AHA 2005
Primary PCI: Better in the Real World, Too
Primary angioplasty after a myocardial infarction is also better than thrombolysis in a real world setting: though up to two hours after the infarction the two methods are equivalent, according to Swedish findings from a study of 21 000 patients. Ulf Stenestrand of University Hospital in Linköping presented the results.
ENDEAVOR or Cypher? Comparison of Drug Eluting Stents
The ABT578-eluting ENDEAVOR stent has been compared head-to-head with sirolimus-eluting Cypher. Duke University’s David Kandzari told us more.
Statins and ARBs: a Special Combination?
John McMurray
The VALIANT trial compared ACE-inhibitor, ARB and a combination of the two in high-risk post-MI patients, and found there may be an interaction between them and statins. John McMurray from the Western Infirmary in Glasgow.
Aspirin Saves Women from Cardiovascular Death
Jeffrey Berger
A study of 9 000 women with established cardiovascular disease has found that mortality is reduced by 25 per cent among those taking aspirin, and that the dose of daily aspirin does not affect this result. Jeffrey Berger of Duke University Medical Center told us more about it.
50% of Women are Over-treated in Acute Coronary Syndromes
Registry analysis suggests women often receive too much treatment with glycoprotein 2B3A inhibitors. Duke University’s Karen Alexander told us more.
Stroke Prevention: Aspirin is Different in Women
David Brown
The effect of aspirin in preventing cerebrovascular disease is different in women as compared with men. A meta-analysis of six studies presented at the AHA meeting by David Brown shows that aspirin has a big role to play among women, though its precise role has yet to be clarified.
Statins: It’s the LDL, Stupid!
In addition to lipid levels, statins are known to have anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic and immunomodulatory effects which could help explain their impact on cardiovascular outcomes. But do these pleiotropic effects matter, or is ta all down to lipid lowering? At the University of Iowa, Jennifer Robinson has been trying to find out.
Aggressive Statins: the IDEAL Treatment
Terje Pedersen
More evidence for the benefits of aggressive lipid-lowering with statins has come from the IDEAL study, which randomised nearly 9000 post-MI patients to either 80 mg of atorvastatin or 20/40 mg simvastatin daily. Terje Pedersen from Ulleval University Hospital in Norway presented the findings.
Eicosapentaenoic Acid: Prevention of Coronary Artery Disease
A 20 000-person study of eicosapentaenoic acid supplements gave solid scientific support for EPA use to prevent cardiovascular events among patients with established coronary artery disease. Mitsuhiro Yokoyama of Kobe University told us more about it.
Warfarin Trumps Platelet Agents in Atrial Fibrilation
For atrial fibrillation, oral anti-coagulation remains the treatment of choice despite the potential of an anti-platelet regimen based on aspirin and clopidogrel, according to the ACTIVE-W trial. Stuart Connolly from McMaster University presented the findings.
Engineered Blood Vessels Coming down the Pipe
Todd McAllister
Blood vessels made through tissue engineering are being trialled in humans and may provide a future source of grafts from coronary applications. That is the latest from a California-based company, Cytograft, who presented details of their methods and current human trial at the AHA meeting. Todd McAllister told Audio Medica how it all works.
Drug-eluting Stents: No Benefit in Vein Grafts
Drug-eluting stents should not be the favoured option for treating saphenous vein graft lesions according conclusions from a registry analysis presented to the American Heart Association conference by Jeff Trost from Johns Hopkins in Baltimore.
Bayard Roberts, Siân Clarke, Sandy Cairncross, Claire Bertschinger and Virginia Berridge
- depression and post traumatic stress disorder in war-torn northern Uganda and the lessons to be drawn from a research project there; - the unexpected additional value of using malaria drugs at regular intervals among school children in Kenya; - the key role of sanitation in preventing infant deaths all over the world and what is being done to improve it; - the life and work of the nurse who inspired Band Aid and Live Aid, as she receives an honorary doctorate; - the \"marketing\" of health to the British public, as illustrated by the way attitudes to smoking have changed over the years.
