Top stories in cardiology: Neladenoson not beneficial in some heart failure cases, beta-blockers may alleviate emotion-triggered atrial fibrillation

Among the top stories in cardiology last week were a study that found patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction experienced no significant increase in exercise capacity at 20 weeks with neladenoson and research that determined beta-blockers reduced the effect of anger and stress in triggering atrial fibrillation.

Other highlights included a scientific statement by the American Heart Association that said antiretroviral therapy for patients with HIV has made the disease less fatal but has also increased rates of CVD, a study that found patients with acute coronary syndrome aged at least 75 years with cognitive impairment had elevated risk for mortality and rehospitalization after 3 months and research that suggested ideal CV health was less common in army personnel than in civilians.

Neladenoson not beneficial in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction experienced no significant increase in exercise capacity in 20 weeks with neladenoson, a partial adenosine A1 receptor agonist, according to findings published in JAMA. Read more.

Beta-blockers may alleviate emotion-triggered atrial fibrillation

Beta-blockers reduced the effect of anger and stress in triggering atrial fibrillation, according to a study published in HeartRhythm. Read more.

American Heart Association: Despite improvements in HIV treatment, CVD risk elevated

Antiretroviral therapy for patients with HIV has made the disease less fatal, but it has increased the rates of CVD in this patient population, according to an American Heart Association scientific statement published in Circulation. Read more.

Cognitive impairment confers poor outcomes in older patients with acute coronary syndrome

Patients with acute coronary syndrome aged at least 75 years with cognitive impairment had elevated risk for mortality and rehospitalization after 3 months, according to findings published in Heart. Read more.

Ideal CV health less common in Army personnel vs. civilians

Patients who were active-duty service members were less likely to have ideal CV health compared with civilians, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Read more.