The diagnosis of hypertension in patients aged over 50 years should focus exclusively on the systolic blood pressure, rather than using both systolic and diastolic as is current practice, according to three experts in the field. Heartwire
A follow-up study analyzing data from 116 elderly patients in the Sleep Heart Health Study shows significant changes in heart-rate-to-heart-rate variability ratio by sleep stage, which may help identify high cardiovascular risk in this patient population. Medscape Medical News
Growing evidence for the use of mild hypothermia therapy to prevent or mitigate permanent neurologic injury from a variety of causes is the subject of a comprehensive review article. Medscape Medical News
A follow-up study from the Sleep Heart Health Study shows significant changes in heart rate to heart rate variability ratio by sleep stage, which may identify high cardiovascular risk in the elderly. Medscape Medical News
A new meta-analysis of blood pressure–tracking studies shows that higher blood pressure in childhood is associated with higher blood pressure in adulthood and that early intervention is important. Medscape Medical News
A study of 20,000 patients has found that continuous androgen-deprivation therapy for at least 6 months is associated with bone fractures and diabetes. Medscape Medical News
A 10-year study of adult patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 confirms their high risk for arrhythmias and sudden death, and identifies factors that appear to predict high risk: patients with severe abnormalities on ECG and atrial tachyarrhythmias had a 3.5- and 5-fold increased risk respectively. Medscape Medical News
A unique meeting of cardiologists, endocrinologists, and HIV doctors hopes to raise awareness of key facts about HIV and CHD, including the fact that HIV+ patients face a 70% to 80% increased risk of CVD, they have increased risk factors for CVD, and that while HIV meds increase CV risk, staying on them may also lower CV risk. Heartwire
In patients with type 2 diabetes, perindopril/indapamide slows the development or progression of renal disease, even in patients whose initial blood pressures were in the normal range. Medscape Medical News
