Archive for February 2011
The novel anti-anginal drug, Ivabradine, shows surprising benefit in heart failure
A new agent that slows heart rate by inhibiting sodium-potassium channels found in the sino-atrial node of the heart appears to benefit heart failure patients when added on to current therapy. The agent, ivabradine, was associated with a significant 18% drop in the composite rate of cardiovascular death or heart-failure hospitalisation, compared with placebo, in…
Read MoreCoffee consumption shows cardiovascular benefits for women
A meta-analysis of a number of cohorts studies published in the International Journal of Cardiology (2009;137:216-25) demonstrates that habitual coffee consumption may be associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in women. Analysis of data from 21 cohort studies showed that moderate coffee consumption (of up to four cups of coffee per…
Read MoreLatest NICE guidance on chronic heart failure
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published new guidance on the management of chronic heart failure. This updates and replaces the previous guideline in this area (NICE clinical guideline 5). The new guideline, which covers the management of heart failure in adults in primary and secondary care, contains new and updated…
Read MoreCardiovascular risk increases after invasive dental treatment
A new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (Ann Int Med 2010;153:499-506) suggests that the risk of cardiovascular events increases sharply in the month following invasive dental treatment. A team led by doctors from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine used the US Medicaid claims database to identify 1,175 people who…
Read MoreLp(a) screening recommended by European Atherosclerosis Society
Patients at moderate to high risk of cardiovascular disease should be screened for elevated Lp(a) and take niacin to lower levels to under 50 mg/dL (1.3 mmol/L), according to a consensus statement from the European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS). Lipoprotein a, or Lp(a) is a type of cholesterol made by the liver that consists of a…
Read MoreMediterranean diet reduces new-onset diabetes
Individuals at high cardiovascular risk but without diabetes who followed a Mediterranean diet had half the rate of new-onset diabetes over four years compared with those on a low-fat diet according to a researchers in Spain The findings come from a substudy of the trial called PREDIMED (Prevencion con Dieta Mediterranea), currently underway in Spain,…
Read MoreFruit and Vegetables linked to reduced heart disease risk
High Intake of Fruit and Vegetables Again Linked to Reduced Heart Disease Risk In the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Heart study, published online January 19, 2011 in the European Heart Journal, people who ate at least eight portions of fruit and vegetables a day had a 22% lower risk of dying from…
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