Category Archives: Clinical Cardiology

AstraZenecas Farxiga has become the first drug in the SGLT2 inhibitor class to be approved in the US to reduce the chances of hospitalisations for heart failure in adults with type 2 diabetes and other cardiovascular risks. The FDA approval comes on the back of the DECLARE-TIMI 58 clinical trial, which showed that Farxiga (dapagliflozin) was able to reduce hospitalisations for heart failure and cardiovascular death in a broad diabetes patient population, most of whom had no cardiovascular disease at enrolment, compared with placebo. The FDA approval comes shortly after the same indication was approved in Europe (where the drug is sold as Forxiga), and should add further momentum to what is already strong sales growth on the back of data from DECLARE-TIMI-58 showing it can reducecardiovascular and kidney complications in diabetes patients. Continue reading →

October 18, 2019 Patients with lung blood clots who smoke are more likely to be readmitted for lung blood clots than nonsmokers, according to new research presented at the CHEST Annual Meeting 2019, Oct. 19-23 in New Orleans. The research will be presented by Kam Sing Ho, M.D., from Mount Sinai St. Continue reading →

Adya Misra, Senior Editor PLOS Medicine reports from the ESC annual congress in Paris Every year approximately 30,000 researchers, medical doctors and policymakers come together to discuss the latest developments in Cardiovascular medicine. This year, Ijoined the European Society of Cardiologys (ESC) annual congress in sunny Paris to learn how the field of cardiology is evolving within the rapidly changing landscape of medicine. Continue reading →

Adjunctive remote ischemic conditioning in patients undergoing treatment for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) does not improve clinical outcomes at 12 months, according to study findings published inThe Lancet. The investigators of the prospective, single-blind,randomized controlled trial examined whether cardioprotective remote ischemicconditioning could reduce the frequency of cardiac death and hospitalizationfor heart failure at 12 months postintervention in patients with myocardialinfarction Continue reading →

Although dapagliflozin did not affect mean N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels in persons with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), the proportion of patients demonstrating clinical improvements heart failure-associated health status increased, according to study results published in Circulation. Researchers assessed results from the DEFINE-HF trial, a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of 263 individuals with HFrEF. Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction was defined as New York Heart Association class II or III, 16 weeks of diagnosed HF, left ventricular ejection fraction 40%, estimated glomerular filtration rate 30 mL/min/1.73 m, and high natriuretic peptides. Continue reading →

MEDIA CONTACT Available for logged-in reporters only Newswise SAN FRANCISCO September 27, 2019 The Portico IDE study found that 30-day safety and one-year effectiveness outcomes of a novel self-expanding transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) system for patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) at high or extreme-risk for surgery was noninferior to contemporary FDA-approved TAVR systems available in the United States. Continue reading →

SAN FRANCISCO An antithrombotic regimen that includes apixaban (Eliquis, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer) and a P2Y12 inhibitor is effective and may be a safer option in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), a new analysis from the AUGUSTUS trial suggests. Compared with regimens that include a vitamin K antagonist (VKA), aspirin, or both, the apixaban/P2Y12 inhibitor regimen provided superior safety and similar efficacy for patients managed medically or with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), or who underwent elective PCI for stable coronary disease. Adding aspirin to the regimen increased major bleeding episodes but did not significantly affect ischemic outcomes. Continue reading →

The Medicines Company announced positive topline results from the phase 3 ORION-9 and ORION-10 studies for inclisiran in patients with either heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), respectively, plus elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) despite maximally tolerated statin therapy (with or without ezetimibe). Inclisiran is a chemically synthesized small interfering RNA (siRNA) that targets proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9) messenger RNA Continue reading →

Google parent company Alphabet has hired former U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf, M.D., to lead its health strategy and policy. Continue reading →

Sep 30, 2019 The health and safety of our equine athletes is always our first priority, and that means making sure they are physically fit and healthy enough to compete. Frequently, focus is placed on the soundness in a horses legs and feet, but what about his heart? Continue reading →