Cardiology Topics
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The Best Use of Statins in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease
A randomized, multicenter study of high-intensity statin therapy to a treat-to-target approach in coronary artery disease patients showed no difference in three-year outcomes. These results suggest treating to a target may be more suitable to individual patients compared to blanket high-intensity statin use.
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Improving Statin Tolerance in Elderly Patients
In a post-hoc analysis of the RACING trial, researchers found the combination of moderate-intensity statin and ezetimibe therapy vs. high-intensity statin therapy alone in older subjects resulted in similar reductions in cardiovascular events over three years, but fewer adverse effects with the combination therapy.
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Clip Found to Be Safe and Effective for Alleviating Tricuspid Regurgitation
In this randomized trial of tricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair, the intervention was found to be safe and effective at alleviating tricuspid regurgitation. Quality of life scores improved with intervention compared with medical therapy, although death and heart failure hospitalization rates were not significantly different.
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Effectiveness of Dietary Supplements on Lipid and Inflammatory Biomarkers
In a comparison of rosuvastatin 5 mg/day, six common dietary supplements marketed for improving heart health, and placebo, none reduced high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels. Only rosuvastatin significantly reduced LDL cholesterol levels compared to placebo.
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Patients Managing Severe Hypertension Should Avoid Drinking Too Much Coffee
Among patients with severe hypertension, drinking two or more cups of coffee a day was associated with twice the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, while green tea did not increase risk.
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Double BBB, or Complete AV Block?
The ECG in the figure is from a woman who complained she had been experiencing chest pain for several days. What is the rhythm? Is there complete AV block?
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Long-Term Maintenance Therapy After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
An extended six-year follow-up of the HOST-EXAM study revealed the consistent benefit of the primary endpoint of fewer major cardiovascular events and less bleeding with clopidogrel vs. low-dose aspirin monotherapy in post-percutaneous coronary intervention patients who were on dual antiplatelet therapy for one year.
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Unexpected Low Voltage on an ECG
A registry study of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients and elite athletes in Italy revealed low voltage on ECG is not uncommon in HCM and may be a marker for more left ventricular scarring on cardiac imaging — and a poor prognosis.
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Bleeding Risk with Combination Amiodarone and Direct-Acting Oral Anticoagulants
Among patients with atrial fibrillation who were taking a direct-acting oral anticoagulant, there was a significant association between major bleeding and amiodarone use within 60 days, but no association with amiodarone use longer than 60 days before the bleed.
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The Role of Influenza Vaccination in Cardiovascular Event Prevention
Researchers studied English patients with an acute cardiovascular event who received an influenza vaccine in the same 12-month period and compared that to the 120-day period after vaccination and the rest of the year. They observed those vaccinated were less likely to experience an acute cardiovascular event for 120 days after vaccine vs. the rest of the year.