The Impact Of ABSORB II: Down The Slippery Slope
When it was approved earlier this year in July the Absorb (Abbott) bioresorbable stent provoked a fair amount of discussion about the “slippery slope of noninferiority.” Although the stent met the FDA criteria for approval, the available trial results went in the wrong direction and there was a particularly concerning warning sign of a higher...Click here to continue reading... (Source: CardioBrief)
Source: CardioBrief - November 2, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Larry Husten Tags: Interventional Cardiology & Surgery People, Places & Events Policy & Ethics Abbott ABSORB bioresorbable stent FDA noninferiority postapproval stents Source Type: blogs
Pfizer Ends Development Of Its PCSK9 Inhibitor
–Immune issues and diminishing efficacy doomed the new drug. Pfizer announced on Tuesday that it was discontinuing development of bococizumab, its cholesterol-lowering PCSK9 inhibitor under development. “The totality of clinical information now available for bococizumab, taken together with the evolving treatment and market landscape for lipid-lowering agents, indicates that bococizumab is not likely to provide...Click here to continue reading... (Source: CardioBrief)
Source: CardioBrief - November 1, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Larry Husten Tags: People, Places & Events Policy & Ethics Prevention, Epidemiology & Outcomes bococizumab cholesterol CVOT PCSK9 Pfizer Source Type: blogs
Debaters At Interventional Cardiology Meeting Literally Put The Gloves On
The world’s premiere interventional cardiology meeting now features cardiologists wearing boxing shorts and gloves. The Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) meeting in Washington, DC kicked off with a “Saturday Night Fights” theme for its debate session, and the participants– nearly all greying, eminent male interventional cardiologists– adopted the theme whole-heartedly. All lovey-dovey at the start of #TCT2016 fights pic.twitter.com/upGprIcxkQ...Click here to continue reading... (Source: CardioBrief)
Source: CardioBrief - October 30, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Larry Husten Tags: People, Places & Events Policy & Ethics Cardiology Saturday Night Fights sexism TCT women in cardiology Source Type: blogs
Impella No Better Than IABP in Cardiogenic Shock
–Underpowered IMPRESS trial shows no mortality benefit A rare randomized trial and a new meta-analysis both failed to find any evidence that Impella mechanical circulatory support devices are any better than intra-aortic balloon pumps (IABPs) for patients with cardiogenic shock. For many years, the intra-aortic balloon pump has been the standard device to increase circulation...Click here to continue reading... (Source: CardioBrief)
Source: CardioBrief - October 30, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Larry Husten Tags: Interventional Cardiology & Surgery MI/ACS People, Places & Events Policy & Ethics Abiomed cardiogenic shock IABP Impella mechanical circulatory support Source Type: blogs
Universal Child FH Screening Proposed
–Novel strategy would identify both children and adults at high risk for CV events. Doctors in the U.K. are proposing a novel strategy to identify very young children with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). The strategy would also identify and help prevent events in the parents who also have FH. The new approach begins with a heel-stick...Click here to continue reading... (Source: CardioBrief)
Source: CardioBrief - October 26, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Larry Husten Tags: People, Places & Events Policy & Ethics Prevention, Epidemiology & Outcomes cholesterol familial hypercholesterolemia FH LDL screening Source Type: blogs
Calcium Levels and CV Risk: New Study Finds No Link
–But most agree dietary calcium is preferable to supplements A new review concludes that a high level of calcium intake, whether from food or supplements, is not linked to increased cardiovascular risk, as long as the total calcium intake remains below the tolerable upper level of intake (2,000-2,500 mg/day). The systematic review, published in Annals...Click here to continue reading... (Source: CardioBrief)
Source: CardioBrief - October 24, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Larry Husten Tags: Policy & Ethics Prevention, Epidemiology & Outcomes calcium diet guidelines nutrition osteoporosis supplements Source Type: blogs
Eliquis Nipping At The Heels of NOAC Market Leader Xarelto
–But the overall market for the new oral anticoagulants continues to expand. The new oral anticoagulant (NOAC) market is growing larger and is becoming increasingly competitive. The latest market data shows that apixaban (Eliquis, Pfizer and BristolMyers Squibb) is challenging the established leader in the field, rivaroxaban (Xarelto, Johnson & Johnson). According to recent data...Click here to continue reading... (Source: CardioBrief)
Source: CardioBrief - October 20, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Larry Husten Tags: People, Places & Events Policy & Ethics apixaban Eliquis NOAC oral anticoagulants rivaroxaban Xarelto Source Type: blogs
Novel Cholesterol Drugs Move Forward In Clinical Trials
–New information about upcoming cholesterol drugs from the Medicines Company and Esperion Recently the makers of two novel cholesterol-lowering drugs in development provided important updates on their progress. On Tuesday, the Medicines Company announced positive top-line results for a trial of its unusual PCSK9 synthesis inhibitor scheduled to be presented in November. Last week Esperion...Click here to continue reading... (Source: CardioBrief)
Source: CardioBrief - October 18, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Larry Husten Tags: Policy & Ethics Prevention, Epidemiology & Outcomes bempedoic acid cholesterol Esperion ETC-1002 FDA Medicines Company PCSK9si Source Type: blogs
Caffeine Study Gives Heart Failure Patients Green Light To Drink Coffee
–A small but rigorous study found no arrhythmias caused by caffeine consumption. Many people with heart failure are advised to avoid coffee because of fears that caffeine might provoke an arrhythmia. Now a rare example of a randomized controlled trial in the field offers some assuring evidence that these patients can safely drink coffee. The...Click here to continue reading... (Source: CardioBrief)
Source: CardioBrief - October 17, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Larry Husten Tags: Heart Failure Heart Rhythms Prevention, Epidemiology & Outcomes arrhythmias caffeine coffee Source Type: blogs
Calcium Supplements Linked To Increased Cardiovascular Risk
–But the observational study suggested an overall benefit for dietary calcium. A new observational study finds that calcium supplements may increase cardiovascular risk. By contrast, dietary calcium was linked to a protective effect. Many people– in particular, older women– take calcium supplements to prevent or treat osteoporosis, though the supporting evidence for this use is...Click here to continue reading... (Source: CardioBrief)
Source: CardioBrief - October 12, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Larry Husten Tags: Policy & Ethics Prevention, Epidemiology & Outcomes CAC calcium coronary calcium supplements Source Type: blogs
FDA Reaffirms Safety And Efficacy Of Rivaroxaban
–FDA says no changes needed to the rivaroxaban label. Following a year of controversy and uncertainty relating to the anticoagulant drug rivaroxaban (Xarelto, Johnson & Johnson), the FDA has reaffirmed the drug’s safety and efficacy. Rivaroxaban is approved for stroke reduction in patients with atrial fibrillation. The indication is based on results of the ROCKET-AF...Click here to continue reading... (Source: CardioBrief)
Source: CardioBrief - October 11, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Larry Husten Tags: Heart Rhythms People, Places & Events Policy & Ethics FDA rivaroxaban ROCKET warfarin Xarelto Source Type: blogs
No, $75 Million Won ’ t Cure Heart Disease Or Reinvent Science
–Silicon Valley hype and hubris come to cardiology. We may be close to peak hype and hubris in cardiology. This week some of the smartest people on the planet said that $75 million can help find new ways to prevent heart disease AND, as if that’s not enough, completely reinvent the way we do science....Click here to continue reading... (Source: CardioBrief)
Source: CardioBrief - October 7, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Larry Husten Tags: Classics People, Places & Events Policy & Ethics Prevention, Epidemiology & Outcomes AHA AstraZeneca Google hubris hype One Brave Idea Verily Source Type: blogs
LDL-Lowering Genetic Variants Linked to Diabetes Risk
–What can genetics tell us about diabetes incidence with cholesterol drugs? Editor’s note: The following guest post was contributed by Marilyn Mann, a well-known advocate for patients with familial hypercholesterolemia and a patient advisor to Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, several LDL-lowering genetic...Click here to continue reading... (Source: CardioBrief)
Source: CardioBrief - October 6, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Larry Husten Tags: Diabetes Policy & Ethics Prevention, Epidemiology & Outcomes cholesterol genetics LDL Source Type: blogs
Trump ’ s Risk For A Cardiac Event Is Seven Times Hilary Clinton ’ s Risk
Editor’s note: The following guest post is reprinted with permission from Dr. Anthony Pearson, a cardiologist who is the medical director of the Echocardiography Laboratory and Anticoagulation Clinic at St. Lukes Hospital, Chesterfield, Missouri. Dr. Pearson writes The Skeptical Cardiologist blog, where this post originally appeared. Donald Trump recently appeared on the Dr. Oz show and handed a letter to the...Click here to continue reading... (Source: CardioBrief)
Source: CardioBrief - October 5, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Larry Husten Tags: Classics People, Places & Events Policy & Ethics Prevention, Epidemiology & Outcomes cardiovascular risk Clinton coronary calcium Trump Source Type: blogs
More Bleeding Linked To Rivaroxaban In Observational Study
–Compared to dabigatran, rivaroxaban was associated with more intracranial and other serious bleeds. A new observational study finds that patients who take rivaroxaban (Xarelto, Johnson & Johnson) may be more likely to have serious bleeding events than patients who take dabigatran (Pradaxa, Boehringer Ingelheim). In a paper published in JAMA Internal Medicine, David Graham and...Click here to continue reading... (Source: CardioBrief)
Source: CardioBrief - October 4, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Larry Husten Tags: Heart Rhythms People, Places & Events Policy & Ethics dabigatran NOAC Observational study Pradaxa rivaroxaban Xarelto Source Type: blogs
