Availability of cardiac CT streamlines cath lab use, lowers costs
The study looked at a unique group of subjects—relatively young military personnel, "with a high-risk occupation who needed a definitive diagnosis before they went into combat"—but investigators say their analysis provides important new information on how coronary CT can lower costs, as well as reduce the number of invasive tests, that would be applicable to other clinical settings. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - July 17, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
Johns Hopkins regains top spot in US News hospital rankings
Unseated last year in the widely read hospital rankings list, Johns Hopkins is back on top, while the top heart hospital spot goes to the same hospital that has held the title for 19 years. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - July 17, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
Obesity duration linked to atherosclerosis and its progression
It's typically assumed that the longer a person is obese, the greater the toll this would take on the body; now, a new study starting with a group of nonobese subjects is linking the development of obesity—and its duration—to subclinical atherosclerosis and its progression over time. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - July 17, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
Visceral fat adds (a little) to BMI prediction of CV risk: Framingham analysis
CT-measured visceral adiposity predicted risk of both cardiovascular events and incident cancer over five years, independently of BMI and other standard risk factors. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - July 16, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
Ten emerging uses for cardiac CT from SCCT 2013
Cardiac CT is emerging as a useful clinical tool to assess arterial plaque, myocardial perfusion, and aortic-valve geometry, and there are other applications to watch for in the coming year, experts say. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - July 16, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
New analysis IDs who fares best with surgery for valve endocarditis
The large observational analysis may reopen the question of who may do just fine with medical therapy for prosthetic valve endocarditis vs surgery, as recommended in current guidelines. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - July 15, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
CT prior to TAVR helps reduce paravalvular leak, other complications
CT imaging should be integrated into the transcatheter aortic-valve replacement procedure to minimize complications, according to one expert; in recent months there have been a flurry of convincing studies about this, which are about to be published. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - July 15, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
1-mSv radiation dose for clinical coronary CT: "We're there"
Coronary CT angiography that exposes a patient to only a 1-mSv dose of radiation—or possibly lower—is now possible in clinical practice, an expert says, but opinions are divided about whether clinicians still need to worry about current levels of radiation exposure from this procedure. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - July 15, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
The COURAGE patients who crossed over: New insights
Authors of a new analysis zeroed in on the 16% of patients who crossed over from optimal medical therapy to coronary revascularization in the first year, offering what they believe are key new details about just who and why OMT doesn't work in everyone but is worth trying. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - July 13, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
Beta-blockers in HF get bum rap for most "side effects," says study
Many adverse effects linked to beta-blockers in heart-failure trials, which made their way into the labeling, were shown in a new analysis to have been no more common with the drugs than with placebo. The result is a disaster for some patients, according to researchers. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - July 12, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
Stroke-risk status doesn't affect AF-ablation stroke-prevention prowess
Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation cuts long-term stroke risk in patients with AF regardless of baseline CHADS2 score, according to a large, multicenter observational study. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - July 11, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
"Caution" warranted if consuming artificial sweeteners
All sweeteners, even those without calories, are associated with increased risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease, according to an analysis. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - July 10, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
Two new analyses link dabigatran to MI risk
Two new analyses are once again linking the oral direct thrombin inhibitor to an increased risk of MI, especially at the highest dose, but whether this relates to the level of risk in the populations studied or is merely the play of chance is still being debated. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - July 10, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
ALECARDIO trial halted for safety
Roche has halted a phase 3 trial of its investigational "glitazar" diabetes drug aleglitazar, being studied in diabetics with ACS, due to safety concerns. The drug seems to be following in the footsteps of two other agents in the class, which never made it to market. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - July 10, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
Vitamin-D link to CHD varies by race in MESA analysis
The increased heart-disease risk associated with low vitamin-D levels in the study overall was driven by one race/ethnicity group and wasn't seen at all in some others. (Source: theHeart.org)
Source: theHeart.org - July 10, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: news
