Reporting from:
American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, New Orleans, November 7-10, 2004
Scientific Editors:
Michael Petch, Papworth Hospital, Cambridge
Man Fai Shiu, Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry
James Tcheng, Duke University, Durham
Harvey White, Green Lane Hospital, Auckland
Producer: Derek Thorne
Correspondents: Richard Black & Derek Thorne
In this edition:
In severe heart failure, Teresa De Marco told delegates at the American Heart Association meeting, vasodilators bring better survival rates as first line therapy than inotropes.
Marc Pfeffer‘s results show that adding extra medications such as ACE inhibitors may not improve outcomes – contradicting received wisdom from another recent study.
A synthetic jacket acting like a support stocking can bring benefit to the failing heart, according to Douglas Mann who described his investigation at the New Orleans conference.
Anthony Gerschlick has discovered that in centres where lytic therapy for infarction is the first line of attack, patients needing further rescue should receive angioplasty and not repeat lysis.
David Malenka told the conference how his team found that bypass grafting was better than angioplasty in three-vessel disease.
The idea of getting barbers to screen for blood pressure was raised at the New Orleans conference by Paul Hess following a successful trial conducted by his group.
Shamir Mehta, McMaster University Medical Center, Hamilton
Reviparin has shown increased survival in patients who’ve just had an MI in a new study called: CREATE.
COMMENT: Comparison with Enoxaparin – James Tcheng, Duke University Medical Center, Durham
Anne Taylor, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis
A study among African Americans has found a benefit for nitric oxide enhancing therapy for heart failure.
COMMENT: Augustus Grant, Duke University Medical Center, Durham
Abstract 1745
Teresa De Marco, University of California, San Francisco
Vasodilators bring better survival rates than inotropes among patients with severe heart failure.
Marc Pfeffer, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston
Adding extra medications may not improve outcomes among cardiovascular patients, according to the PEACE study.
COMMENT: James Tcheng, Duke University Medical Center, Durham
Douglas Mann, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston
A synthetic jacket giving physical support to the failing heart shows promise.
COMMENT: Raymond Gibbons, Mayo Clinic, Rochester
Abstracts 2467, 2468
Gregg Stone, Columbia University Medical Center, New York
The latest phase of the Taxus study looks at paclitaxel eluting stents in more complex lesions.
Abstract 1925
Walter Desmet, University Hospital, Leuven
Sirolimus eluting stents have been shown superior to brachythrapy in the TRPICAL registry analysis.
Abstract 1979
David Malenka, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire
Coronary artery bypass grafting scores over angioplasty in three-vessel disease in a registry analysis from New Hampshire.
Anthony Gershlick, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester
If lytic therapy fails after MI, the best policy is to go for angioplasty, according to findings from the REACT trial.
Paul Dorian, St. Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto
If you use the ant-arhythmic drug azimilide in your ICD patients they are less likely to activate the ICD.
Abstract 2361
Anant Vyas, University of Rochester Medical Center
Although a large proportion of cardiovascular patients can benefit from an ICD, a new analysis of the MADIT-2 trials shows which ones will benefit most.
F. Xavier Pi-Sunyer, Columbia University, New York
The anti-fat drug continues to report weight loss, lipid lowering and more.
Abstract 1985
Axel Haverich, Hannover Medical School
Complement activation by pexilizumab can help prevent death and the incidence of MI in patients with selected risk profiles who are undergoing by-pass.
Abstract 2210
Kevin Bybee, Mayo Clinic, Rochester
Aspirin before bypass surgery saves lives according to a registry-based study.
Abstract 2366
David Collard, Texas Heart Institute, Houston
Statins improve outcome among by-pass patients.
Abstract 1904
Beatrice Golomb, University of California, San Diego
Statins lower blood pressure – a possible contirbuting reason for their beneficial effect even in people without high cholesterol.
COMMENT: Domenic Sica, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond
Abstract 3545
Paul Hess, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas
Barbers have successfully monitored blood pressure and have proved highly effective at raising awareness and members of the community taking steps to reduce blood pressure in a study reported at the hypertension section of the American Heart Association meeting.
