The FDA issued a safety alert Feb. 25 warning that a 10 mg, twice-daily dose of tofacitinib—sold under the brand names Xeljanz and Xeljanz XR—has been linked to an increased risk of pulmonary embolism and death in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. That dose is only approved for patients with ulcerative colitis, the agency said.

Nearly half of patients with heart failure (HF) take at least 10 medications per day, according to research published in the American Journal of Cardiology, yet an overwhelming 85 percent report willingness to add more drugs to that regimen if it helps them prevent further health events.

A half-hour walk in the morning lowers blood pressure (BP) in overweight and obese men and women predisposed to heart disease, according to a study published in Hypertension Feb. 20.

More than two years after a major New England Journal of Medicine study declared arthritis drug Celebrex safe for use in heart patients, new research published in JACC: Basic to Translational Science Feb. 22 suggests the drug might actually raise users’ risk for heart valve calcification.

The ultra-thin Orsiro drug-eluting stent (DES) has received FDA approval and is now commercially available in the United States, device manufacturer Biotronik announced Feb. 22.

A nurse navigator-led program at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Oregon helped the hospital double its palliative care referral rates for advanced heart failure patients considered to be at high risk of readmission.

A national cardiovascular disease screening project in China revealed fewer than 3 percent of high-risk participants were taking either statins or aspirin—a finding researchers described as a “wake-up call” for middle- and low-income countries which are struggling to combat their worsening CVD risk profiles.

An analysis of sex-related differences in cardiovascular risk factors, treatment and control in the U.S. has revealed women have a better handle on their high blood pressure than men, but they also fare worse in terms of cholesterol and obesity.