A multicenter registry study using the Custom NX DES has again shown that the device is safe in long lesions and in a smaller group of patients receiving two stents delivered consecutively from a single 60-mm section. Randomized controlled trials are the next step, investigators say. Heartwire
"Patients with systolic heart failure in NYHA class 2 should be treated with aldosterone antagonists." Or should they? The issue was debated in Buenos Aires by two prominent specialists. Heartwire
Replacing more conventional forms of exercise with carefully designed dance routines safely allowed even predominantly high-risk patients to have some fun along with their recovery. Heartwire
A new ONTARGET imaging study has shown no difference between ramipril, telmisartan, or the combination in the reduction of left ventricular mass. The MRI study, say investigators, closely parallels the main findings from ONTARGET, showing no clear advantage to combination therapy. Heartwire
Two new trials confirm that erectile dysfunction should be treated as a powerful early warning sign for myocardial infarction and other serious cardiovascular events in patients with diabetes. Medscape Medical News
Patients with severe symptomatic carotid stenosis treated with endovascular therapy appear to have higher rates of restenosis than their counterparts treated with carotid endarterectomy. However, the higher restenosis rate is limited to those treated with angioplasty and does not include endovascular treatment with the use of stents. Medscape Medical News
Review the epidemiology and consequences of obesity and the biological systems that contribute to adiposity in obese individuals, and learn clinical strategies for chronic obesity that lead to a reduction in cardiovascular risk.
Drinking a big mug of hot cocoa might actually be good for patients with type 2 diabetes, a new study has shown. The flavanol-rich cocoa reversed vascular dysfunction, and these findings, say investigators, highlight the therapeutic potential of cocoa in the management of diabetes. Heartwire
A new analysis has confirmed that low baseline systolic blood-pressure levels and changes in systolic blood pressure over time are risk factors for adverse events in heart-failure patients. Medscape Medical News
A 20-year follow-up study shows that group-based lifestyle interventions for more than 6 years can prevent or delay diabetes for up to 14 years after the active intervention. Medscape Medical News
