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Stress-related psychiatric disorders tied to cardiac arrest out of hospital
Patients suffering from long-term stress-related disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder or anxiety are at a higher risk of developing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, as per a study. This association was seen in women and men and was independent of the existence of cardiovascular disease. These findings warrant raising awareness among such patients while treating them.
Twitter @Open_HeartBMJ
Stanford surgeons perform the first beating-heart transplants
Stopping the heart before implanting could damage it, but keeping it beating could prevent further injury. Dr Woo and his team performed the revolutionary procedure on a donor heart recovered after cardiac death that was put on cardiopulmonary bypass. This beating heart was then transplanted into the recipient. The surgery was done on 6 patients, and all of them are doing well.
Twitter @StanfordMed
Plant-based diets could help reduce cholesterol levels
A large study reveals that switching to vegetarian diets could help decrease the levels of cholesterol and fats in the blood. Compared to an omnivorous diet, a plant-based diet was associated with reductions in cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B by 7%, 10%, and 14%, respectively, suggesting that plant-based diets can lower stroke and heart attack risks.
Health Day
FDA approves another SGTLT2 inhibitor for treating heart failure
INPEFA™ (sotagliflozin) is a once-daily oral pill meant for lowering the risk of hospitalization, emergency hospital visits, or death from heart failure in patients with heart failure, type 2 diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, and other heart-related risk factors. It is also indicated in full-range LVEF with preserved or reduced ejection fraction, with or without diabetes.
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals
Treating depression can help protect the heart
A study from the UK on people who receive talk therapy revealed that the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, like stroke, coronary artery disease, and death, was 12% lower in people whose depression symptoms improved. These findings suggest that psychotherapy plays an important role, and these effective therapies should be made more accessible.
Drugs.com
Bariatric surgery lowers the use of antidiabetic and lipid-lowering drugs
A study on more than 26,000 patients who had bariatric surgeries revealed that the usage of cardiovascular, lipid-lowering, and antidiabetic drugs was lower in the long-term in patients who underwent bariatric surgery compared to that in matched controls who did not undergo this surgery. However, the reduction was transient for cardiovascular medications.
Twitter @JAMASurgery
A test to identify pregnancy-related complications receives FDA approval
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc's biomarker test can help identify women at an increased risk of severe preeclampsia. It is the first-of-its-kind test, which can help reduce mortality from the leading cause during pregnancy in women across the world. This test will have a remarkable impact on the prognosis and treatment of women during pregnancy and postpartum.
US News
Marijuana could cause peripheral artery disease
Research suggests that marijuana users are over three times more likely to suffer from peripheral artery disease. Marijuana users are also at an increased risk of dying or requiring percutaneous coronary intervention. These findings suggest that marijuana users should be conscious of the symptoms like coldness in the leg, leg pain while walking or no hair growth.
Cardiovascular Business
SCAI designs draft guidance for using renal denervation for hypertension
Amidst impending FDA approval, the agency designed guidance for the appropriate use and integration of RDN into clinical practice. It is open for comments and covers patient selection, procedural and technical considerations for pre-procedure imaging, anatomical considerations, procedural safety, post-procedural monitoring, institutional requirements and competencies.
Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Intervention
Teach kids life-saving skills from the age of four, says AHA
School-aged kids show high motivation to learn life-saving skills like calling for help, identifying cardiac arrest, and conducting CPR, as per AHA. It also identified age-appropriate practices to help kids learn these skills after reviewing 100 research articles. Building skills at a young age and reinforcing them consistently could ultimately help improve survival.
American Heart Association
