Carotid stenting vs distal protection and endarterectomy in patients at high surgical risk show no significant difference in major cardiovascular events between groups. Medscape Medical News
Kidney failure was independently linked with sudden cardiac death, according to an analysis of the Heart and Estrogen Replacement Study data. Medscape Medical News
A cohort study showing an increased rate of hip bone loss suggests that the potential for bone loss should be considered when loop diuretics are prescribed to older patients in clinical practice. Medscape Medical News
Researchers say a 24-year cohort study provides some of the best evidence of the enduring benefit of low-sodium/plant-food-rich diets, given the impossibility of conducting a long-term clinical trial. Medscape Medical News
Safety of long-term oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use in polycystic ovary syndrome, particularly adverse cardiometabolic effects, is controversial. What are the long-term benefits and risks of OCPs? Seminars in Reproductive Medicine
A combination of the new direct renin inhibitor aliskiren and losartan is no more effective than either drug alone in reducing left ventricular hypertrophy. Nevertheless, the results show that the two drugs are equivalent in this regard, providing the first solid data that aliskiren can reduce LV mass and adding to the body of knowledge about the new drug, says the lead investigator. Heartwire
Chemoprevention with celecoxib was shown to be highly effective in decreasing the incidence of colon adenomas, but was associated with cardiovascular risk in some patients. Medscape Medical News
Developing better ways to track rates of out-of-hospital events and how many people survive is key to improving outcomes, the writing group says. Heartwire
