Cardiology

Recently released guidelines for the diagnosis and management of stable ischemic heart disease focus on evaluation and testing, risk factor modification, medical therapy and other therapeutic options, and follow-up.

Making birth control pills available OTC would increase women's access to them and reduce the rate of unintended pregnancy, but issues such as reimbursement for pharmacist services still need to be worked out, the group argues.

Study data show that treatment with the vasopressin receptor antagonist lixivaptan safely and effectively raises serum sodium concentrations in patients with euvolemic hyponatremia.

Use this online calculator to compute infusion rates for hypertonic and normal saline solutions, and estimated body water compartment volumes, for mild to severe hyponatremia.

Hospitalized patients with cirrhosis who also have hyponatremia often receive no treatment, or ineffective treatment, and are often discharged with their serum sodium too low.

Study results presented at The Liver Meeting (AASLD 2012 annual meeting) show that consuming small amounts of alcohol can have net positive cardiovascular health benefits for some patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Boceprevir and telaprevir offer improved clinical benefits to patients with hepatitis C, but a variety of racial, genetic, and other biological factors can influence treatment outcomes.

Study results presented at The Liver Meeting (2012 AASLD annual meeting) show that treatment with tenofovir disoproxil difumarate is safe and effective in this patient population.

Results from the RELAX-AHF show serelaxin reduces cardiovascular deaths and improves symptoms in patients with heart failure.

Results from a substudy of the PLATO trial show that patients with extensive CAD and high rates of recurrent cardiovascular events, death, and bleeding may benefit from treatment with ticagrelor.

Study results presented at the American Heart Association 2012 Scientific Sessions show that visible signs of aging such as baldness and yellow fatty deposits around the eye are predictors for heart attack and heart disease risk.

Many young adults age 18-24 with high blood pressure remain undiagnosed with hypertension, even after long-term physician care.

New research presented at the American Heart Association 2012 Scientific Sessions reveals that although the number of cardiovascular-related deaths increases during the winter months in the US, the rate increase is consistent across climates.

M. Amin Karami, PhD, discusses study results presented at AHA 2012 that demonstrated the technical feasibility of using a piezoelectric energy-harvesting device to power a pacemaker.

Results from the UMPIRE study show that use of fixed-dose combination cardiovascular drugs improve medication adherence and improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels in patients.

Results from the OPERA trial presented at AHA 2012 show that short-term use of fish oil supplements does not decrease post-operative atrial fibrillation.

Men age 50 and older who take multivitamins every day gain no added protection against heart attacks, stroke, or cardiovascular death.

A new experimental device may be able to use converted energy from a patient's heart to generate enough electricity to fully power a pacemaker.

Study results presented at AHA 2012 indicate that revascularization using CABG in diabetic patients with multivessel disease provides better clinical outcomes than PCI and is more cost effective in the long run.

Results from a sub-study of the Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT) that focused on quality of life issues in patients who had previously suffered a heart attack and were treated with chelation therapy reveal no improvements in these patients' quality of life.

Randomized controlled trials remain the gold standard, but a researcher at Kidney Week 2012 says that new approaches and study designs are needed that reflect real-world drug use and account for confounding variables.

Patients with end-stage renal disease who live in the Midwest begin dialysis at an earlier stage than patients who live in other regions of the US.

Results from the TEMPO trial presented at Kidney Week 2012 show that treatment with tolvaptan slowed the increase in total kidney volume and the decline in kidney function in patients with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD).

Increasing numbers of people are on kidney transplant waiting lists. However, the number of potential living donors may shrink as more Americans qualify as pre-diabetic, making them less than ideal donor candidates.

Experts at Kidney Week 2012 discuss several treatment options for hyponatremia, including fluid restriction, loop diuretics, and the use of selective vasopressin V2-receptor antagonists.

A diet rich in highly alkaline fruits and vegetables helps reduce a marker of kidney injury and preserve kidney function in patients with chronic kidney disease.

The powerful immunosuppressive drugs used to prevent allograft rejection are associated with severe side effects. A "mixed chimerism" strategy in which patients undergo simultaneous bone marrow and kidney transplant from the same donor may improve transplant survival and reduce the need for these drugs.

Use of peritoneal dialysis in patients with end-stage renal disease is declining due to lack of physician training and awareness, financial disincentives, and other factors. However, with proper patient and provider education, it is possible to grow a successful peritoneal dialysis program.

Study results reported at Kidney Week 2012 reveal that patients with early-stage CKD fare better in the public health system, which also appears to produce fewer racial and ethnic health disparities in care delivered to this population.