-Care Diagnostics
FRIDAY, Jan. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Ultrasound devices represent an important point-of-care diagnostic modality, which is increasingly being used in numerous specialties, according to an editorial published in the December issue of Global Heart.
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Medical Staff Performance Goals Should Be Clear, Attainable
THURSDAY, Jan. 23, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Staff performance in medical practices needs to be appropriately managed and measured with performance goals, according to an article published Dec. 25 in Medical Economics.
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Bisphenol A Exposure Cost $3 Billion in 2008
THURSDAY, Jan. 23, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- About $3 billion in health costs in 2008 could be attributed to bisphenol A (BPA) exposure, and removing BPA from all food uses could save nearly $2 billion annually, according to a study published online Jan. 22 in Health Affairs.
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Outbreak of Exposure to Novel Synthetic Cannabinoid Described
THURSDAY, Jan. 23, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- An outbreak of exposure to a novel synthetic cannabinoid was rapidly controlled in Colorado, according to a letter to the editor published in the Jan. 23 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Results of Safety Efforts for Hospitalized Patients Are Mixed
THURSDAY, Jan. 23, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Based on Medicare data for 2005 through 2011, adverse-event rates declined for patients hospitalized for some conditions, but not others, according to research published in the Jan. 23 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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ALA: Much More Must Be Done to Lower Smoking Rates
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- State inaction and tobacco industry tactics are slowing tobacco control efforts in the United States, a new report from the American Lung Association (ALA) finds.
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Legitimacy of Publishing Pharma-Funded Research Queried
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The question of whether to stop publishing research funded by the drug industry is addressed in a head-to-head piece published online Jan. 15 in BMJ.
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Hypertension Linked to Post-Cervical Fusion Readmission
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The readmission rate following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is 2.5 percent, and hypertension may increase the likelihood of readmission, according to a study published in the Jan. 15 issue of Spine.
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Some Medical Schools Offering Accelerated Training
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Some medical schools are offering an accelerated three-year program, according to a report from Kaiser Health News.
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Interhospital Transfer Less Likely for Uninsured Patients
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Uninsured patients are significantly less likely than insured patients to be transferred between hospitals, according to research published in the Jan. 21 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Kidney Injury Not Uncommon After Cardiovascular Intervention
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Acute kidney injury (AKI) is seen in about 7 percent of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and is associated with significant in-hospital mortality, according to research published in the Jan. 1 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Interventions.
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PCP Practices Not Well Organized for Providing Energy Balance Care
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Primary care physician (PCP) practices are not well organized for providing energy balance care, with considerable variation in provision of care between PCP specialties, according to a study published in the January/February issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion.
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Mediterranean Diet Lowers Risk of Peripheral Artery Disease
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts is associated with a lower risk of peripheral artery disease (PAD), according to a research letter published in the Jan. 22/29 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Researchers Examine FDA Decision Making Processes
TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The rationale behind the decision making processes of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is discussed in three articles published in the Jan. 22/29 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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More Federal Funding of Health Centers Mitigates Access Issues
TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Since 2000, increased federal funding for community health centers has helped low-income adults get access to primary care and dental care, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in Health Services Research.
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ACA Impact on Primary Practice May Depend on Location
TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The impact of Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on physicians' primary care practices will vary geographically, according to an article published Dec. 25 in Medical Economics.
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Survey IDs Factors Influencing Physician Job Satisfaction
TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Believing that they are delivering high-quality patient care is key to physician job satisfaction, according to an article published Dec. 10 in Medical Economics.
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Multiple Medications Increase Odds of Hospital Admission
TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The likelihood of unplanned admission is increased with polypharmacy, but the association is modified by the number of long-term conditions, according to a study published online Jan. 16 in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
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Data Support Sedentary Time, Mortality Link for Older Women
TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For older women, increased sedentary time is associated with increased mortality risk after multivariate adjustment, according to a study published in the February issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
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Medication Synchronization Program Ups Adherence
TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A community pharmacy-based medication synchronization program can improve medication adherence, according to a study conducted by the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA).
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Exposure to Sunlight May Help Lower Blood Pressure
TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Exposure to sunlight causes arterial vasodilation and lowers blood pressure (BP), according to research published online Jan. 20 in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.
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Doctor Urges Colleagues to Disclose Conflicts of Interest
MONDAY, Jan. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A campaign to encourage physicians to disclose potential conflicts of interest has sparked ire from doctors despite evidence that openness improves the doctor-patient relationship, according to a personal view piece published online Jan. 15 in BMJ.
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AMA Launches Online Resource to Guide HTN Management
MONDAY, Jan. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- An online resource has been developed for improving the detection and management of high blood pressure. The resource is part of the American Medical Association's Improving Health Outcomes Initiative which aims to improve outcomes around heart disease, starting with the 30 million people who have uncontrolled hypertension.
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Diet-Beverage Intake Up for Obese, Overweight Adults
MONDAY, Jan. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Overweight and obese adults drink more diet beverages than healthy-weight adults, but eat more solid-food calories and consequently have comparable total calorie intake, according to a study published online Jan. 16 in the American Journal of Public Health.
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Anatomic, Not Ischemic, Burden Predicts Poor Outcomes in CAD
MONDAY, Jan. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with coronary artery disease treated with optimal medical therapy (OMT), anatomic, but not ischemic, burden predicts poor outcomes, according to a study published online Jan. 15 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Interventions.
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USDA: Americans Eating Better, Cutting Calories
FRIDAY, Jan. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- American adults are eating healthier diets, making better use of nutrition information on food labels, consuming more fiber and less cholesterol, and getting fewer calories from total fat and saturated fat, a federal government report says.
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CDC: About 42.1 Million Adults Smoke in the United States
FRIDAY, Jan. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- In the United States, approximately 18 percent of adults still smoke, according to a report published in the Jan. 17 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Research IDs Serious Cardio Events Tied to Energy Drinks
FRIDAY, Jan. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Several adverse cardiovascular events following consumption of energy drinks have been reported in the literature, according to a review published in the Jan. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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State Insurance Marketplaces Boost Outreach Efforts
THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Health insurance exchanges in five states with strong enrollment growth are ramping up efforts to reach even more uninsured Americans before the end of the Affordable Care Act's open enrollment period on March 31. The March 31 deadline is for people who want health coverage for 2014.
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Reliable Emotion Words ID'd to Assess Patient Experience
THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A reliable set of emotion words have been identified that can serve as a tool for experience-based design questionnaires in health care, according to a study published in the December issue of Healthcare.
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J-Shaped Link for BMI and Mortality in Incident T2DM
THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For participants with incident type 2 diabetes, there is a J-shaped association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality, with a linear relationship seen among never smokers, according to a study published in the Jan. 16 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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'Eyeball Test' Is Poor Estimate of Cardiac Surgical Risk
THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Compared with subjective physician estimates, statistical risk estimates are more accurate for predicting operative and long-term mortality in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, according to research published online Jan. 14 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
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NCPA: Access to Controlled Substances Often Delayed
THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Most pharmacists report experiencing multiple delays or issues with their controlled substance orders, according to the results of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Controlled Substances Access Survey.
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Survey Results Identify Drivers of Doctor Engagement
THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The results of a survey from the Physician Wellness Services and Cejka Search have identified the key aspects of doctor engagement.
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FDA Warns Against Rx With High Levels of Acetaminophen
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is recommending that physicians stop prescribing and dispensing prescription combination drug products containing more than 325 mg of acetaminophen per tablet, according to a safety alert issued by the agency.
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School-Based Food, Drink Commercialism Still High
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- There continues to be a high prevalence of school-based commercialism of food and beverages, according to research published online Jan. 13 in JAMA Pediatrics.
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Weight Stigma May Have Negative Consequences
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Stigmatizing messages targeted at combating obesity may have negative effects, according to a study published in the March issue of the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.
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Green Tea May Interfere With Antihypertensive
TUESDAY, Jan. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Drinking green tea may lessen the effects of the antihypertensive medication nadolol (Corgard), according to research published online Jan. 13 in Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics.
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Merck Recalls Cholesterol Drug Liptruzet
TUESDAY, Jan. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Packaging defects have prompted a recall of the combination cholesterol drug Liptruzet, produced by Merck & Co., temporarily affecting the entire U.S. stock.
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Peptide Boosts Drug Efficacy in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
TUESDAY, Jan. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A peptide that specifically homes to hypertensive pulmonary arteries can be used to boost the efficacy of vasodilators in a rat model of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), according to a study published online Jan. 8 in The American Journal of Pathology.
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Avocado at Lunch Cuts Hunger in Overweight Adults
TUESDAY, Jan. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Eating a half of an avocado at lunch dampens appetite for the next several hours in overweight adults, according to research published online Nov. 27 in the Nutrition Journal.
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Wednesday Is Deadline for Feb. 1 Coverage Under ACA
TUESDAY, Jan. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- There's still time to enroll in a health insurance plan through one of the Affordable Care Act's new online marketplaces. Those who sign up by Wednesday will have coverage starting next month.
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More Than Two Million People Have Signed Up for ACA Coverage
TUESDAY, Jan. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly 2.2 million Americans had selected health plans through the federal and state marketplaces as of late December, and nearly one in four was a young adult, the Obama administration disclosed Monday.
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Nut Intake Inversely Linked to Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome
MONDAY, Jan. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Nut consumption is inversely associated with obesity and with metabolic syndrome, with stronger associations seen for tree nuts, according to research published online Jan. 8 in PLOS ONE.
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Calories, Fat, Sodium in Restaurant Meals Quantified
MONDAY, Jan. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- An adult meal at a typical full-service restaurant chain contains about 1,495 kcal, 28 g saturated fat, and 3,512 mg sodium, according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.
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Hospital Quality Adds to Disparities in Cardiac Surgery
MONDAY, Jan. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Hospital quality contributes to the racial disparities in outcomes after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, according to research published online on Jan. 8 in JAMA Surgery.
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CMS: New Rule Proposed for Contract Year 2015
MONDAY, Jan. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A proposed rule has been issued that will strengthen protections, improve health care quality, and reduce costs for Medicare beneficiaries with private Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription plans, according to a report from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
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Mismatched Organ Size Tied to Worse Heart Transplant Outcome
MONDAY, Jan. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Worsened outcomes in sex mismatch heart transplantation may be related to mismatch in organ size, according to a study published online Jan. 8 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Heart Failure.
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Survey: Fees, Reimbursement Top Physician Worries
FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The results of a new survey show that physicians are concerned about declining reimbursements and increasing administrative hassles, including negotiating with payers, obtaining prior authorizations, and cutting through government red tape, according to an article published Nov. 25 in Medical Economics.
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High Uric Acid Level Linked to Coronary Stent Restenosis
FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A high level of serum uric acid prior to implantation of bare-metal coronary stents predicts stent restenosis, according to research published in the Jan. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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EHR Use Linked to Doc-Reported Enhanced Patient Care
FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Use of electronic health records is associated with enhanced patient care overall, according to a study published online Dec. 21 in Health Services Research.
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CMS: Low Growth for National Health Expenditures in 2012
FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Overall national health expenditures were marked by a fourth consecutive year of low growth, according to a report from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
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Female Conveners Up Number of Women at Scientific Symposia
FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Having at least one woman on teams that convene scientific symposia increases the proportion of invited female speakers by 72 percent, compared with teams containing all men, according to a study published online Jan. 7 in mBio.
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ACP Introduces Free 'High Value Care' Case Studies
FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- In an effort to improve health care and eliminate wasteful practices, the American College of Physicians (ACP) has developed a series of High Value Care cases studies, available online for free.
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Transcatheter Valve Implantation Benefits Even Very Elderly
FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Transcatheter aortic valve implantation is associated with acceptable clinical outcomes, even among very elderly patients, according to a study published in the January issue of the Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
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Fit Teen Males Less Likely to Have Myocardial Infarction Later in Life
THURSDAY, Jan. 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Males who are fit in late adolescence are less likely to have a myocardial infarction (MI) later in life, according to research published in the January issue of the European Heart Journal.
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Implantable Device Improves Moderate-to-Severe Sleep Apnea
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- An upper-airway stimulation device significantly reduces the severity of obstructive sleep apnea in patients who cannot receive continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment, according to a study published in the Jan. 9 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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No Long-Term Benefit Seen for Smoking Cessation Combo Rx
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Combination treatment with varenicline plus bupropion sustained-release is initially more effective than varenicline alone in promoting smoking abstinence, but the results are not long-lasting, according to a study published in the Jan. 8 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on tobacco control.
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Experts Say Paleo Diet Is Worst, DASH Diet Is Best
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The controversial Paleo Diet was last on the 2014 "Best Diets List" from U.S. News & World Report, while the DASH plan was named the best overall diet.
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Administrative Demands Hurt Patient-Doctor Relationship
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Administrative demands on doctors, particularly primary care physicians, threaten the patient-doctor relationship, according to an article published Dec. 10 in Medical Economics.
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Smoking Rates Still Low for Most Health Care Professionals
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Compared with 2006 to 2007, smoking rates among health care professionals for 2010 to 2011 continue to be lowest in physicians and highest in licensed practical nurses (LPNs), according to a research letter published in the Jan. 8 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on tobacco control.
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More Specialists Needed to Meet Needs of Aging Population
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- More specialist providers, including vascular surgeons and cardiologists, are needed to meet the care needs of a growing elderly population, according to research published in the November issue of Health Affairs.
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Tobacco Control Averted About 8 Million Deaths Since 1964 in U.S.
TUESDAY, Jan. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Tobacco control is estimated to have prevented eight million premature deaths since 1964 in the United States; and the prevalence of global smoking has declined since 1980, according to two studies published in the Jan. 8 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on tobacco control.
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AMA Urges Med Students to Be Agents of Health Care Change
TUESDAY, Jan. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Medical students are being encouraged to be agents of change in the health care system, according to a report from the American Medical Association (AMA).
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Conserving Blood Cuts Transfusions in Aortic Valve Surgery
TUESDAY, Jan. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A blood conservation strategy (BCS) reduces red blood cell (RBC) transfusions in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) without increasing mortality or morbidity, according to research published in the January issue of the Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
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Mediterranean Diet + Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Cuts Diabetes Risk
TUESDAY, Jan. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A Mediterranean diet enriched with extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) is associated with reduction in the risk of new-onset diabetes among older adults at high risk for cardiovascular disease, according to a study published in the Jan. 7 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Post-Op Health Care Costs Up for Former, Current Smokers
TUESDAY, Jan. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Health care costs in the year following discharge for an inpatient surgical procedure are increased for former and current smokers, compared with never smokers, although there are no differences with smoking status in costs for the index hospitalization, according to a study published online Jan. 1 in JAMA Surgery.
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AAFP Backs FDA Tentative Trans Fats Determination
TUESDAY, Jan. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has expressed their support for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's tentative determination regarding partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) as food additives.
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Herpes Zoster Is Risk Factor for Stroke in Young Adults
MONDAY, Jan. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Herpes zoster (HZ) is an independent risk factor for vascular disease, including stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), and myocardial infarction (MI), particularly in those affected before the age of 40 years, according to a study published online Jan. 2 in Neurology.
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Performance Measures Developed for Adults Undergoing PCI
MONDAY, Jan. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Performance measures have been developed for adults undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), according to a report published online Dec. 19 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Non-White Physicians Provide Disproportionate Minority Care
MONDAY, Jan. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Non-white physicians provide a disproportionate share of care to underserved populations, according to a research letter published online Dec. 30 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Unrecognized MI Tied to Higher Noncardiovascular Mortality Risk
MONDAY, Jan. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Unrecognized myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with long-term increased risks of cardiovascular and noncardiovascular mortality, according to a study published in the Jan. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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Health Law Calls for Calorie Counts on Vending Machines
MONDAY, Jan. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- There may be a lot more counting of calories when people buy snacks from vending machines or order food in certain restaurants under rules currently being crafted as part of the final phase of the Affordable Care Act.
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Slower Eating Reduces Hunger but Not Necessarily Intake
MONDAY, Jan. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- While slower eating speed reduces hunger, it does not significantly lower caloric intake in overweight/obese individuals, according to research published online Jan. 2 in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
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Unrestricted Hospital Visiting Hours Up Patient Satisfaction
MONDAY, Jan. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Open visitation improves the patient and family experience and does not cause interference for hospital staff, according to research published in the Journal for Healthcare Quality.
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AMA Details Top Five Federal Issues for 2014
MONDAY, Jan. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Implementation of the Affordable Care Act, the repeal of Medicare's failed sustained growth formula, and the proposed roll-out of the International Classification of Diseases, Version 10, top the list of federal issues expected to impact physicians and patients in 2014, according to a viewpoint piece published online Dec. 30 by the American Medical Association (AMA).
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Over 100 New Accountable Care Organizations Formed
FRIDAY, Jan. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- One hundred twenty-three new Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) have been formed by doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers, which will provide access to high-quality coordinated care for about 1.5 million Medicare beneficiaries, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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Warfarin Initiation Negatively Linked to Stroke in A-Fib Patients
FRIDAY, Jan. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with atrial fibrillation are at higher risk of having a stroke in the first month after initiating treatment with the anti-clotting drug warfarin, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in European Heart Journal.
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Increasing BMI Tied to Steady Increase in Health Care Costs
THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Health care costs increase steadily with increasing body mass index (BMI), with the increase starting at a BMI of 19, according to a study published online Dec. 9 in Obesity.
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Impact of Transitions in Doctors' Careers Discussed
THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Transitions and their associated challenges are encountered throughout a doctors' medical career, according to an editorial published online Nov. 26 in BMJ.
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Worsening of Shortage of Residency Slots Feared
THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Despite a looming physician shortage, the number of residency positions in the United States has not changed since 1996, creating a bottleneck that will become worse with further budget cuts, according to a blog post published Dec. 7 on KevinMD.com.
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CDC: Updated Guidance for HBV Vaccination for Health Workers
THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Health care personnel should be vaccinated against hepatitis B virus (HBV) if they anticipate exposure to blood or body fluids, and receive serologic testing to assess for antibody against the virus, according to updated guidelines published in the Dec. 20 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Docs Have Until Jan. 31 to Change Medicare Status
THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The deadline for making changes to Medicare participation status has been extended to Jan. 31, 2014, according to a report from the American Medical Association (AMA).
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Pregnancy Tops List of Most Google-Searched Symptoms
THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The top 10 most Google-searched symptoms in 2013 included those for pregnancy, influenza, and diabetes, but not those for cancer or heart disease, according to an article published Dec. 18 in Medical Economics.
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