Ambulatory heart-failure patients who stayed connected to providers through a telemonitoring device believed the system helped keep their disease under control; it also may have prevented some hospitalizations. Heartwire
A new study has shown that women with subclinical hypothyroidism have a higher risk for coronary heart disease death than women with healthy thyroid function. Medscape Medical News
More attention to factors that contribute to hospitalizations for heart failure, such as pneumonia or uncontrolled hypertension, could improve overall management of this condition, a new study shows. Medscape Medical News
Long-term use of either rosiglitazone or pioglitazone was associated with a two- to threefold increased risk of fractures in a new case-control study. Heartwire
Overall, aortic valve replacement appears to be the treatment of choice in the majority of patients with low-flow/low-gradient aortic stenosis, European researchers report in the April 15th issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Reuters Health Information
Eighty percent of deaths connected to high blood pressure occur in the developing world, and much of the burden is borne by those with prehypertension, new research shows. In addition, current programs do not target many of the affected countries, say the study authors. Such a travesty cannot be allowed to continue, say accompanying editorialists. Heartwire
Yet most palliative care is directed toward cancer patients, observe researchers, who say more can done to relieve the suffering of patients with heart failure. Heartwire
The first-ever study to look at a combination of psychological counseling together with exercise training for depression in heart-failure patients has shown promising results. However, the home-based interventions were expensive and labor-intensive and would be hard to replicate in a large trial, said the lead author of this pilot study. Heartwire
This most recent analysis showed that while elevated plasma triglycerides identified patients at increased risk for recurrence of disease, the association depended on other risk factors, especially HDL cholesterol. Heartwire
Fasting blood glucose levels of more than 5 mmol/L, body mass index, and atenolol plus diuretics predicted new-onset diabetes; treatment with amlodipine and perindopril reduced new-onset diabetes. Medscape Medical News
