In a nutshell This study investigated the effects of ticagrelor (Brilique) and clopidogrel (Plavix) on aortic stiffness (AS). They found that ticagrelor was more effective at reducing AS. Some background Aortic stiffness (AS) is a common feature of coronary artery disease (CAD). AS can also be a predictor of...
Read More
In a nutshell This study investigated the cognitive decline (CD; decreased functioning of reasoning and thinking) before and after a coronary event in patients with coronary heart disease. Researchers suggested that coronary events are associated with CD. Some background Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The rate of...
Read More
In a nutshell This study investigated the relationship between smoking and the risk of a second cardiovascular event (CVE). Researchers suggested that after a first CVE, smoking cessation (SC; quit smoking) lowers the risk of a second CVE. Some background Cardiovascular events (CVEs) include stroke, heart attack or death due to damage to the...
Read More
In a nutshell This article investigated the relationship between electronic cigarette (EC) use and myocardial infarction (MI; heart attack). The authors concluded that EC use is associated with an increased risk of having had an MI. Some background People who smoke normal cigarettes are 2 to 5 times more likely to have an MI. It is...
Read More
In a nutshell This study investigated the effect of dual antiplatelet therapy (APT) compared to P2Y12 inhibitors on outcomes after a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). They found that the rate of cardiac events was similar in patients treated with P2Y12 inhibitors or dual APT. Some background Coronary artery disease (CAD)...
Read More
In a nutshell This article investigated the treatment cost of ezetimibe (Zetia) vs evolocumab (Repatha) in treating major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The authors concluded that treatment with ezetimibe is the most cost-effective option for these patients. Some background T2D is a disorder where the body...
Read More
In a nutshell This article investigated the safety and effectiveness y of the COMBO stent for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The authors concluded that the COMBO stent is safe and effective in these patients. Some background In patients with CAD, one or more of the blood...
Read More
In a nutshell This study investigated if bioabsorbable polymer (BP) or permanent polymer (PP) drug-eluting stents (DES) are more effective. They found that BP- and PP-DES are similarly effective. Some background Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a common and serious condition. It leads to blockages in the coronary arteries that supply blood to the...
Read More
A recent commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine describes what is really happening with the US food supply. In 2010, a report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM–now called the National Academy of Medicine) stated that, salt intake is actually a factor that is out of our personal control. This is because only 5% of sodium is coming from the...
Read More
In a nutshell This article investigated the safety and effectiveness of percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stent (PCI-DES) vs coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) for patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). The authors concluded that CABG was better than PC-DES in these patients. Some background DM is a disorder where the...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This article investigated the safety and effectiveness of invasive treatment in the management of patients that had an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI; heart attack). The authors concluded that invasive treatment caused lower adverse events in older high-risk patients. Some background Multimorbidity (MM) is the...
Read More
In a nutshell This study investigated if metformin (Glucophage) improves left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH; enlargement of the left lower chamber of the heart) in coronary artery disease (CAD). They found that this treatment improved LVH and other CAD symptoms. Some background Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a disease of the arteries supplying...
Read More
