Top in cardiology: New empagliflozin indication, vegetable-rich diet

The FDA recently expanded the indication for the SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin to reduce the risk for cardiovascular death and heart failure hospitalization in adults with heart failure with reduced or preserved ejection fraction.

Empagliflozin (Jardiance, Boehringer Ingelheim) was originally approved in 2014 to improve glucose response for adults with type 2 diabetes. The FDA’s announcement of the latest approval was the top story in cardiology last week.

Another top story covered data suggesting that a vegetable-rich diet may not be independently associated with a reduced risk for CVD, and that the protective effects of vegetables may instead be attributed to residual confounding factors related to lifestyle and socioeconomic background.

Read these and more top stories in cardiology below:

FDA approves empagliflozin to reduce CV death, HF hospitalization in HFpEF

The FDA approved an expanded indication for the SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin to reduce the risk for CV death and HF hospitalization in adults with HF with reduced or preserved ejection fraction, according to an agency press release. Read more.

Vegetable-rich diet may not protect against CVD

A high level of vegetable consumption was not independently associated with reduced risk for CVD, according to results from a cohort study of nearly 400,000 participants. Read more.

USPSTF stance on statins for primary prevention of CVD varies by age, risk level

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended statins for the primary prevention of CVD in patients aged 40 to 75 years with at least one CVD risk factor and 10% or greater 10-year risk for CVD. Read more.

Excess sodium from certain forms of acetaminophen may increase CVD, mortality risk

Excess daily intake of sodium from soluble or effervescent acetaminophen may increase risk for CVD and all-cause death, regardless of baseline hypertension status, according to research published in the European Heart Journal. Read more.

Targeted stress reduction may improve AF symptoms, outcomes

Efforts to mitigate acute and chronic stress could help reduce atrial fibrillation-related symptoms and improve atrial fibrillation outcomes, though more data are needed to evaluate best practice for stress reduction, researchers reported. Read more.