Top news of August: Results of EMPEROR-Preserved, alcohol consumption and more

Healio and Cardiology Today have curated a list of the most-read cardiology news of August 2021.

Readers were interested in the potential CV benefits of moderate alcohol consumption; findings from the EMPEROR-Preserved; the effects of sedentary leisure time on stroke risk; and more.

Moderate alcohol consumption associated with reduced CV mortality, events

Moderate alcohol consumption was associated with reduced risk for both CV mortality and events among patients with CVD, according to a study published in BMC Medicine. Read more

Testosterone therapy may reduce CV events, mortality in men with very low hormone levels

Long-term testosterone therapy significantly reduced MI and stroke events in men with abnormally low testosterone levels, according to new data presented at the European Association of Urology Congress. Read more

Certain oral contraceptives elevate cardiac risk in women with long QT syndrome

Women with long QT syndrome taking progestin-only oral contraceptives were at elevated risk for cardiac events, according to a study presented at Heart Rhythm 2021. Read more

Plant-based food consumption associated with lower CVD risk

Consuming a more plant-centered diet was associated with lower risk for CVD among both young adults and postmenopausal women, according to two studies published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Read more

Sedentary leisure time of at least 8 hours per day tied to stroke risk in younger adults

Among adults younger than 60 years with low physical activity, those who had at least 8 hours per day of sedentary leisure time had elevated risk for stroke, according to findings published in Stroke. Read more

Beta-blocker therapy beyond 1 year after MI fails to improve survival

Beta-blocker therapy did not improve survival beyond 1 year after an MI, although a dose-dependent effect was observed, according to findings from a landmark analysis of the OBTAIN registry. Read more

Empagliflozin becomes first agent to improve outcomes in HFpEF: EMPEROR-Preserved

Anticipated results of the EMPEROR-Preserved trial demonstrate that the SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin improved clinical outcomes in patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction — the first agent to be shown to do so. Read more

FDA approves empagliflozin for treatment of HFrEF in patients with or without diabetes

Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly announced the FDA has approved empagliflozin to reduce risk for CV death and HF hospitalization in adults with HF with reduced ejection fraction regardless of whether they have diabetes. Read more

Adding dapagliflozin to medical therapy efficacious, cost-effective in HFrEF

In a simulation model, the addition of dapagliflozin to guideline-directed medical therapy in patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction improved long-term clinical outcomes while proving cost-effective at current U.S. prices. Read more

Many factors must be considered when choosing imaging test for chest pain

For patients with chest pain, there is no single imaging test that will provide the perfect diagnosis for all, according to a speaker at the American Society for Preventive Cardiology Congress on CVD Prevention. Read more