Top news of April: CV impact of COVID-19, unfiltered coffee risk and more
Healio and Cardiology Today have compiled a list of most-read cardiology news of April 2020. Much of the top news over the past month was related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Readers in April were also interested in the CV effects of chronic exercise, mortality risk associated with unfiltered coffee, smartphone camera apps that may detect atrial fibrillation and more.
Some COVID-19 treatments prompt arrhythmia concerns; management strategy needed
The rapid spread of COVID-19 has led to some unique challenges for the medical community. The primary concern from an arrhythmia standpoint will be medication-induced QT prolongation leading to torsades de pointes. This article highlights medications being used or considered for the treatment of COVID-19 that have significant proarrhythmic potential and offers suggestions to minimize risk to patients, including a simple strategy that is feasible for managing patients in whom use of two or more proarrhythmic drugs is unavoidable. Read more
Chronic exercise training increases fatty acid, ketone consumption in men
The extent and magnitude of metabolic adaptation to chronic exercise training in men were greater than originally believed, likely due to increased consumption of ketone body substrates and fatty acid, researchers reported in Cardiovascular Research. Read more
AHA updates CPR guidelines to address patients with COVID-19
As the risk for COVID-19 exposure during CPR for out-of-hospital or in-hospital cardiac arrest is a serious concern for emergency medical services personnel, health care workers and lay bystanders, the American Heart Association issued an interim update to its guidance for CPR in adults, children and neonates with suspected COVID-19 infection. Read more
Unfiltered coffee may increase mortality risk
People who drank unfiltered coffee had a higher risk for mortality compared with those who drank filtered coffee, according to a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Read more
Cath lab activations for STEMI down 38% during COVID-19 pandemic
The number of STEMI activations in U.S. cardiac catheterization laboratories has decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Read more
Smartphone camera apps can detect AF, but false positives a concern
A systematic review and meta-analysis of four smartphone camera applications that detect atrial fibrillation reported high sensitivity and specificity of the apps for diagnosing AF, but a modest predictive value, which researchers concluded could generate a high number of false-positive results. Read more
FDA: Improper use of hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine for COVID-19 may increase risk for arrhythmias, death
The FDA issued a safety alert warning health care professionals and patients to avoid the use of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine outside of hospital or clinical trial settings due to potential increased risk for serious heart-related adverse events and death. Read more
Lifestyle, diet modifications decrease stroke risk in middle-aged women
Sustained lifestyle modifications in middle-aged women reduced the 26-year risk for ischemic stroke and total stroke, according to a study published in Stroke. Read more
Structural heart disease monitoring critical during COVID-19 pandemic
As elective surgeries have been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to monitor patients with structural heart disease via telemedicine and to know when an elective procedure becomes an emergent one, according to two documents. Read more
Clinical review of COVID-19 and CVD: What the cardiovascular practitioner needs to know
This summary reviews the evolving molecular and clinical data on COVID-19, with a focus on the intersection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus with CVD and its potential impact on patients with CVD. Read more