Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Cardiology for July 2020. 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.
Telemedicine Use Explodes During COVID-19 Pandemic
FRIDAY, July 31, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The emergence of telemedicine has accelerated during the coronavirus pandemic. HD Live! sat down with Rujuta Saksena, M.D., an oncologist at Overlook Medical Center in Summit, New Jersey, and Ateev Mehrotra, M.D., associate professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School in Boston, to discuss the future of telemedicine and its impact on health care.
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Survivors of Adolescent, Young Adult ALL May Suffer Late Effects
FRIDAY, July 31, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Survivors of adolescent and young adult (AYA) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) may experience late effects, with a high incidence of subsequent endocrine disease and cardiac disease, according to a study published in the August issue of JNCI Cancer Spectrum.
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Sex Differences in Income Vary With Proportion of Male Doctors
FRIDAY, July 31, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- For surgical and nonsurgical specialists, sex differences in income vary with the proportion of male physicians in a practice, according to a study published online July 30 in The BMJ.
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Chocolate Tied to Lower Coronary Artery Disease Risk
THURSDAY, July 30, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Eating chocolate at least once a week is associated with a lower risk for coronary artery disease (CAD), according to a review published online July 22 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
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Decrease Seen in Products Purchased Containing Caloric Sweeteners
WEDNESDAY, July 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- From 2002 to 2018, there was a decrease in the volume of products purchased containing caloric sweeteners (CS) and an increase in purchases of products containing both CS and nonnutritive sweeteners (NNS), according to a study published online July 29 in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
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Premature Cardiac Deaths Across U.S. Dropped From 1999 to 2017
WEDNESDAY, July 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The rate of premature cardiac deaths (PCDs) decreased across U.S. counties from 1999 to 2017, although widening geographic disparities have been observed, according to a study published online July 29 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
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Smoking Ups Risk for Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysm in Women
WEDNESDAY, July 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Women aged 30 to 60 years with a positive smoking history and underlying hypertension have an increased risk for having an unruptured intracranial aneurysm (UIA), according to a study published online July 28 in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
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Nearly Half of Hispanics, Blacks Scared to Go to Hospital During COVID-19
WEDNESDAY, July 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Hispanics and blacks are most likely to stay home if experiencing medical emergencies, like a heart attack or stroke, to avoid the risk of contracting COVID-19 at the hospital, according to a poll released by the American Heart Association (AHA).
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Obesity in Young Adulthood Tied to Later Venous Thromboembolism
WEDNESDAY, July 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Men who are obese or severely obese in young adulthood have an increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) later in life, according to a study published in the June issue of the Journal of Internal Medicine.
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Low Health Literacy Tied to Worse Heart Failure Outcomes
WEDNESDAY, July 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Poor health literacy is associated with worse heart failure outcomes, according to a review published in the June issue of JACC: Heart Failure.
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Myocardial Injury Seen in Many Early in Recovery From COVID-19
TUESDAY, July 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Many patients recently recovered from COVID-19 infection have cardiac involvement, according to a study published online July 27 in JAMA Cardiology.
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NSAID Use Linked to Cardiovascular, Bleeding Events Post-MI
MONDAY, July 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with myocardial infarction (MI), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) treatment is associated with a significantly increased risk for cardiovascular and bleeding events, according to a study published in the Aug. 4 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Thorough Risk Assessment Essential Prior to Noncardiac Surgery
MONDAY, July 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Comprehensive preoperative assessment of cardiovascular risk with history and physical examination is essential prior to noncardiac surgery, according to a review published in the July 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Heart Transplant Volumes Decreased in COVID-19 Era
FRIDAY, July 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- In the COVID-19 era, there has been a decrease in heart transplant (HT) volumes, according to a study published online July 22 in JAMA Cardiology.
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CDC Guidance Issued for Testing, Management of HCP Exposed to Hep C
FRIDAY, July 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- In a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance report, published in the July 24 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, recommendations are presented for testing and clinical management of health care personnel (HCP) exposed to the hepatitis C virus (HCV).
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High Prevalence of Americans Have Conditions Linked to Severe COVID-19
THURSDAY, July 23, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The median prevalence of any underlying medical condition that increases the risk for severe COVID-19-associated illness is 47.2 percent among residents in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to research published in the July 24 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Financial Health of Hospitals 'Dire' Due to COVID-19
THURSDAY, July 23, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- COVID-19 continues to cause financial peril for U.S. hospitals, according to a report released by the American Hospital Association (AHA).
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Diets High in Protein, Plant Protein Tied to Lower Mortality
THURSDAY, July 23, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Plant protein intake is associated with a lower risk for all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality, according to a review published online July 22 in The BMJ.
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Varenicline Strongly Recommended for Smoking Cessation
THURSDAY, July 23, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Varenicline is strongly recommended over the patch for adult smokers hoping to quit, according to an American Thoracic Society practice guideline published online in the July 15 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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CDC: Former Smokers Have Higher Levels of Fair, Poor Health
WEDNESDAY, July 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Smoking cessation is beneficial, but even after cessation, former smokers have worse health measures, according to a study published online July 22 in National Health Statistics Reports, a publication from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Reduced-Dose Prasugrel Efficacious for Acute Coronary Syndrome
MONDAY, July 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- For elderly or low-weight patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), a reduced dose of prasugrel is efficacious compared with ticagrelor, according to a study published online July 21 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Demographic, Clinical, Hospital Factors Tied to COVID-19 Death
MONDAY, July 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- For COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), demographic, clinical, and hospital-level risk factors are associated with death, according to a study published online July 15 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Ban on Menthol Cigarettes Might Cut Smoking Rates in the U.S.
MONDAY, July 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Extending the U.S. cigarette flavor ban to include menthol products could promote smoking cessation and reduce initiation, according to a review published online July 9 in BMC Public Health.
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Exercise Helps Prevent High BP Even in Areas of High Air Pollution
MONDAY, July 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Regular physical activity (PA) still provides benefit against hypertension even in areas of high air pollution, according to a study published online July 20 in Circulation.
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Exposure to Wildfire Smoke Ups Deaths of Hemodialysis Patients
FRIDAY, July 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- For patients receiving in-center hemodialysis, exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from wildfire is associated with all-cause mortality, according to a study published online July 16 in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
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Prediabetes Linked to Increased Risk for Mortality, CVD
FRIDAY, July 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Prediabetes is associated with an increased risk for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease among the general population and individuals with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to a meta-analysis published online July 15 in The BMJ.
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Social Determinants of Health Linked to Incident Stroke Risk
FRIDAY, July 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- For adults younger than 75 years, increases in the number of social determinants of health (SDOH) are associated with an increased risk for incident stroke, according to a study published online July 16 in Stroke.
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Flu Vaccine Cuts Cardiovascular Mortality in Adults With Diabetes
FRIDAY, July 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Influenza vaccination may improve outcomes in patients with diabetes, according to a study published online July 9 in Diabetes Care.
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Lopinavir/Ritonavir COVID-19 Treatment Linked to Bradycardia
FRIDAY, July 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/RTV) treatment of COVID-19 is associated with an increased risk for bradycardia, according to a study published online July 9 in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology.
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Severe Vasomotor Symptoms at Menopause Linked to CVD Risk
FRIDAY, July 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Among women with menopausal vasomotor symptoms (VMS), severity rather than frequency of hot flushes and night sweats is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a study published online June 23 in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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CV Risk Factors Linked to Faster Cognitive Decline in Midlife
THURSDAY, July 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) are associated with accelerated cognitive decline in midlife, according to a study published online July 15 in Neurology.
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Premature Mortality Dropped With Adoption of Food Guidelines
THURSDAY, July 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Adoption of national food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) is associated with about a 15 percent reduction in premature mortality, according to a study published online July 15 in The BMJ.
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Physical Distancing Interventions Cut Incidence of COVID-19
THURSDAY, July 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Physical distancing interventions are associated with a reduced incidence of COVID-19 globally, according to a study published online July 15 in The BMJ.
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Ticagrelor-Aspirin Beneficial for Mild-to-Moderate Stroke, TIA
THURSDAY, July 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Ticagrelor-aspirin is associated with a reduced risk for the composite of stroke or death within 30 days of mild-to-moderate acute noncardioembolic ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), according to a study published in the July 16 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Stroke Recurrence Decreased Among Mexican-Americans
THURSDAY, July 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- From 2000 to 2013, there was a decrease in stroke recurrence among Mexican-Americans, with no change in one-year mortality, according to a study published online July 16 in Stroke.
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Medication Use Linked to Weight Gain in Postmenopausal Women
WEDNESDAY, July 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- For postmenopausal women, antidepressants, beta-blockers, and insulin are associated with weight gain over three years, according to a study published online July 15 in Menopause.
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Global Population Anticipated to Peak in 2064
WEDNESDAY, July 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The global population is anticipated to peak in 2064 and then decline to year 2100, according to a study published online July 14 in The Lancet.
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HCQ During Pregnancy May Prevent Congenital Heart Block
WEDNESDAY, July 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- For anti-SSA/Ro-positive mothers with a previous pregnancy complicated by congenital heart block (CHB), hydroxychloroquine may reduce the recurrence of CHB, according to a study published in the July 21 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Cardiac CT Can Derive Thoracic Bone Mineral Density, Fracture Risk
WEDNESDAY, July 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Cardiac computed tomography (CT) can identify individuals with low bone mineral density (BMD) and increased fracture risk, according to a study published online July 14 in Radiology.
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Layoffs Cost 5.4 Million Americans Their Health Insurance
TUESDAY, July 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- About 5.4 million Americans lost their health insurance after being laid off between February and May due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study shows.
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Childhood Maltreatment Tied to Later Cardiovascular Disease
TUESDAY, July 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- All types of childhood maltreatment are associated with a higher risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in both men and women, according to a study published online July 13 in Heart.
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Not All Food Sources of Fructose-Containing Sugars Raise Risk for MetS
TUESDAY, July 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The adverse association of sugar-sweetened beverages and incident metabolic syndrome (MetS) does not extend to other major food sources of fructose-containing sugars, and yogurt, fruit, 100 percent fruit juice, and mixed fruit juice all have a protective association with MetS, according to a review published online July 9 in JAMA Network Open.
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Outcomes Worse for COVID-19-Linked Ischemic Strokes
TUESDAY, July 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- COVID-19-associated ischemic strokes are more severe than non-COVID-19 ischemic strokes, with worse functional outcome and increased mortality, according to a study published online July 9 in Stroke.
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Commercially Viable Mobile Lung Screening Program Feasible
TUESDAY, July 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Developing a commercially viable and financially sound mobile program for lung screening is feasible, according to a study published online July 14 in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
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Plant Protein Intake Linked to Drop in Overall, CVD Mortality
MONDAY, July 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Higher plant protein intake is associated with reductions in the risks for overall and cardiovascular disease mortality in men and women, according to a study published online July 13 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Risk for Heart Failure Increased for Women Taking β-Blockers
MONDAY, July 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Women taking β-blockers for hypertension have an increased risk for developing heart failure when they present to the hospital with acute coronary syndrome, according to a study published online July 10 in Hypertension.
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COVID-19-Related Symptoms Persist After Recovery
MONDAY, July 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Most patients who have recovered from COVID-19 report persistence of at least one symptom, according to a research letter published online July 9 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Incidence of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy Up During COVID-19
FRIDAY, July 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The incidence of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study published online July 9 in JAMA Network Open.
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Patterns Changing for Heart Disorder Hospitalizations in Canada
FRIDAY, July 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Standardized hospitalization rates declined for coronary artery and vascular disease, heart rhythm disorders, stroke, and heart failure in Canada from 2007 through 2016, according to a study published online July 1 in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.
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Electronic Health Records Fail to Detect Many Medication Errors
THURSDAY, July 9, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- There is wide variation in the safety performance of electronic health record (EHR) systems used in U.S. hospitals, according to a study recently published in JAMA Network Open.
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Half of Individuals With MI at Age 50 or Younger Are Smokers
THURSDAY, July 9, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- About half of individuals who experience a myocardial infarction at 50 years or younger are smokers, and among these individuals, smoking cessation is associated with a reduced risk for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, according to a study published online July 8 in JAMA Network Open.
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Statin Use May Cut All-Cause, CVD Mortality in Those 75 and Older
WEDNESDAY, July 8, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- In U.S. veterans aged 75 years and older, statin use is associated with reduced all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, according to a study published in the July 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Acute Ischemic Stroke Risk Higher With COVID-19 Than Influenza
TUESDAY, July 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with COVID-19 appear to have a heightened risk for acute ischemic stroke compared with patients with influenza, according to a study published online July 2 in JAMA Neurology.
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Oral Corticosteroid Bursts Carry Risk for Severe Adverse Events
TUESDAY, July 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Prescriptions for oral steroid bursts are associated with a 1.8- to 2.4-fold increased risk for severe adverse events within the first month after initiation of drug therapy, according to a study published online July 7 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Excessive Sugar Tied to Fat Deposits Around Heart, Other Organs
TUESDAY, July 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Long-term intake of added sugar and sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with higher pericardial adipose tissue, visceral adipose tissue, and subcutaneous adipose tissue volumes, according to a study published online June 28 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
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Black Race Linked to Increased MACE Risk After PCI
MONDAY, July 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- For patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, black race is associated with an increased risk for major adverse cardiac events (MACE), according to research published online July 6 in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions.
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CRC Risk Down With ACEi, Angiotensin Receptor Blocker Use
MONDAY, July 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The use of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers is associated with a lower risk for colorectal cancer that develops within three years after index colonoscopy, according to a study published online July 6 in Hypertension.
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Thousands of Heat-Related Deaths Occur Each Year in the U.S.
THURSDAY, July 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Between 1997 and 2006, 0.44 percent of U.S. deaths were attributable to heat, according to a study published in the June issue of Environmental Epidemiology.
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Mortality Risk Down With Meeting Recommended Exercise Levels
THURSDAY, July 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality is reduced for adults who engage in leisure time aerobic and muscle strengthening activities at levels recommended by the 2018 physical activity guidelines, according to a study published online July 1 in The BMJ.
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Roughly 2 Million Americans Buy Prescriptions From Outside the Country
THURSDAY, July 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- An estimated 1.5 percent of American adults purchase prescription medication from outside of the United States to save money, according to a study published online June 24 in JAMA Network Open.
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Multiple Healthy Eating Patterns May Be Able to Lower CVD Risk
WEDNESDAY, July 1, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Greater adherence to healthy eating patterns is consistently associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a study published online June 15 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Spectrum of Imaging Findings Described in COVID-19 MIS-C
WEDNESDAY, July 1, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The spectrum of imaging findings in children with post-COVID-19 inflammatory condition (multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children [MIS-C]) is described in a case series published online June 25 in Radiology.
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