Medical News

BNP and NT-proBNP Predicts HF in Older Patients

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Medical News: Peptide Predicts Heart Failure in Older Patients – in Cardiovascular, CHF from MedPage Today

The researchers identified 190 pg/mL as the NT-proBNP threshold for increased risk. Among study participants with baseline levels less than 190 pg/mL, an increase greater than 25% to a level above 190 pg/mL had a twofold increased risk of heart failure (HR 2.13, 95% CI 1.68 to 2.71) and cardiovascular death (HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.43 to 2.53) compared with participants whose NT-proBNP levels remained below 190 pg/mL.

Among study participants with elevated baseline NT-proBNP levels, an increase greater than 25% also doubled the risk of heart failure (HR 2.06, 95% CI 1.56 to 2.72) and cardiovascular disease (HR 1.88, 95% CI 1.37 to 2.57).

Fatty Liver Matters

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Please tell me you already knew this.

Medical News: Fatty Liver Raises Risk of Death – in Gastroenterology, General Hepatology from MedPage Today

People with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition that often accompanies obesity and type 2 diabetes, have higher mortality rates than the general population, a new Swedish study found.

Patients with NAFLD were 69% percent more likely to die than the general Swedish population (standardized mortality ratio 1.69, 95% CI 1.24 to 2.25), according to a report in the February issue of Hepatology.

Patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a condition where fat buildup causes liver inflammation, were at 86% higher risk (95% CI 1.19 to 2.76; P=0.007).

Meridia (sibutramine hydrochloride) – Update

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Oops.

Meridia (sibutramine hydrochloride): Follow-Up to an Early Communication about an Ongoing Safety Review

Sibutramine is not to be used in patients with a history of cardiovascular disease, including:

* History of coronary artery disease (e.g., heart attack, angina)
* History of stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA)
* History of heart arrhythmias
* History of congestive heart failure
* History of peripheral arterial disease
* Uncontrolled hypertension (e.g., > 145/90 mmHg)

Abnormal Calcium = Increased Mortality in Kidney Disease

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Note this is an observational study and causality should not be assumed.

Medical News: Abnormal Calcium Increases Mortality in Kidney Disease – in Nephrology, General Nephrology from MedPage Today

Abnormal levels of serum calcium are associated with increased mortality in patients with non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease, an observational study found.

A one mg/dL elevation in baseline calcium levels was associated with a multivariable adjusted hazard ratio for mortality of 1.31 (95% CI 1.13 to 1.53, P<0.001), according to Csaba P. Kovesdy, MD, of the Salem, Va., Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and colleagues.

There also was a significant interaction between elevated baseline calcium level and the presence of cardiovascular disease, which raised the hazard ratio to 1.58 (95% CI 1.29 to 1.94, P<0.001), the researchers reported online in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

Texting For Health

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Texting may lead to improved health care | NewsOK.com

I learned how to text because my children text.  There was a time when I thought this form of communications was silly.  I was wrong.  It’s how you use the technology that matters.

“Did you remember to take your Aricept today?”

Research has shown that up to half of all patients may fail to take their daily medicine properly, with forgetting being a top reason for nonadherence. So, at least in some cases, a text reminder may be all that a patient needs, says Robotham, who has encouraged the use of appropriate texting among pediatricians at Hopkins Children’s.