As far as conferences go, I’m impressed. It’s only day two for me, but I can already say that I would come back. The workshops and clinical sessions are solid. The original science being presented is plentiful and of good quality. One Austrian colleague mentioned he was particularly pleased with the growth of basic science and translational content. What’s bad is the venue layout for oral presentations. Most of the action is along a single corridor with entrances to the different speaking halls on one side. We all know by… Continue Reading

I’ll admit I was a bit guarded about my first ESC conference, largely due to what seemed to be looming logistical issues. Despite all of Stockholm’s reported charm, it was hard to imagine how a city of this size was going to manage the invasion of over 20,000 — and possibly up to 30,000 — attendees.  Several months in advance of the conference, it was already nearly impossible to find a hotel room. This was the case even for presenters and speakers, some of whom threatened to cancel their participation… Continue Reading

Simon Redwood and Divaka Perera answer our questions about their randomized trial of IABP insertion during high-risk PCI in patients with severe LV dysfunction and extensive coronary disease. Check out our conversation and then ask them your own questions here.

Rick Lange brings the latest research on door-to-balloon times and moderates a free-flowing discussion with David Hillis, Harlan Krumholz, and Richard R. Schneider. Given regional variations, how do you think these patients should be treated? Tell us what you know here.

A brief posting in the Wall Street Journal Health Blog on the clash of generations in the medical workplace recently caught our attention. The Blog summarizes a commentary by Sharon Phelan in Obstetrics & Gynecology, which  posits that ”different attitudes about work and life held by members of different generations can create tensions and clashes in the workplace.”  (Think “Marcus Welby, MD” vs. “Scrubs.”) Older physicians are more likely to place their careers first, while younger physicians are more likely to place family first. Here’s what Phelan told the Health Blog: “’The… Continue Reading

John Mandrola, an electrophysiologist and avid cyclist, usually writes about cycling in the Wednesday posts to his blog, Dr. John. Here he examines how antagonism relates to carotid thickness. This Wednesday, it will be easy to combine cycling and medicine. When I saw this study that linked antagonistic personality traits and cardiovascular risk, it was simply impossible to ignore, especially on a Wednesday. Low hanging fruit, no doubt. It was an NIH sponsored study that looked at the effects of antagonistic traits, low agreeableness specifically, on heart health. Yes, you… Continue Reading

CardioExchange welcomes this guest post reprinted with permission from Dr. Westby Fisher, an electrophysiologist practicing at NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL and a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine. This piece originally appeared on his blog, Dr. Wes. “The family wants the pacemaker turned off.” “We don’t typically turn them off.” “They want it off.” “It’s 2 am, can it wait?” “I don’t think so.” “I’ll head in.” Bleary-eyed, I rose from bed, dressed, and was out the door. The cool air from the car window served… Continue Reading

Welcome to the remodeled CardioExchange: We hope you like our new look! In our efforts to develop a website that promotes learning and discussion about our rapidly evolving field, we’ve been listening and learning. We have many new features. Some of the most prominent are: You can now see all of the activity on the site from the new homepage, including newly uploaded posts and comments. You can now make anonymous comments. Many people think this may foster more discussion. We are eager to see whether that happens. You can now… Continue Reading

CardioExchange welcomes this guest post reprinted with permission from Dr. John M, a blog by private-practice electrophysiologist and CardioExchange member, Dr. John Mandrola. In the quiet of the exam room, the patient’s cell phone obnoxiously chimes to life. “Hold on a minute Doc, I’ve been expecting this text.” You think, but dare not say, ”You are kidding me, right?” This scenario is just one of technology’s canker sores. Undoubtedly, the new world of always-on communication has irreversibly redefined the rules of human interaction — for the worse, many have argued. The actual… Continue Reading