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Top news of August: Sex-specific CVD risk factors, prescription fish oil and more
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Healio and Cardiology Today compiled a list of the most-viewed cardiology posts in August. This month, our readers were interested in barriers for women with heart disease, a science advisory on omega-3 fatty acids, healthy plant-based diets, diversity in cardiology and much more.
VIDEO: Sex differences, barriers persist for women with heart disease
SAN ANTONIO — In this video exclusive, Martha Gulati, MD, MS, FACC, FAHA, division chief of cardiology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, physician executive director for Banner University Medicine Heart Institute and editor-in-chief of American College of Cardiology’s CardioSmart, discusses the importance of considering sex-specific risk factors for CVD.
AHA: Prescription fish oil effectively lowers high triglycerides
Four grams per day of omega-3 fatty acids, specifically eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid together or eicosapentaenoic acid alone, is clinically useful as monotherapy or in addition to other therapies to reduce triglycerides after implementing diet and lifestyle changes and addressing any underlying causes, according to an American Heart Association science advisory published in Circulation.
Healthy plant-based diet lowers risk for CVD mortality, morbidity
Eating more plant-based foods and less animal products lowered the risk for CV morbidity and mortality in a general population of middle-aged adults. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, adults without CVD at baseline who adhered to a plant-based diet had a lower risk for incident CVD, CVD mortality and all-cause mortality during a median follow-up of 25 years.
At Issue: Lancet initiative sparks discussion on diversity in cardiology
As part of an effort to promote gender equity, diversity and inclusion, The Lancet journals announced it will no longer sponsor all-male panels, colloquially known as “manels,” and will take steps to improve the inclusion of all genders, ethnicities, regions and other social categories in research and publishing. Cardiology Today and Healio spoke with several prominent cardiologists active in diversity and inclusion issues about their reactions to the news from The Lancet and where the cardiology specialty currently stands on diversity and inclusion.
Wearable devices and the revolution of cardiology via continuous care, remote monitoring
Wearable technology, including wrist-worn smartwatches and fitness monitors, is no longer the “future” of medicine. The use of wearable technologies and the potential in cardiology has become an intense topic of discussion in recent years.
Oral nifedipine, methyldopa, labetalol ‘viable initial options’ for severe hypertension in pregnancy in low-resource settings
Comparison of the safety and efficacy of three oral antihypertensives — labetalol, nifedipine retard and methyldopa — for use in pregnant women with severe hypertension showed that each drug resulted in BP control within 6 hours, with nifedipine retard demonstrating the greatest frequency of BP control, according to data published in The Lancet.
Viable myocardium not linked to long-term CABG benefit for ischemic cardiomyopathy
Myocardial viability was not linked to a long-term benefit from CABG in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, according to results from the STICH study published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
AI may identify AF in patients during normal sinus rhythm
An artificial intelligence-enabled ECG that was obtained during normal sinus rhythm helped identify patients with atrial fibrillation at the point of care, according to a study published in The Lancet.
Novel technology with smartphone camera may measure BP
The use of a novel smartphone-based technology — transdermal optical imaging — to measure BP fell within 5 mm Hg of reference measurements in adults who were normotensive, according to a study published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging.
FDA approves baroreflex activation therapy for advanced HF
The FDA has approved the Barostim Neo system for the improvement of symptoms in patients with advanced HF who are not suited for treatment with other HF devices, such as cardiac resynchronization therapy. The FDA gave the device a breakthrough device designation, according to an agency press release.