Some hypertensive patients may need to take higher doses of medication during winter months in order to control their high blood pressure, a Mexican study suggests. The findings were presented here at the XV Argentine Congress of Hypertension. Reuters Health Information
The improvement in clinical outcome brought about by beta-blocker therapy for patients with systolic chronic heart failure (CHF) is due mainly to a reduction in heart rate rather than an improvement in systolic function, Australian investigators report in the American Journal of Cardiology. Reuters Health Information
Lower vitamin D levels and higher C-reactive protein levels are associated with poor aerobic capacity and greater frailty in elderly patients with heart failure, according to findings published in the March issue of the Journal of the American Geriatric Society. Reuters Health Information
CG, who is 9-months post MI and insists that he is compliant with his antiplatelet therapy, presents with STEMI. What should be considered when treating a STEMI patient on chronic clopidogrel therapy? Medscape Cardiology
With improvement in HIV-related morbidity and mortality, risk for complicating conditions increases. What are the latest screening and treatment guidelines for naive and highly experienced patients? Medscape HIV/AIDS
ACC.08: Is it time to expand indications for cardiac resynchronization therapy to include patients with less severe HF? REVERSE results support the need for further study in this patient population. Medscape Cardiology
A new study shows that the use of statins is associated with the progression of age-related macular degeneration, but the authors urge caution, saying that other causes may be the reason for the findings. Medscape Medical News
In a case-control study, women who have taken alendronate, the bisphosphonate widely prescribed for preservation of bone density, have an increased risk for the development of atrial fibrillation. Medscape Medical News
Two studies show how aggressive statin therapy reduces the risk for cardiovascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease and reduces other cardiovascular events, respectively. Medscape Medical News
A new rimonabant study presented this week showed that the drug improved lipid parameters, but more important, reduced visceral adipose tissue, the type of abdominal obesity that contributes to big waistlines and type 2 diabetes. Heartwire
