GLP-1 agonists semaglutide, liraglutide may help to treat alcohol use disorder
November 20 ,2024
Overview:Patients with alcohol use disorder who used GLP-1 agonists to treat obesity or type 2 diabetes had a decreased risk for hospitalization due to alcohol use disorder, according to a study published in JAMA Psychology.These findings support previous Healio coverage that showed that GLP-1 agonists were associated with lower rates of alcohol intoxication in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD).Preclinical studies in animals and human case reports have demonstrated that GLP-1 agonists can reduce alcohol consumption, Markku Lähteenvuo, MD, PhD, postdoctoral researcher with the department of more
Greater cardiorespiratory fitness could reduce risk for dementia by 40%
November 20 ,2024
Overview:High cardiorespiratory fitness corresponded with better cognitive function and a decreased risk for dementia, according to findings published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.This risk reduction was seen even in those with a high genetic likelihood for Alzheimer’s disease, the researchers wrote.Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) declines as people age, decreasing from 3% to 6% per decade when aged 20 to 39 years and by 20% per decade when aged 70 years and older, according to Shuqi Wang, from Tianjin Medical University in China, and colleagues.Most recent studies assessing the more
Potassium binder helps optimize spironolactone use in patients with HF, hyperkalemia risk
November 20 ,2024
Overview:CHICAGO — A potassium binder helped patients with HF who have or are at high risk for hyperkalemia stay on spironolactone at an optimal dose, but showed a signal of HF hospitalization risk, researchers reported.For the REALIZE-K trial, presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions and simultaneously published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Mikhail Kosiborod, MD, FACC, FAHA, cardiologist at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute and professor of medicine at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, and colleagues randomly more
Telemedicine-supported low-carb diet linked to type 2 diabetes remission, weight loss
November 19 ,2024
Overview:A telemedicine-based nutrition counselling program emphasizing a low-carbohydrate diet resulted in sustained diabetes remission over half a decade for some individuals with type 2 diabetes, results of an open-label study showed.The intervention proved effective even when study participants did not achieve remission, as findings published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice showed further health benefits like weight loss and decreased blood glucose levels.Several interventions — including nutrition therapy and surgery — have achieved type 2 diabetes remission, but evidence more
Semaglutide could be ‘practice changing’ for adults with diabetes, CKD
November 19 ,2024
Overview:The GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide may not only add another therapeutic option for chronic kidney disease, but it could also lead to changes in the way clinicians treat the condition.Results from the FLOW trial, which assessed semaglutide (Ozempic, Novo Nordisk) in adults with type 2 diabetes and CKD, were first presented at the European Renal Association Congress and published in The New England Journal of Medicine in May. Adults assigned semaglutide had a lower risk for major kidney disease events and cardiovascular events compared with those assigned placebo.The findings suggest more
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rates remain below pre-pandemic levels
November 19 ,2024
Overview:CHICAGO — U.S. out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rates have improved since the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, but have not returned to pre-pandemic levels, researchers reported.“The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic marked an abrupt change in health care delivery systems and imposed a substantial stress on frontline providers. Initial studies during the early phases of the pandemic showed that survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest had substantially worsened and largely eroded the survival gains that we had experienced during the past decade,” Eric Hall, MD, more
First investigational oral therapy lowers Lp(a) in phase 2 study
November 18 ,2024
Overview:CHICAGO — Adults with elevated liproprotein(a) at high risk for a CV event saw substantial reductions over 12 weeks with muvalaplin, an investigational oral small molecule Lp(a) inhibitor, data from a phase 2 study show.Evidence for a causal association between Lp(a) concentration, which is primarily genetically determined, and CV outcomes across ethnicities continues to build, and data show Lp(a) likely plays a “critical” role in both atherosclerotic CVD and calcific aortic valve disease independent of LDL, Stephen J. Nicholls, MBBS, PhD, director of the Victorian Heart more
Heart failure drug may be ‘cardioprotective strategy’ for high-risk patients with cancer
November 18 ,2024
Overview:CHICAGO — Treatment with the heart failure medication sacubitril/valsartan was associated with a lower risk for chemotherapy-related heart damage among high-risk patients with cancer, according to preliminary results of the SARAH trial.Researchers assessed the effects of the angiotensin receptor/neprilysin inhibitor sacubitril/valsartan (Entresto, Novartis) on prevention of cardiotoxicity among 114 patients undergoing chemotherapy with anthracyclines for breast cancer, lymphoma, sarcoma or leukemia, which are known to carry risk for toxic events on the heart.“The SARAH trial is more
Cardiovascular factors, including hypertension, associated with risk for severe stroke
November 18 ,2024
Overview:Hypertension, atrial fibrillation and smoking were most strongly associated with an increased risk for severe compared with non-severe stroke, according to analysis from the INTERSTROKE study.“Public health interventions to reduce the burden of stroke may reasonably prioritize the prevention of disabling stroke,” Catriona Reddin, MB, BCh, BAO, MSc, of the School of Medicine at the University of Galway in Ireland, and colleagues wrote in Neurology. “Accordingly, a detailed knowledge of whether the magnitude of association of traditional vascular risk factors with acute stroke more
Food access in formerly redlined neighborhoods tied to poor cardiometabolic health
November 18 ,2024
Overview:CHICAGO — People living in historically redlined neighborhoods with poor access to healthy foods were more likely to have type 2 diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease and obesity, researchers reported.The findings were reported at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.“Food access serves as a significant pathway for the relationship between structural racism and four major CVDs,” Rebekah Walker, PhD, associate professor of medicine and division chief for the division of population health at University at Buffalo, told Healio. “This suggests that more
Nasal spray form of bumetanide may be just as good as oral, IV
November 18 ,2024
Overview:CHICAGO — A novel nasal spray formulation of bumetanide, a commonly used diuretic for patients with HF, had similar safety, tolerability, relative bioavailability and pharmacodynamics to the oral and IV versions, researchers reported.The results of the phase 1 RSQ-777-02 study of nasal, oral and IV bumetanide in healthy volunteers were presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions and simultaneously published in Circulation.“We wanted to see if this therapy can help us overcome the challenge that we see in diuretic resistance in our heart failure patients,” more
Email ‘nudges’ highlighting flu vaccine’s heart benefits improve uptake
November 18 ,2024
Overview:CHICAGO — Emailed messages emphasizing the CV benefits of influenza vaccination improved vaccine uptake among older and younger adults in Denmark, particularly among more vulnerable patients with a history of acute MI, researchers reported.Data from a pooled analysis of three randomized controlled trials also showed that among the subset of patients with acute MI, the email “nudge” strategy had greater benefits for some with recent acute MI and those not vaccinated during the previous influenza season, perhaps due to vaccine hesitancy.“If validated, a CV-focused more
Rivaroxaban fails to prevent cognitive decline, stroke in younger adults with AF
November 18 ,2024
Overview:CHICAGO — In the BRAIN-AF trial, daily rivaroxaban did not reduce the incidence of cognitive decline, stroke or transient ischemic attack, compared with placebo, among younger patients with atrial fibrillation and low stroke risk.BRAIN-AF is the first large trial to focus on assessing whether a blood thinner can reduce risk for cognitive decline, stroke or TIA among adults younger than 65 years with a diagnosis of AF but no other risk factors for stroke, according to the researchers.The trial enrolled more than 1,200 adults aged 30 to 62 years, with the average age of participants at 53 more
New life for used devices: Refurbished pacemakers address global disparities in access
November 17 ,2024
Overview:CHICAGO — Reconditioned cardiac devices could help meet an overwhelming need outside of the United States.In a new study presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, pacemakers that were reconditioned with an FDA-approved protocol were safe and worked as well as new devices among patients with an indication for a pacemaker living in Venezuela, Nigeria, Paraguay, Kenya, Mozambique and Mexico.While more research is needed to determine long-term safety and effectiveness, “pacemaker reconditioning may improve access to pacemaker therapy for patients unable to more
Dual-medication polypills effectively lowered blood pressure among South Asian adults
November 17 ,2024
Overview:CHICAGO — Among adults living in India with elevated BP, three different dual-medication polypills containing combinations of recommended first-line antihypertensive agents effectively lowered ambulatory BP, researchers reported.Data from TOPSPIN, a randomized, three-arm trial of single-pill combinations of a renin-angiotensin system inhibitor, a long-acting ACE inhibitor and a thiazide-type diuretic, also demonstrated that the three combinations were equally effective across groups in a South Asian population, where there remains an outsize hypertension burden.“There is no more
In PCI for MI, spironolactone does not meet primary endpoints but may show benefit in HF
November 17 ,2024
Overview:CHICAGO — In patients with acute MI who underwent PCI, spironolactone did not improve the primary composite outcomes but was linked to reduced risk for new or worsening HF, according to new data from the CLEAR SYNERGY (OASIS-9) trial.As Healio previously reported, CLEAR SYNERGY (OASIS-9) was a 2x2 factorial trial in which patients with acute MI who underwent PCI were randomly assigned to spironolactone or placebo and colchicine or placebo. Sanjit Jolly, MD, MSc, interventional cardiologist and professor of medicine at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, presented the more
IV GLP-1 does not reduce death, stroke, organ damage after heart surgery
November 17 ,2024
Overview:CHICAGO — Exenatide, an IV GLP-1 receptor agonist, did not improve clinical outcomes compared with placebo in patients undergoing heart surgery, according to the results of the GLORIOUS trial.The researchers also found no differences between a restrictive and a liberal oxygenation strategy in this population.For GLORIOUS, presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, Sebastian Wiberg, MD, PhD, clinical associate professor of anesthesiology at The Heart Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, Denmark, and colleagues enrolled 1,389 patients more
Catheter ablation superior to antiarrhythmic drugs in VT with ischemic cardiomyopathy
November 17 ,2024
Overview:CHICAGO — Catheter ablation improved outcomes compared with antiarrhythmic drug therapy in patients with ventricular tachycardia and ischemic cardiomyopathy, researchers reported at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.“Patients who have ventricular tachycardia (VT) and shocks have worse outcomes than those who do not,” John L. Sapp, MD, FRCPC, FHRS, FCHRS, clinical cardiac electrophysiologist at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre and assistant dean of clinical research and professor of medicine at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, more
Monthly PCSK9 inhibitor shows ‘robust’ long-term LDL lowering for high-risk CVD
November 17 ,2024
Overview:CHICAGO — For adults at high or very high CVD risk, a monthly PCSK9 inhibitor added to maximally tolerated oral lipid-lowering therapy maintained LDL reductions of more than 60% through 72 weeks, with no signals of attenuation.New data from an open-label extension of the LIBerate studies also demonstrated that lerodalcibep (LIB003, LIB Therapeutics), an investigational biologic PCSK9 inhibitor and alternative to monoclonal antibodies, showed similar benefit for adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) through an additional 72 weeks, supporting the drug’s more
Left atrial appendage closure safe, effective first-line option for AF ablation patients
November 16 ,2024
Overview:CHICAGO — In the OPTION trial, left atrial appendage closure resulted in similar thromboembolic protection but superior bleeding outcomes compared with oral anticoagulation among patients who underwent ablation for atrial fibrillation.OPTION is the first head-to-head comparison of left atrial appendage (LAA) closure with the Watchman FLX device (Boston Scientific) and oral anticoagulation in patients with AF who had catheter-based ablation, Oussama Wazni, MD, MBA, vice chairman of cardiovascular medicine and section head of cardiac electrophysiology at Cleveland Clinic, said during the more
Optimal Antiplatelet Therapy In NSTE-ACS: Results From A Novel Crowdsourcing Survey
July 07 ,2021
Overview:The choice and duration of antiplatelet therapy in NSTE-ACS undergoing PCI is complex and is a hotly debated topic – particularly amongst patients at high bleeding risk. To gain insight […] more
Results of an international crowdsourcing survey on the utilisation of antiplatelet therapy in NSTE-ACS
June 09 ,2021
Overview:Choosing an antiplatelet strategy in patients with non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) at high bleeding risk (HBR), undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), is complex given that one must […] more
Hello world!
February 04 ,2021
Overview:Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing! The post Hello world! appeared first on World Heart Federation. more
ACC.20/WCC Virtual continues!
April 05 ,2020
Overview:The World Heart Federation and American College of Cardiology held their first ever virtual congress March 28-30. But it’s not over. All of the ACC.20/WCC Virtual live sessions are now available […] more
2020 ISCP Annual Meeting cancelled
February 26 ,2020
Overview:Notice of Cancellation We regret to have to inform our colleagues and friends that the 2020 ISCP Annual Scientific Meeting in Miami will now be cancelled. The Board of Directors […] more
European Cardiology Review (ECR) now on PubMed and PubMed Central
October 30 ,2018
Overview: European Cardiology Review (ECR) confirms that it has been accepted for indexing on PubMed Central and PubMed. All ECR articles starting from the first issue in July 2014, […] more
WHF to attend the WHO Executive Board meeting in January 2017
January 23 ,2017
Overview:From 23 January to 01 February 2017, the World Health Organization(WHO) will host the 140th session. From 23 January to 01 February 2017, the World Health Organization(WHO) will host the […] more