One Less Screening Test to Order?
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Lipoprotein(a) likely is not useful in screening for cardiovascular risk in women.
By Wendy S. Biggs, MD
November 2, 2006
Covering:
Suk Danik J et al., JAMA 2006 Sep 20; 296:1363-70
Should Heart Failure Patients Start Taking Statins?
Cardiology Summary and Comment
Free
Patients with chronic HF who initiated statin therapy had reduced risks for death and hospitalization, according to an observational study.
By JoAnne M. Foody, MD
October 31, 2006
Covering:
Go AS et al., JAMA 2006 Nov 1; 296:2105-11
Can Dementia Be Predicted 20 Years in Advance?
Neurology Summary and Comment
Free
Researchers aimed to develop a simple method to predict risk for late-life dementia in middle-aged people.
By Philip B. Gorelick, MD, MPH
October 31, 2006
Covering:
Kivipelto M et al., Lancet Neurol 2006 Sep; 5:735-41
A Wake-Up Call About Medication Nonadherence
Cardiology Summary and Comment
Studies documented remarkable associations between medication nonadherence and increased mortality risk.
By JoAnne M. Foody, MD
October 25, 2006
Covering:
Ho PM et al., Arch Intern Med 2006 Sep 25; 166:1836-41
Ho PM et al., Arch Intern Med 2006 Sep 25; 166:1842-7
Tarn DM et al., Arch Intern Med 2006 Sep 25; 166:1855-62
O’Connor PJ., Arch Intern Med 2006 Sep 25; 166:1802-4
High Cholesterol Not Good for H. pylori Either
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
<$EMPH_O>H. pylori’<$EMPH_C>s ability to mask cholesterol on its surface might be important to the pathogenesis of gastric infection and colonization.
By Bradley E. Britigan, MD
October 25, 2006
Covering:
Wunder C et al., Nat Med 2006 Sep; 12:1030-8
Big Statin Benefit in CAD Patients with the Metabolic Syndrome
Cardiology Summary and Comment
Just 28 nondiabetic CAD patients with the metabolic syndrome needed to be treated with 80-mg atorvastatin to prevent 1 major adverse event over 5 years, according to a post hoc analysis of the TNT trial.
By JoAnne M. Foody, MD
October 11, 2006
Covering:
Deedwania P et al. for the Treating to New Targets Investigators., Lancet 2006 Sep 9; 368:919-28
Scheen AJ., Lancet 2006 Sep 9; 368:893-4
Inadequate Secondary Prevention After Stroke
Neurology Summary and Comment
Secondary prevention efforts are inadequate despite the high risk for secondary cardiovascular events among survivors of either myocardial infarction or stroke.
By Adnan I. Qureshi, MD
October 3, 2006
Covering:
Cheng E et al., Cerebrovasc Dis 2006 Mar; 21:235-41
What’s Behind the Benefit of Olive Oil?
Cardiology Summary and Comment
Polyphenol content seems to make a contribution to raising HDL.
By Joel M. Gore, MD
September 20, 2006
Covering:
Covas M-I et al., Ann Intern Med 2006 Sep 5; 145:333-41
Intensive Statin Therapy Prevents Nonfatal Cardiovascular Events
Cardiology Summary and Comment
Results are in from an industry-funded meta-analysis of four major randomized trials comparing intensive with moderate statin therapy.
By Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM
August 30, 2006
Covering:
Cannon CP et al., J Am Coll Cardiol 2006 Aug 1; 48:438-45
Guidelines on Secondary Prevention of Ischemic Stroke
Neurology Clinical Practice Guideline Watch
Free
Updated guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association
By Steven Feske, MD
August 29, 2006
Covering:
Sacco RL et al., Stroke 2006 Feb; 37:577-617
Does Atorvastatin Prevent Cardiovascular Events Among Diabetics?
General Medicine Summary and Comment
In this randomized trial, the formal answer was no, but several aspects of the study might have blunted its ability to show a significant benefit for atorvastatin.
By Jamaluddin Moloo, MD, MPH
August 17, 2006
Covering:
Knopp RH et al., Diabetes Care 2006 Jul; 29:1478-85
Comparison of International Statin Guidelines
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Guidelines that rely heavily on target lipid levels fail to recommend treatment for many people at high risk.
By Keith I. Marton, MD
August 10, 2006
Covering:
Manuel DG et al., BMJ 2006 Jun 17; 332:1419-22
Mediterranean vs. Low-Fat Diet
Cardiology Summary and Comment
These two types of diets were compared in a short-term trial involving asymptomatic patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease.
By Joel M. Gore, MD
August 2, 2006
Covering:
Estruch R et al. for the PREDIMED Study Investigators., Ann Intern Med 2006 Jul 4; 145:1-11
Does Intensive Statin Therapy After ACS Prevent Incident Heart Failure?
Cardiology Summary and Comment
Yes, according to data from the PROVE IT-TIMI 22 trial.
By Frederick A. Masoudi, MD, MSPH
July 26, 2006
Covering:
Scirica BM et al. for the PROVE IT-TIMI 22 Investigators., J Am Coll Cardiol 2006 Jun 6; 47:2326-31
Might Statins Prevent Cataracts?
Cardiology Summary and Comment
Statin use was associated with reduced incidence of nuclear cataracts in an observational study.
By JoAnne M. Foody, MD
July 19, 2006
Covering:
Klein BEK et al., JAMA 2006 Jun 21; 295:2752-8
Dyslipidemia Improves After Replacing Stavudine with Tenofovir
Infectious Diseases Summary and Comment
HIV-infected patients who changed from stavudine to tenofovir showed improvements in dyslipidemia and cardiovascular risk.
By Rajesh T. Gandhi, MD
July 19, 2006
Covering:
Llibre JM et al., AIDS 2006 Jun 26; 20:1407-14
Which Comes First, Cardiac Risk or Menopause?
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Increases in cardiac risk factors are associated with earlier menopause.
By Marian C. Limacher, MD
July 13, 2006
Covering:
Kok HS et al., J Am Coll Cardiol 2006 May 16; 47:1976-83
Bittner V., J Am Coll Cardiol 2006 May 16; 47:1984-6
Statin-Induced Myopathies
Neurology Summary and Comment
Free
How should patients on statins who develop myopathic symptoms and signs be evaluated and treated?
By Anthony Amato, MD
June 22, 2006
Covering:
Antons KA et al., Am J Med 2006 May; 119:400-9
Do Statins Lower Risk for GI Bleeding in ACS Patients?
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Statins might exert beneficial effects in the GI tract as well as in the heart.
By Kirsten E. Fleischmann, MD, MPH
June 27, 2006
Covering:
Atar S et al., Am Heart J 2006 May; 151:976-81
Aggressive Lipid Lowering Is Especially Helpful in Diabetics
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Free
For secondary prevention, absolute risk was reduced significantly more in diabetic patients than in nondiabetic patients.
By Keith I. Marton, MD
June 16, 2006
Covering:
Costa J et al., BMJ 2006 May 13; 332:1115-8
Reckless JPD., BMJ 2006 May 13; 332:1103-4
Early Treatment with Statins After Acute Coronary Syndromes
General Medicine Summary and Comment
No significant benefit was seen when statins were initiated within 2 weeks.
By Jamaluddin Moloo, MD, MPH
June 13, 2006
Covering:
Briel M et al., JAMA 2006 May 3; 295:2046-56
RNA Interference Produces Clinically Relevant Benefits in Primates
General Medicine Summary and Comment
A few previously reported studies in lower animals showed the therapeutic potential of siRNAs, but this is the first report of success in primates.
By Anthony L. Komaroff, MD
June 6, 2006
Covering:
Zimmermann TS et al., Nature 2006 May 4; 441:111-4
Statin Effects on Platelet Function
Cardiology Summary and Comment
In patients with the metabolic syndrome, platelet expression of the PAR-1 thrombin receptor was inhibited significantly by six different statins within 6 weeks of treatment initiation.
By Joel M. Gore, MD
June 15, 2006
Covering:
Serebruany VL et al., Am J Cardiol 2006 May 1; 97:1332-6
Post-MI Therapies: Initiation and Adherence
Cardiology Summary and Comment
If beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, and statins weren’t started soon after MI, they were unlikely to be started at all.
By Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM
June 8, 2006
Covering:
Gislason GH et al., Eur Heart J 2006 May; 27:1153-8
Moderate Drinking Does Not Compromise Statin and Anticoagulant Safety
Cardiology Summary and Comment
Men with histories of bypass surgery who took lovastatin and warfarin did not suffer adverse effects from moderate alcohol intake.
By Joel M. Gore, MD
June 15, 2006
Covering:
Mukamal KJ et al., Am J Med 2006 May; 119:434-40
