Heart Failure in an Aging Population
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
A new epidemiologic study exposes specific targets for preventive measures.
Reviewing:
Kalogeropoulos A et al., Arch Intern Med 2009 Apr 13; 169:708
Corticosteroid Prophylaxis in Cardiac Surgery
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
A meta-analysis suggests that low-dose steroid administration can reduce the risk for perioperative AF.
Reviewing:
Ho KM and Tan JA., Circulation 2009 Apr 14; 119:1853
U.S. Trends in Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes, 1999 Through 2006
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Although racial and socioeconomic disparities in disease control persist, insurance coverage appears to narrow the gaps.
Reviewing:
McWilliams JM et al., Ann Intern Med 2009 Apr 21; 150:505
Estimating Bleeding Risk in Patients with Non–ST-Segment-Elevation MI
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
A new scoring system could facilitate clinical decision making.
Reviewing:
Subherwal S et al., Circulation 2009 Apr 14; 119:1873
Coronary Revascularization Before Noncardiac Vascular Surgery
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Long-term findings from a small randomized trial confirm that prophylactic revascularization does not improve outcomes.
Reviewing:
Schouten O et al., Am J Cardiol 2009 Apr 1; 103:897
Cilostazol or High-Dose Clopidogrel for Platelet Resistance?
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
In a small randomized trial, cilostazol outperformed high-dose clopidogrel according to various measures of platelet inhibition.
Reviewing:
Jeong Y-H et al., J Am Coll Cardiol 2009 Mar 31; 53:1101
Drug-Eluting Stents in Patients with Acute MI: Reassuring Results
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
One-year results of a large randomized study suggest that DES are as safe as BMS and yield lower TLR rates.
Reviewing:
Stone GW et al. for the HORIZONS-AMI Trial Investigators., N Engl J Med 2009 May 7; 360:1946
Long-Term Follow-Up of Stent Recipients in the SCAAR
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
DES and BMS recipients had similar rates of death and MI, and restenosis was substantially reduced in high-risk DES recipients.
Reviewing:
James SK et al. for the SCAAR Study Group., N Engl J Med 2009 May 7; 360:1933
Focused Update: Diagnosis and Management of Heart Failure in Adults
CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINE WATCH
New recommendations regarding drug therapy in black patients, initiation of pharmacotherapy before hospital discharge, and use of natriuretic peptides; clarification of indications for device therapy
Reviewing:
Jessup M et al., J Am Coll Cardiol 2009 Apr 14; 53:1343
Insulin-Induced Hypoglycemia and Mortality After Acute MI
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Observational data suggest that spontaneously occurring hypoglycemia is more ominous than hypoglycemia that occurs after insulin treatment.
Reviewing:
Kosiborod M et al., JAMA 2009 Apr 15; 301:1556
