Public-health measures to increase folic-acid intake in Canada were followed by a decrease in the prevalence of severe congenital heart disease at birth, supporting the hypothesis that folic acid has a preventive effect on this outcome, researchers say. 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
Marijuana use by acute MI survivors is associated with a three-fold higher risk of mortality after infarction, and a nearly four-fold increase in death from noncardiovascular causes. Heartwire
Whether human atheromata can regress is controversial. Animal model studies showing atheroma plaque shrinkage or reversal of atherosclerosis, and examples of plaque regression in humans are presented. Nature Clinical Practice Cardiovascular Medicine
Rapidly adopted in recent years as a renoprotectant during radiographic imaging, IV sodium bicarbonate may promote the very problem it is intended to prevent, an analysis suggests. Heartwire
