Pharmaceutics

This page contains key pharmaceutical news on drug recalls, FDA clearance, safety communications and research. In cardiology, key pharmaceutic agents include antiplatelet therapies, anticoagulants, hypertension drugs, and drugs for heart failure and arrhythmias.

Pfizer recalls 2 drugs, including 1 for hypertension, over safety concerns
The recall was put in place due to a leak risk that could make the therapies less effective and potentially lead to an infection.
Medtronic automated insulin pump named one of year’s ‘world-changing ideas’
The FDA-approved device includes meal detection technology that can deliver insulin when users lose track of time or underestimate how a meal may affect their health.
COVID-19 vaccines helped heart failure patients stay out of the hospital and live longer
Vaccination was linked to key benefits in terms of all-cause mortality, heart failure hospitalizations, stroke, heart attack, myocarditis, venous thromboembolism and testing positive for COVID-19.
New hypertrophic cardiomyopathy guidelines highlight importance of exercise, new drug class
HCM is widely underdiagnosed, but the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association hope their new guidelines can help cardiologists learn more about the potentially fatal condition and improve patient care.
FDA announces Class I recall after insulin pump software causes 224 injuries
The new recall impacts more than 85,000 devices. If users update their iPhone app as recommended, however, they can continue using the insulin pump as directed.

AFib patients able to safely transition from warfarin to a DOAC

The new analysis, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, explored what happens with AFib patients shift their anticoagulant strategy.

November 19, 2021

Black, Hispanic AFib patients less likely to start anticoagulant therapy, new VA study finds

Researchers wrote that they hope their findings can help guide the creation of policies that reduce disparities in care for AFib patients.

November 18, 2021

New findings out of the University of Missouri suggests that the long-lasting impact of COVID-19 may not be quite as substantial as some researchers originally believed. The study’s authors evaluated nearly 50 different symptoms to see if they were more common up to one year after a person has been infected with COVID-19. They found, however, that this was true of just seven symptoms: heart palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath, joint pain, hair loss, fatigue and obesity. #COVID19 #longCOVID

High-dose icosapent ethyl treatment makes minimal impact on non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients

The analysis, presented at AHA Scientific Sessions 2021, included approximately 2,000 symptomatic COVID-19 patients who were not necessarily sick enough to be hospitalized.

November 16, 2021

Continuous and high-adherent statin users had lower baseline arterial stiffness which also grew more slowly over time, a new JAMA Network Open study finds.

Statin use may increase the risk of severe illness among COVID-19 patients

The new analysis emphasized, however, that COVID-19 mortality did not appear to be affected by prior statin use.

October 28, 2021

Many nonvalvular AFib patients skip DOAC therapy altogether

The study's authors hope their work can help with the development of new interventions that target this issue.

October 25, 2021

The exact effect of statin use on COVID-19 outcomes remains unclear

Researchers examined data from nearly 470,000 patients.

October 25, 2021

Same-day discharge after TAVR is safe for low-risk patients, leads to considerable cost savings

Half-dose DOAC improves outcomes after LAAO

The new-look anticoagulation strategy was associated with a significant reduction in adverse outcomes.

October 19, 2021

FDA announces recall of 2 hypertension medications

The affected batches were distributed from October 2018 to December 2020.

October 14, 2021

Pharmaceutics

Pfizer recalls 2 drugs, including 1 for hypertension, over safety concerns

Medtronic automated insulin pump named one of year’s ‘world-changing ideas’

COVID-19 vaccines helped heart failure patients stay out of the hospital and live longer

New hypertrophic cardiomyopathy guidelines highlight importance of exercise, new drug class

FDA announces Class I recall after insulin pump software causes 224 injuries