Cardiology

A 75 year-old man with a history of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and a single-chamber pacemaker placed for bradycardia 5 years prior presents with dizziness and nausea to clinic. He notes that he has also been feeling short of breath with normal activities of daily living.

Saxenda (liraglutide [rDNA origin] injection) 3 mg has been approved as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in obese and overweight adults who have at least one weight-related comorbidity.

Around 10% of elders experience some form of elder abuse (physical, sexual or emotional abuse; neglect, exploitation, or abandonment), and elders who are abused appear to have a high level of comorbidity. Evidence suggests that patients who have experienced elder abuse are at higher risk of cardiovascular-related mortality.

This cohort study looked at the influence of maintaining a Mediterranean diet on telomere length, which is commonly used as a surrogate marker for longevity.

The highly publicized IMPROVE-IT trial was presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in mid-November. The conclusion of the study being that for those who are at the highest risk, like those who have suffered myocardial infarction, the combination of ezetimibe plus simvastatin lowered the risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. The significance of this risk lowering is relatively minimal and despite years of research showing no benefit, this presentation was the first time when this drug combination resulted in a benefit.

In the era of reperfusion, beta blockers post myocardial infarction appear to have no mortality benefit.

Eating a low carbohydrate diet compared to a low fat diet leads to greater loss of weight as well as a significant reduction in Framingham Risk Score.

Results from a small trial indicate that radiofrequency ablation can be an effective treatment for atrial fibrillation in patients with atrial septal defects.

Patients with mild hypertension may not be getting the care they need, according to 2 studies and an editorial due to be published Dec. 23 in Annals of Internal Medicine. In the second of the 2 studies in the journal, done for the US Preventive Service Task Force, researchers find office-based blood pressure readings are often less accurate than ambulatory blood pressure screening.

Atherosclerotic internal carotid artery disease is a major contributor to ischemic stroke. Surgeons use a combination of carotid artery and brain imaging to determine if patients have symptomatic carotid stenosis. However, there remains widespread disagreement on the threshold, timing, and best technical approach to carotid revascularization in symptomatic patients.

The FDA has cleared a blood test that can screen patients, especially black women, for coronary heart disease.

The Journal of the American College of Cardiology named its biggest hits in 2014, based on papers most frequently accessed from its site. A blood test to rule out heart attack, an advisory about guidelines for preventing high blood pressure, cutting edge research on a new class of cholesterol drugs, and a study that found benefits in early surgery for mitral regurgitation were among the winners.

Obese and overweight patients survive longer after a diagnosis of heart failure than do their lower-weight counterparts. But does that mean fat is protective? Not necessarily, according to a new study by Anita Deswal, MD and colleagues published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. But it is one of several possibilities suggested in the study.

It's been a good year for heart disease and stroke research. An expert panel chosen by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association recently named 2014's most significant research news events.

Research has shown that probiotics may help improve insulin resistance, impaired insulin secretion, and metabolic defects associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

An article published recently in the journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice reviews the mechanisms by which microalbuminuria causes renal and cardiovascular disease. The authors also describe appropriate interventions.

In a rat study, Brazilian researchers looked at the connections between exercise, opioid receptors (OR) and myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injuries.

Patients with a history of cancer are considered high-risk candidates for solid organ transplantation because of concerns about potential adverse effects or recurrence with posttransplant immunosuppression.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. A new study published online in the Nournal of the International Neuropsychological Society shows that MetS also plays a role in cognitive performance.

A nationwide study of elderly enrollees in Medicare Advantage health plans concluded that disparities in control of blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose had not improved nationally for blacks in these plans despite the disparities being eliminated in the US west in 2011.

Statins effectively lower LDL cholesterol levels in many patients, However, on the individual level, some patients do not respond with the expected 40% to 55% reduction in cholesterol levels. Genetic variation may be the cause.

Research shows that a follow-up strategy designed specifically for patients who visit the hospital with atrial fibrillation reduces future admissions and patient deaths more than a general follow-up plan.

Recently published interoperability standards for diabetes devices such as continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps should enhance diabetes management and advance research.

The 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guideline for management of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol to reduce atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk identified adults who could benefit from moderate- to high-intensity statin use.

New research contradicts earlier findings that race is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation but finds that excess body fat may be riskier than anyone realized if that fat is stored around the heart.

According to the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee, there is no consistent evidence showing that the use of testosterone replacement therapy increases the risk of heart problems in men with low testosterone.

Researchers from Vanderbilt University have developed a new tool for deciding when hospitals should admit patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation and when they should send them home.

Researchers report a nearly 25% increase in the number of emergency room vistis for atrial fibrillation.

In the second part of an interview with Kim Van Naarden Braun, PhD, the screening process used in New Jersey is discussed at the national level.

With technology improving every day the state of New Jersey implemented a program three years ago to mandate screening for critical congenital heart defects.