This week’s topics include CV risk factors and peripheral artery disease in men, radiofrequency ablation in paroxysmal AF, CPR duration and survival after in-hospital cardiac arrest, an everolimus-eluting stent vs. a bare-metal stent in STEMI, job strain and CHD, and more.

This week’s topics include favorable lipid-level trends in U.S. adults, an angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor for patients with HF and preserved systolic ejection fraction, and a long-term safety comparison of the Zotarolimus-eluting and Sirolimus-eluting coronary stents.

After his five-year-old son asks a difficult question, a cardiologist hikes the Grand Canyon in a day to raise money to fight hunger.

This week’s topics include PCI use in states with public reporting of outcomes; proneurotensin as a prognostic marker for CVD, diabetes, and mortality; vorapaxar for secondary prevention of thrombotic events in patients with previous MI; and atenolol vs. metoprolol for hypertension.

Joe Ross wonders what’s really behind the lower rates of PCI use in states that have public reporting programs.

This week’s topics include beta-blockers and the lack of a cardioprotective effect for certain patients; intra-aortic balloon support for MI with cardiogenic shock; prasugrel vs. clopidogrel for acute coronary syndromes without revascularization; CRP, fibrinogen, and CVD prediction; and a comparison of thrombectomy devices for acute ischemic stroke.

I am still out pushing the cause of open science and data sharing. Something we can do better through the scientific community. It starts with the will – and a focus on societal good. The ‘how’ is challenging – but the problems can be solved. Earlier this week I gave a talk at an Institute of Medicine workshop on this topic. I told the group: Let’s be clear about what is needed. We need to have studies published and summary results reported on clinicaltrials.gov – but that is not enough. We… Continue Reading

Proponents of optical medical therapy believe that the benefits of coronary revasculartion in stable ischemic disease were established in outdated studies. But if beta blockers aren’t very effective, is optimal therapy just aspirin and a statin?

Dr. Michael Tempelhof, one of the ACC’s Fellows in Training, discusses the group’s efforts to lobby Congress for a restructured health care program, emphasizing high-quality, evidence-based medicine.

This week’s topics include exercise and mortality in those with diabetes, BP targets in those with type-2 diabetes, and the diagnostic accuracy of FFR from CT angiography.