Articles related to Cardiology, Interventional

CVD is the leading cause of death in the US, accounting for more than one in four deaths. Following a systematic review, the US Preventive Services Task Force has provided an update on the effectiveness of aspirin to reduce the risk of CVD events.

A study in the Annals of Internal Medicine looked at the association between cardiovascular outcomes and the coprescription of nitrates with PDE5 inhibitors in more than 42,000 men over a 10-year period. Two composite outcomes were measured: 1) cardiac arrest, shock, myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, or acute coronary arteriography; and 2) syncope, angina pectoris, or drug-related adverse event. The authors found no statistically significant increase in measured cardiovascular AEs.

Drinking beer and spirits is linked to elevated levels of visceral fat, which is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and other health complications. Moderate wine consumption shows no such association with levels of this harmful fat and may even protect against it.

Walking exercises have been found to improve outcomes for people suffering from peripheral artery disease (PAD). Specifically, among adults with PAD and intermittent claudication, a home-based, walking exercise behavior change intervention, compared with usual care, resulted in improved walking distance at three months. However, authors of the JAMA study concluded that further research is needed to determine the durability of these findings.

Habitual alcohol consumption at all levels has been found to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the relationship between level of consumption and risk is not linear, and at lower consumption levels, other lifestyle patterns have mitigating effects.

The study reviewed 806 patients in Norway and Sweden with AMI and found no increase in MI risk for patients undergoing ophthalmologic procedures done in an outpatient setting.