Atrial fibrillation (AF) is rare during dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE), a routine exam for assessing coronary ischemia, but elderly patients and those with a history of paroxysmal AF are at an increased risk for arrhythmia during the test, a team of researchers from Boulogne, France, reported.

A Journal of the American Heart Association study focused on the programming safety of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) suggests the publication of clinically meaningful trial results and professional recommendations translates poorly into real-world practice, penetrating just a fraction of a field that might benefit from added guidance.

Stryker announced on Feb. 1 it is voluntarily recalling certain Lifepak 15 monitor/defibrillators over an issue which may cause the devices to lock up and not deliver potentially life-saving therapy. The company reported there have been six patient deaths after delays in therapy related to this problem.

Statin therapy reduces the risk of major cardiovascular events across all age ranges, even among people older than 75, according to a meta-analysis published in The Lancet.

Rates of CVD in the U.S. are climbing for the first time in decades, the American Heart Association announced Jan. 31 in its annual heart and stroke statistical update. The organization also said nearly half of the adult U.S. population has some form of heart disease.

A new study in JAMA Cardiology found the most avid exercisers—averaging eight hours per week of vigorous exercise—showed greater levels of coronary artery calcium (CAC). Nevertheless, they were less prone to dying over the average follow-up of 10.4 years compared to participants who exercised less, suggesting they can safely continue their workout regimens. 

Current conversion ratios may be underestimating the long-term cardiotoxicity of common chemotherapy agents like mitoxantrone and overestimating the cardiovascular risk of anthracyclines like daunorubicin, researchers reported in JAMA Oncology Jan. 31.

Patients deemed ineligible for transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) who don’t undergo subsequent MV repair have poor clinical outcomes compared to those who are cleared for the procedure, according to a study published in the January edition of JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions.