July 2013 Briefing - Cardiology

Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Cardiology for July 2013. 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.

Rituximab Equally Effective for Remission of Vasculitis

WEDNESDAY, July 31 (HealthDay News) -- Rituximab is as effective as conventional immunosuppressive therapy in maintaining remission in patients with severe antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis, according to a study published in the Aug. 1 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Severe Hypoglycemia Ups Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes

WEDNESDAY, July 31 (HealthDay News) -- Severe hypoglycemia is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a meta-analysis of observational studies published online July 30 in BMJ.

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Health 'Mutual Accountability' Pilot Program Launching

WEDNESDAY, July 31 (HealthDay News) -- The State of Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services has chosen MedEncentive to conduct a three-year heath improvement program pilot among HealthChoice beneficiaries.

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Review Supports Elevated Risk of CHD Even With Prehypertension

WEDNESDAY, July 31 (HealthDay News) -- Prehypertension, especially high-range prehypertension, is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), according to a meta-analysis published in the July 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.

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OK to Continue Aspirin Therapy Up to Pancreatic Surgery

WEDNESDAY, July 31 (HealthDay News) -- Patients on aspirin therapy do not have higher rates of perioperative bleeding, transfusion, or major procedure-related complications following elective pancreatic surgery, according to research published online July 26 in Surgery.

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Reversal of Medical Practices Common Over Past Decade

TUESDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- Over 100 contemporary medical practices have subsequently been reversed over the last 10 years, according to a review published online July 22 in Mayo Clinical Proceedings.

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College Football Players May Be at Risk for Hypertension

TUESDAY, July 30 (HealthDay News) -- Similar to professional athletes who play American-style football (ASF), players at the collegiate level may be at increased risk for clinically important increases in blood pressure (BP) and the development of hypertension, according to research published in the July 30 issue of Circulation.

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Sexual Counseling Should Be Given to CVD Patients, Partners

MONDAY, July 29 (HealthDay News) -- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients and their partners should receive sexual counseling, according to a joint position statement from the American Heart Association and the European Society of Cardiology Council on Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions, published online July 29 in Circulation.

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Review Examines Coronary Artery Disease in Women

MONDAY, July 29 (HealthDay News) -- Coronary artery disease (CAD) affects women as much as men, with worse consequences, according to a report published in the June issue of Global Heart.

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Centrally Acting ACE Inhibitors Slow Decline in Dementia

MONDAY, July 29 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with dementia, the rate of cognitive decline is slowed for those taking centrally acting angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (CACE-Is), especially in the first six months of treatment, according to a study published in the July issue of BMJ Open.

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Portable Breath Acetone Analyzer Measures Fat Burning

FRIDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- A portable breath acetone analyzer can be used to measure breath acetone concentrations and to monitor fat burning, according to a study published online July 24 in the Journal of Breath Research.

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For Ischemic Stroke, Fewer Women Receive Thrombolytics

FRIDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- Women with acute ischemic stroke are less likely than men to arrive at the hospital within four hours and are less likely to receive thrombolytic treatment, according to research published online July 25 in Stroke.

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Resveratrol Reduces Positive Effects of Exercise Training

FRIDAY, July 26 (HealthDay News) -- Supplementation with resveratrol, a compound found in red wine, negates positive health effects of exercise training in older men, according to a study published online July 22 in The Journal of Physiology.

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IOM Confirms Geographic Variation in Health Spending

THURSDAY, July 25 (HealthDay News) -- Considerable geographic variation exists in health care spending and utilization, but a geographically-based value index is unlikely to promote value improvement, according to a report published July 24 by the Institute of Medicine.

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Weight Discrimination Increases Obesity Risk

THURSDAY, July 25 (HealthDay News) -- Instead of motivating people to lose weight, weight discrimination may increase the risk of becoming or remaining obese, according to a study published online July 24 in PLOS ONE.

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Sleep Disordered Breathing Tied to Lower Exercise Capacity

THURSDAY, July 25 (HealthDay News) -- Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) severity is associated with lower functional aerobic capacity (FAC) and increased blood pressure, according to a study published in the June 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.

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New Mutation Identified in Pulmonary Arterial HTN

WEDNESDAY, July 24 (HealthDay News) -- A new mutation has been identified in pulmonary arterial hypertension, and riociguat appears to be beneficial in treating the condition, according to three studies published in the July 25 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Women Worry About Resuming Sexual Activity After Heart Attack

WEDNESDAY, July 24 (HealthDay News) -- Women who resume sexual activity following a myocardial infarction (MI) often do so with fear and without direct counseling by their physician, according to a study published online July 24 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

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Continuing Statins Linked to Decreased Risk of Parkinson's

WEDNESDAY, July 24 (HealthDay News) -- Continuation of lipophilic statin therapy is associated with a decreased risk of Parkinson's disease (PD) when compared with statin discontinuation, according to a study published online July 24 in Neurology.

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Docs Need to Follow Patients' Lead, Embrace Social Media

WEDNESDAY, July 24 (HealthDay News) -- As more patients discuss and manage their health care online, doctors need to keep up and use social media, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).

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U.S. Physicians Not Supportive of Changes in Payment Models

TUESDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. physicians accept some responsibility for reducing health care costs in their practice, but most do not want to change payment models, according to research published in the July 24/31 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Low Rate of Change in Care With Transthoracic Echocardiography

TUESDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- Although more than 90 percent of transthoracic echocardiograms (TTEs) are considered appropriately used, only about 30 percent result in active change in care, according to a study published online July 22 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

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Kidney Stones Tied to Coronary Heart Disease in Women

TUESDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- Among women, a history of kidney stones is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), according to a study published in the July 24/31 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Guidance Issued for Erectile Dysfunction As Marker of CVD

TUESDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- Erectile dysfunction (ED) has predictive value for cardiovascular risk and treatment may have beneficial effects, according to research published in the June issue of The Journal of Urology.

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Automated ECG Directs Patients With Acute MI to Cath Lab

TUESDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- Use of an automated electrocardiogram (ECG) to diagnose acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) activates the protocol for referral to the cardiac catheterization laboratory (CCL) and achieves timely intervention with balloon angioplasty, according to a study published in the July 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.

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No Benefit of Echo Screening for Heart Dx in General Population

TUESDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- Echocardiographic screening for heart disease in a general population of middle-aged asymptomatic individuals does not reduce the risk of death or the incidence of heart attacks and stroke, according to a study published online July 22 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

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Pros and Cons of Electronic Cigarette Regulation Discussed

TUESDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) -- The pros and cons of electronic cigarette (EC) regulation are discussed in to two editorials published online July 23 in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.

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Skipping Breakfast Linked to Heart Disease

MONDAY, July 22 (HealthDay News) -- Skipping breakfast and eating late at night are associated with a higher risk of developing coronary heart disease, according to a study published in the July 23 issue of Circulation.

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Incidence of Cardiac Events in Lumbar Spine Surgery ID'd

MONDAY, July 22 (HealthDay News) -- The overall incidence of cardiac complications is 6.7 per 1,000 lumbar spine surgical procedures, and complications are more frequent with lumbar fusion versus decompression, according to a study published in the July 15 issue of Spine.

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Ischemic Stroke Described in Patients With Fungal Meningitis

MONDAY, July 22 (HealthDay News) -- Patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke may have fungal infections attributable to contaminated methylprednisolone associated with epidural injections, according to a case series published online July 22 in JAMA Neurology.

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Full-Moon Cycle Favorable in Aortic Dissection Repair

MONDAY, July 22 (HealthDay News) -- For patients undergoing ascending aortic dissection repair, season has no significant effect on mortality, while the full-moon cycle seems to be associated with reduced odds of death and a shorter length of stay (LOS), according to a study published online July 9 in Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery.

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Premiums Expected to Be About 20 Percent Lower in 2014

MONDAY, July 22 (HealthDay News) -- Premiums in the Health Insurance Marketplace are likely to be about 20 percent lower than anticipated in 2014, according to a report published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

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Tablets Help Physicians Keep Up With Medical Research

MONDAY, July 22 (HealthDay News) -- Most physicians find keeping up with the latest research to be challenging, but the use of tablets and smartphones may help, according to a report published by Wolters Kluwer Health.

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Breastfeeding Lowers Odds of Maternal High Blood Pressure

FRIDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) -- The combination of giving birth and breastfeeding is associated with lower odds of having high blood pressure in later life, according to a study published in the June issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

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Newer Anticoagulants Linked to Gastrointestinal Bleeding

FRIDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) -- Patients taking the new generation of oral anticoagulants appear to have a higher risk of gastrointestinal bleeding compared with standard care, particularly when treated for venous thrombosis or acute coronary syndrome, according to a review published in the July issue of Gastroenterology.

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Top Challenges for Docs Include Financial Management

FRIDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) -- The top issues and challenges facing physicians include managing changing reimbursement models with payors and financial management, according to a report published by Wolters Kluwer Health.

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Missed Diagnoses, Med Errors Most Common Malpractice Claims

FRIDAY, July 19 (HealthDay News) -- The most common medical misadventures resulting in malpractice claims in primary care are missed or delayed diagnoses and medication errors, according to a review published online July 18 in BMJ Open.

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Breaking a Sweat Regularly May Lower Risk of Incident Stroke

THURSDAY, July 18 (HealthDay News) -- Physical inactivity is associated with an increased risk of incident stroke, which is mediated via traditional risk factors, according to a study published online July 18 in Stroke.

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In 2010, Racial Discrepancy in Life Expectancy 3.8 Years

THURSDAY, July 18 (HealthDay News) -- In 2010, the discrepancy in life expectancy between blacks and whites was 3.8 years, according to a July data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

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Ways to Lower Readmission Rates for Heart Failure Identified

WEDNESDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- Several strategies associated with a lower risk of readmission have been identified for patients with heart failure, according to research published in the July issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

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Financial Incentives Can Drive Health IT Adoption

WEDNESDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- Financial incentives can drive providers' adoption of health information technology, including e-prescribing, according to a study published in the July issue of Health Affairs.

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Combination Treatment Beneficial for Cardiac Arrest

TUESDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- Among patients with cardiac arrest requiring vasopressors, treatment with epinephrine, vasopressin, and methylprednisolone during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) leads to improved survival to hospital discharge and improved neurological status, according to a study published in the July 17 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Early Surgery No Benefit in Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis

TUESDAY, July 16(HealthDay News) -- For patients with prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE), early valve replacement is not associated with lower mortality versus medical therapy, after adjustment for clinical characteristics and survival bias, according to a study published online July 15 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

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CMS Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Could Benefit Docs

TUESDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released the 2014 proposed Medicare physician fee schedule, which could help create a more equitable payment system by adjusting misvalued codes and proposing new complex management codes, according to a report published by American Academy of Family Physicians.

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Redesign of Medical Education Needed for Chronic Disease Era

TUESDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- Medical education programs should be redesigned to address the current complex chronic disease era, with emphasis on appropriate basic sciences and clinical skills, according to a special communication published online July 15 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

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Acid Reflux Medications May Constrict Blood Vessels

TUESDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- The mechanism by which proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) increase the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events may now be better understood, according to a study published online July 3 in Circulation.

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Prevalence of Elevated Blood Pressure Increasing in Children

TUESDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- The prevalence of elevated blood pressure (BP) increased among children from 1988-1994 to 1999-2008, according to a study published online July 15 in Hypertension.

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Improvements Made to CMS Online Directory of Physicians

TUESDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has reworked and redesigned their online directory of physicians (Physicians Compare) after errors were discovered throughout the site.

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Stroke Incidence Up in Chinese Versus White Population

MONDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- Chinese populations have slightly higher overall stroke incidence and a higher proportion of intracerebral hemorrhage, compared with white populations, according to a review published in the July 16 issue of Neurology.

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EHRs May Slow Growth in Ambulatory Health Care Costs

MONDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- Adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) modestly slows growth in ambulatory health care costs, according to research published in the July 16 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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More Job Opportunities Available for Physicians

MONDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- More than half of physicians are receiving up to three employment solicitations per week, according to a report published by American Medical Association (AMA).

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AMI Up With Stress-Induced Hyperglycemia After Hip Fx

MONDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- For patients after hip fracture, stress-induced hyperglycemia is associated with an increased risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), according to a study published online July 11 in Diabetes Care.

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CMS Proposes New Rule for Outpatient Payment Policies

MONDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- A new rule proposes updating Medicare payment policies and rates for the hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and ambulatory surgical center (ASC) services, according to a report issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

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Physicians Frustrated by Third-Party Interference

FRIDAY, July 12 (HealthDay News) -- Third-party interference is the most commonly cited key frustration for physicians, according to the results of a survey published in Physicians Practice.

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AMA Offers Guidance for Improving EHR Effectiveness

FRIDAY, July 12 (HealthDay News) -- The American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates has voted for policies to help physicians navigate patient interaction while using electronic devices and to improve the interoperability of electronic health records (EHRs).

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Agricultural Policies Impact Obesity Trends

FRIDAY, July 12 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. agricultural subsidies have contributed to the rising obesity rates, according to a review published online July 9 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

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Patients Benefit From Primary Care Wellness Program

FRIDAY, July 12 (HealthDay News) -- Patients benefit from the Americans In Motion-Healthy Interventions (AIM-HI) approach to promoting physical activity, healthy eating, and emotional well-being regardless of whether or not family medicine practice office staff use the tools, according to a study published in the July/August issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.

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U.S. Adults Value Health Care Provider Skill Evaluation

THURSDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- Most adults feel that health care providers who treat them should adhere to a recertification program, including passing examinations, attending educational programs, and undergoing certification, regardless of time in practice, according to a report published by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) and the Citizen Advocacy Center.

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Grants of $150 Million for Community Health Centers

THURSDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- Grants totaling $150 million are to be shared by 1,100 community health centers to help enroll patients in insurance programs, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

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Health Searches May Be Leaked to Third Parties

THURSDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- Free health-related websites often have third-party tracking elements and leak search terms to third-party tracking entities, unlike U.S. government or physician-oriented websites, according to a research letter published online July 8 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

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Low-Income Patients Prefer Hospital to Outpatient Care

THURSDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- Patients in low socioeconomic groups who live in urban settings report that they prefer hospital care to ambulatory care because it is less expensive, more accessible, and superior in quality, according to research published in the July issue of Health Affairs.

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Increasing Physical Activity is Not Curbing Obesity Prevalence

THURSDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- The prevalence of sufficient physical activity is increasing across counties in the United States, but has had little impact on obesity prevalence, according to a study published online July 10 in Population Health Metrics.

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One in Five U.S. Adults Will Have Trouble Paying Medical Bills

THURSDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- About one in five U.S. adults will have problems paying health care bills in 2013, including about 10 million adults with year-round insurance coverage, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).

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Red Cross Issues Emergency Call for Blood Donors

THURSDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- The American Red Cross has issued an emergency request for blood and platelet donors of all blood types, according to report posted July 9.

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Quality Metrics Play Small Role in Physician Compensation

THURSDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- Quality measures play a small but emerging role in physician compensation, according to a report published by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA).

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In 2010, Blood Transfusion Most Frequent Hospital Procedure

THURSDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- The most frequent procedure performed during hospitalization in 2010 was blood transfusion, which was common among all age groups except for infants, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

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Docs Don't Often Talk to Patients About Dietary Supplements

THURSDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- Although primary care physicians are discussing dietary supplements with patients during outpatient visits, these exchanges happen infrequently, according to research published in the June issue of Patient Education and Counseling.

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Artificial Sweeteners Linked to Cardiometabolic Disease Risk

WEDNESDAY, July 10 (HealthDay News) -- The role of artificial sweeteners is potentially problematic, with consumption of artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) associated with increased risks of cardiometabolic diseases, according to a study published online July 10 in Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism.

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Health Insurance Marketplaces Not Required to Verify Claims

WEDNESDAY, July 10 (HealthDay News) -- Health insurance marketplaces will not be required to verify consumers' income and health insurance status and can rely on self-reported information, the Obama administration announced Friday.

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Tablets More Useful Than Smartphones for Docs Using EHRs

WEDNESDAY, July 10 (HealthDay News) -- Although tablets are less often used by physicians than smartphones, they are more frequently used for accessing electronic health records (EHRs), and time spent on tablets is much higher, according to two reports published by AmericanEHR Partners.

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Particulate Air Pollutants Linked to Lung Cancer Risk

WEDNESDAY, July 10 (HealthDay News) -- Particulate air pollutants are associated with an increased risk of lung cancer, particularly adenocarcinoma, and both gaseous and particulate pollutants are linked to heart failure hospitalization and mortality, according to two studies published online July 10 in The Lancet Oncology and The Lancet.

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Improvements Noted in U.S. Health From 1990 to 2010

WEDNESDAY, July 10 (HealthDay News) -- From 1990 to 2010, considerable progress has been made in improving health in the United States, according to a report published online July 10 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Improvement Needed in Drug Post-Marketing Studies

WEDNESDAY, July 10 (HealthDay News) -- Since the requirement in 2007 that drug makers conduct post-marketing studies, the number of studies not yet started has declined while the number of studies fulfilling obligations has nearly doubled, according to a report published in the July 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. However, more than 40 percent of studies had not yet been started in 2011, and the number of studies with delays doubled as of 2011.

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Existing Medicaid Patients May Miss Out on Preventive Care

WEDNESDAY, July 10 (HealthDay News) -- Existing Medicaid enrollees may not receive preventive care measures the Affordable Care Act mandates for those covered under new insurance requirements, according to a study published in the July issue of Health Affairs.

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Chronic Illness Positively Linked to Receipt of Preventive Care

WEDNESDAY, July 10 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with one or more chronic illnesses are not less likely to receive recommended preventive health services, according to a study published in the July/August issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.

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Statins Usually Well Tolerated, With Few Adverse Effects

TUESDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- Adverse events from statin therapy are not common, according to a review published online July 9 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

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Digital Divide Plagues Underserved Areas

TUESDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- Electronic health record (EHR) adoption is uneven, with traditionally underserved areas having lower adoption rates across the United States, according to a study published online June 26 in Health Services Research.

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Vitamin D, Coronary Heart Disease Link Varies by Race

TUESDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- Low concentrations of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) are associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) among whites and Chinese, but not among blacks or Hispanics, according to a study published in the July 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Geographic Variation in Use of Cardiovascular Procedures

TUESDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- There is considerable geographic variation in the use of cardiovascular procedures among Medicare Advantage beneficiaries and Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries, according to a study published in the July 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Adoption of Electronic Health Records Is Progressing

TUESDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- In 2012, 44 percent of hospitals reported having at least a basic electronic health record (EHR), according to an annual report published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

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Repeat Lipid Testing Overused in Those Meeting LDL-C Goals

TUESDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- Approximately one-third of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) who have attained low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goals undergo repeat lipid assessments, according to a study published online July 1 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

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Practices Are Not Ready for Implementation of ICD-10

MONDAY, July 8 (HealthDay News) -- Most practices are not ready for implementation of the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10), according to a report published by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA).

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Obama Administration: ACA's Employer Mandate Delayed

WEDNESDAY, July 3 (HealthDay News) -- The Obama Administration is postponing a major Affordable Care Act (ACA) provision, the employer mandate, according to an announcement made Tuesday via the U.S. Department of the Treasury website.

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Weight Gain Attenuates Smoking Cessation Benefits

WEDNESDAY, July 3 (HealthDay News) -- While smoking cessation reduces the risk of coronary heart disease in women with and without diabetes, a weight gain of 5 kg or more attenuates the association, according to research letter published in the July 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Home Telemonitoring Intervention Ups BP Control

WEDNESDAY, July 3 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with uncontrolled blood pressure (BP), use of a telemonitoring intervention involving home BP telemonitors and pharmacist case management is associated with greater improvements in BP control than those seen with usual care, according to a study published in the July 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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More Than 40 Percent of Docs Report Work Dissatisfaction

WEDNESDAY, July 3 (HealthDay News) -- Many physicians are dissatisfied and are unlikely to recommend the medical profession to young people, according to a report published by Jackson Healthcare.

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Home-Based Walking Intervention Beneficial in PAD

TUESDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with peripheral artery disease, a home-based, group-mediated cognitive behavioral walking intervention significantly improves walking endurance and physical activity, according to a study published in the July 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Peptide Screening and Care Reduces Heart Failure Risk

TUESDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Screening people at risk for heart failure for certain levels of brain-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), a peptide secreted by the ventricles of the heart, followed by collaborative care reduces the risk of left ventricle dysfunction and heart failure, according to a study published in the July 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Red Meat Intake Prediagnosis Ups Risk of Death in Colorectal Cancer

TUESDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Self-reported higher intake of red and processed meat before the diagnosis of colorectal cancer is associated with increased risk of death, according to research published online July 1 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

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Salsalate Improves Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes

TUESDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Salsalate, a prodrug form of salicylate, improves glycemic control and reduces inflammation in patients with type 2 diabetes, but also has some undesirable cardiac and renal effects, according to a study published in the July 2 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

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Hypertension, Lipid Control Improved, 1988 to 2010

TUESDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Concomitant hypertension and hypercholesterolemia control have improved from 1988-1994 to 2005-2010, according to research published in the July 2 issue of Circulation.

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Docs Impact Comparative Effectiveness Research Opinion

TUESDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors' support of comparative effectiveness research (CER) influences public opinion and has a greater impact on public opinion than cues from political players, according to research to be published this fall in the Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law.

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Prehospital Triage Policy for Suspected Stroke Ups tPA Use

MONDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- Implementation of a prehospital triage policy for patients with suspected stroke is associated with increased use of intravenous (IV) tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), according to a study published online July 1 in JAMA Neurology.

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Post-CABG Risk of Death Increased for Blacks With PAD

MONDAY, July 1 (HealthDay News) -- For patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), the risk of death is higher for those with peripheral artery disease (PAD), particularly for black versus white patients, according to a study published online June 3 in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

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