Conclusions In this large, population based study, the use of venlafaxine was not associated with an excess risk of sudden cardiac death or near death compared with fluoxetine, dosulepin, or citalopram, in patients with depression or anxiety.
Contrary to guidelines, the absence of coronary artery calcium doesn’t rule out coronary artery disease in symptomatic patients, researchers found in a new study.
In a multicenter clinical trial, 19% of patients with a coronary calcium score of 0 had stenosis of at least 50% in one or more coronary artery segments, according to Carlos E. Rochitte, MD, of the University of São Paulo, Brazil, and colleagues.
Likewise, 20% of vessels seen to be totally occluded on revascularization had no calcium on scans, they reported in the Feb. 16 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
“The absence of coronary calcification should not be used as a gatekeeper and should not prevent a symptomatic patient from undergoing angiography,” the researchers wrote.
Oops.
RESULTS There were 160 deaths (24.6%) during follow-up, with 70 (43.8%) due to CVD. In Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, there was no difference in either CVD or all-cause mortality in aspirin users versus nonusers (P = 0.52 and 0.94, respectively, by log-rank test). After adjustment for significant variables in the most parsimonious Cox models, regular aspirin use at baseline independently predicted reduced CVD and all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 0.30 [95% CI 0.09–0.95] and 0.53 [0.28–0.98[, respectively; P ≤ 0.044). In subgroup analyses, aspirin use was independently associated with reduced all-cause mortality in those aged ≥65 years and men.
CONCLUSIONS Regular low-dose aspirin may reduce all-cause and CVD mortality in a primary prevention setting in type 2 diabetes. All-cause mortality reductions are greatest in men and in those aged ≥65 years. The present observational data support recommendations that aspirin should be used in primary CVD prevention in all but the lowest risk patients.
CONCLUSIONS Increased CIMT was significantly related to the presence and extent of abnormal myocardial perfusion. Assessment of CIMT may be useful to identify asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes at higher risk for CAD.
RESULTS Increased CIMT was an independent predictor of the extent of abnormal perfusion (P < 0.001). In patients with increased CIMT as compared with patients with normal CIMT, abnormal perfusion (75 vs. 9%) and severely abnormal perfusion (28 vs. 3%) were observed more frequently.
Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer can exacerbate cardiac risk factors and may increase the risk of heart attack and cardiac death, according to an advisory supported by four medical organizations.
I’ve added a new link to a journal I uncovered while working on one of my projects.
http://www.thrombosisjournal.com/
A journal devoted to thrombosis. Is this cool or what?
CRP concentration has continuous associations with the risk of coronary heart disease, ischaemic stroke, vascular mortality, and death from several cancers and lung disease that are each of broadly similar size. The relevance of CRP to such a range of disorders is unclear. Associations with ischaemic vascular disease depend considerably on conventional risk factors and other markers of inflammation.
This is not good.
Prevalence of Abnormal Lipid Levels Among Youths — United States, 1999–2006
In 1999–2006, 20.3% of youths aged 12–19 years had abnormal lipids. A total of 32% were overweight or obese, making them eligible for lipid screening under American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines based solely on their BMI.
Conclusions Our findings suggest a relatively unfavourable risk profile of sulphonylureas compared with metformin for all outcomes examined. Pioglitazone was associated with reduced all cause mortality compared with metformin. Pioglitazone also had a favourable risk profile compared with rosiglitazone; although this requires replication in other studies, it may have implications for prescribing within this class of drugs.
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