Top news of December: CV effects of exercise timing, temperature change and more

Healio and Cardiology Today have compiled a list of the most-read headlines of December 2022 in cardiology.

Readers were most interested in how the timing of exercise can improve heart health; how extreme changes in temperature are associated with CV death; how certain sleep patterns may increase risk for hypertension; and more.

Exercising in the morning could reduce CVD risk

The timing of physical activity could affect the risk for CVD, according to study findings published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Read more

FDA panel declines to support approval of omecamtiv mecarbil

An FDA advisory committee voted 8-3 against supporting the approval of the HF drug omecamtiv mecarbil, with panelists citing a small observed benefit for a limited group of patients. Read more

‘Unprecedented pace’ of extreme temperatures associated with death from common CV conditions

A multinational data set across climate zones suggests an association between extreme hot and cold temperatures and CV cause-specific mortality, with the largest excess deaths associated with HF, researchers reported. Read more

CVD remains leading cause of death globally

A multinational collaborative report of global disease trends and risk factors shows CVD remains the leading cause of death and hypertension remains the leading modifiable risk factor for premature CV death worldwide, researchers reported. Read more

Single chest X-ray can predict ASCVD risk, determine statin eligibility

A deep-learning model using information from a single chest X-ray reliably predicted atherosclerotic CVD risk and statin eligibility when compared with a common risk calculator, researchers reported. Read more

Short evening sleep, longer midday napping may increase hypertension risk

Middle-aged and older adults who sleep less than 6 hours per day and take longer midday naps are more likely to develop hypertension and CVD, with slight variations for men vs. women, researchers reported. Read more

Alternative HF therapies could worsen symptoms, interact with prescribed medications

Complementary and alternative therapies for HF could potentially worsen symptoms and interact with prescribed medications, and clinicians and patients should be aware of a lack of federal regulation for such therapies, researchers wrote. Read more

‘Nudges’ could increase appropriate statin prescription in primary care practice

Physician “nudges” via electronic health record prompts and peer comparison feedback improved statin prescription in the primary care setting for eligible patients compared with usual care, researchers reported. Read more

Fatty liver disease conditions ‘change the healthy heart to a failing heart’

CVD risk increases with the severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and both CV and liver events are “highly related” to the degree of hepatic fibrosis present, according to a speaker. Read more

New data, updated guidance ‘dramatically’ changing HF treatment landscape

Treatment of HF has evolved rapidly in recent years, with novel therapies and a fundamentally new treatment algorithm offering options for improved management of the disease across the full spectrum of ejection fraction. Read more