Heart Health

This news channel includes content on cardiovascular disease prevention, cardiac risk stratification, diagnosis, screening programs, and management of major risk factors that include diabetes, hypertension, diet, life style, cholesterol, obesity, ethnicity and socio-economic disparities.
 

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Diastolic—not just systolic—BP affects CV outcomes in a big way

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine July 18 suggests it may be time for the medical community to rethink its perception of diastolic blood pressure, which has long been considered inferior to systolic BP as a measure of cardiovascular wellness.

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FDA greenlights amlodipine oral suspension to treat hypertension, CAD

Massachusetts-based Azurity Pharmaceuticals announced July 10 it had received FDA approval for Katerzia Oral Suspension, making the drug the first and only FDA-approved amlodipine oral suspension to hit the commercial market.

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Most vitamins, supplements do little to protect heart health

Multivitamins and the bulk of nutritional supplements do little to protect heart health, in some cases increasing a person’s risk for CV events, an analysis published in the Annals of Internal Medicine has found.

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Low vitamin D at birth raises risk of hypertension in childhood

Research published in Hypertension July 1 suggests a vitamin D deficiency in early childhood could translate to an increased risk of high blood pressure in adolescence.

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CMS expands coverage for ambulatory BP monitoring

CMS on July 2 announced its finalized national coverage policy for ambulatory blood pressure monitoring—one that extends coverage to patients with suspected masked hypertension and aligns CMS’ BP thresholds with the latest society guidelines.

Expert: Doctors’ ‘ignorance of nutrition’ is affecting patient outcomes

A lack of formal training in nutrition could significantly limit how physicians practice, according to an editorial published in JAMA Internal Medicine this month, in some cases leading them to recommend risky treatments to patients in lieu of dietary counseling that might be just as effective.

New recommendations extend eligibility criteria for bariatric surgery

A bariatric surgeon at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is advocating for a new set of clinical guidelines that would extend eligibility for weight loss surgery to thousands more patients struggling with their weight.

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‘The next target after vaccines’: Fighting fake news about statins

Fear-based “fake news” about statin therapy is driving non-adherence to the drugs in the U.S., according to an editorial published in JAMA Cardiology June 26, fostering a culture of mistrust and misinformation that could easily deter heart patients from a treatment that might be beneficial to them.