Cardiology

Data from a large cohort of Swedish men suggest that regular vigorous exercise starting around age 30 may increase the risk of atrial fibrillation, particularly among those who stop exercising later in life.

A retrospective cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized for heart failure with a left ventricular ejection fraction between 30-35% found improved 3-year survival rates among those who received a prophylactic implantable cardioverter-defibrillators compared to those with no ICD.

Men with HIV have more noncalcified plaque in their arteries than their uninfected counterparts.

Study shows bariatric surgery can not only help obese patients lose weight, but also reduce their risk of developing atrial fibrillation.

Researchers find that the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL is a significant predictor for CVD in type 1 diabetes patients who are not using lipid-lowering drugs, and that the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL is a more reliable marker for risk when considering primary prevention.

Researchers have identified a previously unrecognized mechanism for SGLT2 inhibitors in the regulation of glucagon and gluconeogenic gene expression.

Patients with type 1 diabetes who had more depressive symptoms measured at baseline and over time appear to be at an increased risk of mortality, even after allowing for likely mediators.

Designated "meaningful users" of electronic health record systems do not deliver improved care for common chronic diseases.

Older men who take statins reported lower levels of physical activity than nonusers, according to a new study.

Patients with type 2 diabetes and inadequate glycemic control treated with dapagliflozin plus metformin and sulfonylurea experienced sustained improvements in HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose, weight loss, and systolic blood pressure over 52 weeks.

Patients between the ages of 55 and 80 with type 2 diabetes treated with canagliflozin for more than 100 weeks experienced significant reductions in HbA1C, fasting plasma glucose, bodyweight, and systolic blood pressure.

Study results show long-term treatment with empagliflozin was well tolerated and associated with reductions in HbA1c, bodyweight, and systolic blood pressure compared with placebo and sitagliptin.

Study results presented at ADA 2014 show combination treatment with metformin plus linagliptin delivered consistent HbA1c reductions across different subgroups of patients newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, with decreased risk of hypoglycemia.

Cardiology guideline recommendations that are based on multiple randomized studies have the most durability over time, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have found.

Study results show that an alternative to currently-marketed injectable agents retains the efficacy of GLP-1 mimetics, while reducing gastrointestinal adverse events and providing the convenience of oral dosing.

Results from the largest population-based, case-control study on the link between incretin therapy and pancreatitis conducted to date indicate that treatment with this class of medications does not confer increased risk of developing pancreatitis.

A new meta-analysis found that people with the most protein in their diets are approximately 20% less likely to have a stroke than those who eat less protein.

Combination treatment with insulin degludec and liraglutide was associated with long-term reductions in HbA1c, reduced hypoglycemia risk, and fewer gastrointestinal side effects compared to treatment with the individual medications alone in patients with diabetes.

Although patients who would have been considered high risk 10 years ago can now successfully undergo percutaneous cardiac intervention, those with severe sclerotic lesions in the ascending aorta still present a challenge to surgeons.

Though it once led to major adverse cardiovascular events, Kawasaki disease has evolved into a condition that is routinely overcome without significant morbidity.

Pregnant women with hypertension who also snored were found to be at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea, spurring the need for obstetric healthcare providers to consider sleep evaluation in hypertensive pregnancies.

Just weeks after Australian researchers published data suggesting that testosterone replacement therapy does not ameliorate type 2 diabetes among hypogonadal men, a team of American researchers has unveiled a second study that suggests just the opposite.

Perhaps, a very simple change in beverage choice could reduce the stroke burden in the United States.

The expanded use of biofeedback can provide multiple benefits for patients who report issues ranging from headaches to neck pain and muscle tension.

The American Academy of Pediatrics designed the 2014 Recommendations for Pediatrics Preventive Health Care to guide well-child care, but there is controversy over some of the changes.

Severe coronary calcification is an independent predictor of worse prognosis in obstructive coronary artery disease patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

A new study indicates that treating hyperlipidemia, glucose intolerance, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and other risk factors associated with atrial fibrillation can dramatically reduce the burden of the disease or eliminate it entirely.

In this issue of Cardiology Review, we cover several burning topics of interest to clinicians.