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Your essential source for clinically relevant perspectives – from physician opinion leaders – on the most important research and guidelines in cardiovascular medicine
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Featured Article
CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINE WATCH
How to Prevent and Manage Cardiac Device Infections
- March 17, 2010
- Mark S. Link, MD
Increasing rates of device implantation and associated infections have prompted the American Heart Association to update its advice to clinicians.
- Reviewing:
- Baddour LM et al. Circulation 2010 Jan 26; 121:458
Special Notice
News from ACC 2010
Analyses of late-breaking clinical trials from the ACC meeting are available here.
Recent Cardiology Articles
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Silent Cerebral Embolism After Transcatheter Aortic-Valve Implantation
- March 17, 2010
- Howard C. Herrmann, MD
Two studies from Germany show that it is common.
- Reviewing:
- Kahlert P et al. Circulation 2010 Feb 23; 121:870
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Triple Antiplatelet Therapy After Acute Myocardial Infarction
- March 17, 2010
- Howard C. Herrmann, MD
Adding cilostazol to clopidogrel plus aspirin improved biomarkers of platelet inhibition at 30 days in stent recipients.
- Reviewing:
- Jeong Y-H et al. Circ Cardiovasc Interv 2010 Feb 1; 3:17
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Does Absence of Coronary Artery Calcification Exclude Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease?
- March 16, 2010
- Kirsten E. Fleischmann, MD, MPH
- General Medicine
In symptomatic patients, overall sensitivity of a CAC score of 0 for predicting absence of obstructive CAD was only 45%.
- Reviewing:
- Gottlieb I et al. J Am Coll Cardiol 2010 Feb 16; 55:627
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Rate Control for Atrial Fibrillation: Can We Relax?Free
- March 15, 2010
- Mark S. Link, MD
In a randomized trial, patients whose heart rates were strictly controlled fared no better than those treated more leniently — at least in the short term.
- Reviewing:
- Van Gelder IC et al. N Engl J Med 2010 Mar 15
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
To Trial and Beyond: Sirolimus-Eluting Stents Outperform Zotarolimus-Eluting Stents
- March 15, 2010
- Beat J. Meyer, MD
A randomized trial design combined with follow-up data from a Danish national registry generates compelling evidence of superiority.
- Reviewing:
- Rasmussen K et al. Lancet 2010 Mar 15
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Dual Antiplatelet Therapy After Drug-Eluting Stenting: When to Stop?
- March 15, 2010
- Howard C. Herrmann, MD
Combined data from two randomized trials suggest no additional benefit after 1 year.
- Reviewing:
- Park S-J et al. N Engl J Med 2010 Mar 15
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
The ACCORD Lipid Study: Fenofibrate Doesn't HelpFree
- March 14, 2010
- Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM
Although triglyceride levels improved markedly with fenofibrate, incidence of adverse cardiovascular events was not affected.
- Reviewing:
- The ACCORD Study Group. N Engl J Med 2010 Mar 14
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
The ACCORD Blood Pressure Study: What Target for High-Risk Diabetic Patients?Free
- March 14, 2010
- Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM
Achieving systolic blood pressure levels lower than 140 mm Hg does not prevent adverse cardiovascular events.
- Reviewing:
- The ACCORD Study Group. N Engl J Med 2010 Mar 14
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Diabetes and Cardiovascular Events: Not a Straight Course
- March 14, 2010
- Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM
A study of two drugs for the primary prevention of diabetes yielded disappointing results.
- Reviewing:
- The NAVIGATOR Study Group. N Engl J Med 2010 Mar 14
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Is Elective Coronary Angiography Overused?Free
- March 10, 2010
- Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM
According to data from a large registry, less than half of patients who undergo elective invasive testing have obstructive coronary artery disease.
- Reviewing:
- Patel MR et al. N Engl J Med 2010 Mar 11; 362:886
Editor's Picks from across Journal Watch
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Conventional Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Is Better Than Compression-Only CPR for Children with Noncardiac Causes of ArrestFree
- March 2, 2010
- By Kristi L. Koenig, MD, FACEP
- Emergency Medicine
Among patients aged 1–17 years with primary cardiac arrest, conventional CPR and compression-only CPR similarly improved outcomes over no bystander CPR, but for children with noncardiac causes of arrest, conventional CPR was better.
- Reviewing:
- Lancet 2010 Mar 3
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Platelets and the Ductus Arteriosus
- March 2, 2010
- By David Green, MD, PhD
- Oncology and Hematology
Platelet aggregation and thrombus formation are key processes in ductus arteriosus closure.
- Reviewing:
- Nat Med 2010 Jan; 16:75
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Lipid-Lowering Therapy and Risk for Bleeding Among Warfarin Users
- March 2, 2010
- By Jamaluddin Moloo, MD, MPH
- General Medicine
Bleeding risk was elevated after cytochrome P450 enzyme inhibitors were added to warfarin regimens. Interview
- Reviewing:
- Am J Med 2010 Feb; 123:151
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Therapeutic Hypothermia After Cardiac Arrest: A Simpler Approach
- February 26, 2010
- By John A. Marx, MD, FAAEM
- Emergency Medicine
Ice packs and cold saline infusion alone were effective.
- Reviewing:
- Resuscitation 2010 Jan; 81:15
Journal Watch Cardiology summarizes important medical journal articles about a wide variety of cardiovascular subjects including angina, atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, heart failure, hypertension, myocardial infarction, stents, stroke and ventricular fibrillation.
