Cardiology

Several large groups combined data to look at results of a study on heart failure patients to see whether age and gender affected treatment options prescribed by patients.

The first study of its kind examined joint replacement surgery in patients with osteoarthritis and confirmed an increased risk of cardiovascular complications.

While digoxin has been a popular medication in the past, particularly for patients with atrial fibrillation, a recent study looked at whether the medication was indeed beneficial for treatment when compared to placebo or no pharmaceutical therapy at all. Digoxin may be a popular treatment for some patients, but often doctors cannot look at just one condition when treating and have to consider multiple factors and issues.

Treating one patient for an illness can answer some questions for doctors. However, in many cases looking at the larger patient population can answer not only why the patients got sick, but what can be done to keep them healthy in the long run.

With clinical trials becoming more expensive and difficult to arrange in the current medical environment researchers are looking at new ways to test ideas without putting added stress and strain on clinicians.

As value based care becomes a buzz word in the medical industry doctors are learning what it means for their practice and how they can utilize it while still applying the same level of attention to their patients as they did in the past.

A lot has changed in cardiology over time and there is even more change ahead. How doctors handle that change can determine how successful they are in their practice.

As technology improves telemedicine is becoming a more viable option to treat a wide variety of conditions. While the idea of telemedicine can be easily implemented into practice there are still concerns that need to be addressed for the field to progress. These issues can include liability and governance over doctors and where their patients are located.

Couch potatoes, beware. According to a recent study presented at the European Society of Cardiology 2015 Congress (ESC) in London, UK, watching television for longer than five hours each day doubles the likelihood of suffering a fatal pulmonary embolism.

New research suggests that cold weather may be an underappreciated hazard for patients with atrial fibrillation.

Even as many as seven years following a stroke, the spouses of stroke survivors experience a reduced health-related quality of life

Clinicians are urged not to treat central sleep apnea in heart failure patients with adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) therapy, which was reported to increase mortality in heart failure patients.

New York City-based researchers reported that a leadless cardiac pacemaker (Nanostim/St. Jude Medical) implanted non-surgically via a catheter through the femoral vein had a better safety record than conventional devices. But it has other limitations.

The stress of working long hours is more likely to lead to a stroke than a heart attack, UK researchers report.

The first real-world study of its kind revealed that rivaroxaban, marketed as Xarelto, can reduce the risk of stroke and major bleeding in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) – a group that is five times more likely to suffer a stroke compared to the general population.

Barry Greenberg, MD, UCSD Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center, La Jolla, California, USA, presented results from the Calcium Up-Regulation by Percutaneous Administration of Gene Therapy in Cardiac Disease Phase 2b (CUPID 2) gene transfer study at the European Society of Cardiology 2015 Congress.

Researchers who assessed patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) reported that extending the use of a particular anti-clotting medication following the procedure did not lead to additional benefits.

The Sanofi/Regeneron PCSK9 inhibitor alirocumab (Praluent)- approved in July in the US - lowered cholesterol in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia to levels "unreachable with statins" researchers said at the European Society of Cardiology meeting in London, UK.

The EXAMINATION trial showed a second generation drug-eluting stent did better than a bare-metal stent, researachers reported at ESC 2015 in London, UK.

In the time since Florence Nightingale first developed the profession of nursing as it is known today a lot has changed for the men and women in the field. Even still the work they do has been a key part of the medical world as training has increased and improved as well.

There are many challenges to heart health no matter where you live but there are small steps that can make a big difference in the long run.

For patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), administering ticagrelor in the ambulance safely reduces ischemic events 24 hours following primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Representing two of the major conferences in the cardiac world the American College of Cardiology and the European Society of Cardiology have found ways to work together to help patients on both sides of the Atlantic.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) cause more than 52% of all deaths in females, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), and myocardial infarction (MI) incidence is increasing in the younger population.

The glucose-lowering medication lixisenatide was found not neither increase nor decrease cardiovascular (CV) events compared with placebo in patients afflicted with type 2 diabetes and acute coronary syndrome.

There could be a new first-line treatment for hypertension in patients needing diuretic therapy, according to research presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress conference in London, UK.

As with all cardiac intervention procedures there are risks for the patients. However, working in consultation with doctors the results can be minimized to provide the best level of care.

The MANTRA-PAF trial, A study looking at a treatment for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation reached its five year follow-up mark and the results were shared at the recent European Society of Cardiology Congress to see whether surgical or pharmaceutical treatment was better for patients.

The benefits of naps for young children have been well established and utilized for many years. A recent study looked at whether taking a nap in the middle of the day could help hypertensive adults better manage their condition.

While PCSK9 inhibitors have been shown to help patients lower their cholesterol levels, there are still questions about potential side effects as well as when and how the medication will be made affordable and available to patients.