Acute Coronary Syndromes

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is most commonly caused by a heart attack (myocardial infarction) where blood flow to the heart is suddenly blocked. This is usually caused by a blood clot from a ruptured coronary artery atherosclerotic plaque. Other causes include spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), which most commonly occurs in women. ACS is usually treated in a cath lab with angioplasty and the placement of a stent to prop the vessel open.

Cerner, Duke partner for new CVD risk calculator app

Cerner and Duke Clinical Research Institute have teamed up to develop a new CVD risk calculator app, the companies announced late this summer—a move they hope will improve shared decision-making between physicians and their patients.

September 13, 2018

Patients with sepsis predisposed to stroke, MI in month after discharge

Patients with sepsis are at a greater risk for heart attack and stroke in the four weeks following hospital discharge, research out of Taiwan has found, with more than half of all adverse CVD events in the ensuing six months occurring within 35 days of leaving the hospital. 

September 11, 2018

CDC: Management of cardiovascular risk factors has stalled in the US

Fewer Americans smoked or were physically inactive in 2015-16 than four years earlier, but there were also fewer on “appropriate” aspirin therapy to prevent cardiovascular events, according to a Vital Signs report released by the CDC.

September 7, 2018

Internet search trends mirror seasonal changes in CVD

Internet searches for terms related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) spiked in winter months in Australia and the United States, according to a study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. The search results were consistent with previously reported seasonal variations in CVD, suggesting they could eventually be used to predict disease incidence at the population level.

September 6, 2018

‘A major safety concern’: World’s most common NSAID doubles CVD risk

Research out of Denmark suggests diclofenac, the world’s most commonly consumed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), poses a major threat to heart health—more so than paracetamol or run-of-the-mill NSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen.

September 5, 2018
Teamwork

How San Diego cut AMI admissions by 22%, saved $86M

A population health collaborative in San Diego County contributed to a 22 percent reduction in hospital admissions for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), according to new research published in Health Affairs. Compared to the rest of California—which saw an 8 percent drop in AMI admissions—the program was estimated to prevent nearly 4,000 hospitalizations and save $86 million in its first six years.

September 5, 2018

Antioxidant apocynin cuts risk of repeat heart attack, stroke

Heart attack and stroke patients could minimize their risk of a second infarction by consuming apocynin, an antioxidant close in chemical structure to vanilla, according to research out of Portland, Oregon.

September 5, 2018

Utah man credits smartwatch for saving his life during heart attack

A Bountiful, Utah, man is claiming the heart rate tracker on his smartwatch tipped him off to a serious problem that otherwise could have resulted in his death, Fox 13 in Salt Lake City reported this week.

August 31, 2018