Although the American College of Cardiology and the European Society of Cardiology now advise people with ICDs not to participate in vigorous sports, a new study offers strong support for people with ICDs who want to take part in sports. Now findings from the ICD Sports Safety Registry, published in Circulation, provide vital new information about this important…

This content is exclusive to CardioExchange. To continue reading, please log in or request an invitation.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said last week that it was initiating a review of the combined use of agents that block the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). The three classes of RAS-blocking drugs (ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and direct renin inhibitors) are used to treat hypertension and congestive heart failure. The EMA said that the review was being performed…

This content is exclusive to CardioExchange. To continue reading, please log in or request an invitation.

A large observational study has found no difference in the increased risk for cardiovascular disease between the two main classes of drugs used in the first-line treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). LABAs (long-acting inhaled beta-agonists) and LAMAs (long-acting muscarinic antagonists) have a variety of beneficial effects in COPD patients, but evidence has been…

This content is exclusive to CardioExchange. To continue reading, please log in or request an invitation.

This week’s topics include the safety and efficacy of sitagliptin for type 2 diabetes, use of glucocorticoids and the risk of VTE, and forced smoking abstinence.

In the crucial early stages of a possible myocardial infarction (MI), EMTs on the scene now rely on slow and unreliable proprietary technology to transmit vital ECG data to physicians at a hospital for evaluation. But a new iPhone app using standard cell phone networks may help speed the process and, ultimately, cut delays in…

This content is exclusive to CardioExchange. To continue reading, please log in or request an invitation.

This week’s topics include the ADVANCE III trial, the latest fish-oil supplement study, and a review of management strategies for asymptomatic carotid stenosis.

I finally managed to walk to the Fellows in Training lounge, hoping to connect with some co-fellows. I did find lot of fellows, but to my surprise Dr. Zipes was there and ready to answer burning questions about getting published.

Another large study has failed to find any benefits for fish oil supplements. The Italian Risk and Prevention Study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, enrolled 12,513 people who had not had a myocardial infarction but had evidence of atherosclerosis or had multiple cardiovascular risk factors. The patients were randomized to either a fish oil supplement…

This content is exclusive to CardioExchange. To continue reading, please log in or request an invitation.

My 3-year-old daughter helps me see the influence of pharma on research.

Burton Sobel, a towering scientist and cardiologist, died at home on May 3 at the age of 75. Sobel had been treated in the past for prostate cancer and had suffered a recurrence, but it is not known if this was the immediate cause of his death. Sobel was among the most powerful and influential…

This content is exclusive to CardioExchange. To continue reading, please log in or request an invitation.