Cardiology

Among diabetics, poor adherence or nonadherence results in poorer glycemic control and increased risk of complications and disability, as well as increased healthcare costs.

Anticoagulation is recommended for members of the general population with atrial fibrillation, but its significant risks must be weighed carefully in the medically fragile chronic kidney disease population.

Treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with CKD may help prevent disease progression. Ablation has been shown produce marked improvement in kidney function as measured by eGFR. A prospective study of individuals undergoing catheter ablation for AF showed that most patients remained AF-free, and that eGFR improved significantly for those with persistent or longstanding persistent AF.

Secondary hyperparathyroidism can occur in CKD when the kidney loses its ability to produce active metabolites of vitamin D, and reduces phosphorus excretion. Cinacalcet seeks to interrupt the progression to severe unremitting hyperparathyroidism by mimicking calcium to the calcium-sensing receptors that control parathyroid hormone levels.

Physicians caring for individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) must strike a balance between ensuring optimal lipid control for protection from vascular events, while avoiding undue risk.

Affecting just one in every 100,000 people, ANCA-associated vasculitis is not one of the more common conditions nephrologists will encounter. However, without proper treatment it can have serious adverse effects on a patient's life.

Despite achieving optimal goals for "bad" cholesterol levels, individuals with diabetes and chronic kidney disease still have an elevated risk of vascular complications.

Heart failure and other cardiac events can leave lasting effects on the lives of patients. Scientists are working on ways to help make the recovery process easier and smoother by generating cells that can help the healing process.

Taking beta blockers-a common drug regimen for patients with clinically stable coronary heart disease (SCHD)-likely does not have a benefit or outweigh these drugs' risk for most patients, a University of Florida team report.

Despite previous research suggesting HIV patients have an increased likelihood of suffering from a heart attack, kidney failure, or cancer, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health investigators showed the age they encounter these conditions were similar to their uninfected counterparts.

Rheumatic conditions may have an increased association with adverse cardiovascular events, according to research published in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases.

Low testosterone is a common condition among men with diabetes-diabetic men are approximately twice as likely as others to develop low testosterone and hypogonadism. Because its symptoms mimic other conditions, patients often fail to report concerns and clinicians may fail to diagnose "Low T."

It is well known that patients who get primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) after an ST segment elevation myocardial infarction usually survive. But a new study from Denmark looked at a large population of such patients over several years to track just how many deaths there were each year and from what cause.

A meta-analysis of many older studies may explain the recent observation that patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) frequently suffered cognitive impairment without suffering from any signs of stroke.

New research suggests that a simple blood test could identify people with a genetic predisposition towards atrial fibrillation and justify prophylactic treatment to cost-effectively prevent strokes.

Moderate alcohol consumption can protect against coronary heart disease. But according to a study of 618 Swedes with coronary artery disease, that is true only for those who have a particular genetic makeup, a mere 15% of the general population.

A small but rigorous 6-month randomized, controlled parallel arm trial comparing alternate day fasting and daily calorie restriction showed that each approach can result in significant weight loss for individuals who are overweight or have obesity, with similar adherence between the two methods of dieting.

Alternate day fasting can be an effective weight loss strategy, but optimal meal timing on fast days has not been thoroughly examined.

For individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus, a low carbohydrate, low saturated fat diet in combination with exercise resulted in superior glycemic control with less medication use than did a higher carbohydrate diet

Acceptance-based therapy encourages a mindful but nonjudgmental approach to give participants the tools to note, but not act on, urges to overeat or to make unhealthy food choices.

Use positive language, start with the basics, and keep it fun. These are the fundamentals in designing a family-based program to combat childhood obesity.

Mindfulness-based treatment for obesity and binge eating disorder can promote self-regulation and yield significant results. A dose-response effect may yield better results for those who practice the approach more intensively.

A recent study has shown that in addition to losing weight patients who undergo weight loss surgery also decrease their chances of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus.

There is currently no algorithm to guide clinicians in deciding which medication to choose to help promote weight loss in individuals with obesity. Rather, clinicians must take stock of a variety of factors when making treatment decisions for a particular patient.

The range of medication choices to treat obesity is expanding, and a rational prescribing plan requires a solid grasp of medication side effects.

Using a variety of cognitive strategies may help dampen food cravings and boost inhibitory control in individuals with obesity, according to a small neuroimaging study that draws methods from addiction research.

An intragastric dual-balloon device was well tolerated and proved effective for patients with moderate levels of obesity, owing in part to its ability to conform to stomach anatomy, according to Jaime Ponce, MD, Medical Director for the Bariatric Surgery program at Hamilton Medical Center, in Dalton, Georgia.

Even as Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems become more commonplace in the medical community there is still a large knowledge gap between health care professionals and their patients regarding the availability and use of these systems, according to a recent survey.

Low total serum testosterone was independently associated with greater carotid intima media thickening and endothelial dysfunction but not with atherosclerotic plaques.

In older adults, mild control of systolic pressure is good enough, an Oregon research team has found. Writing in Drugs & Aging, Leah Goeres and colleagues at the College of Pharmacy at Oregon State University and Oregon Health & Science University said that for adults age 60 and over, said a reading of 150 for systolic blood pressure (SPB) is adequate-upsetting the conventional wisdom that these patients should get enough medications or other treatments to bring SPB down to 140.