theheart.org: Hypertension studies and news. Partnership with ASH

Medscape Medical News

ALLHAT investigators report 10-year follow-up and stand by diuretics as first step antihypertensive treatment

Nov 19, 2009 14:00 EST

New 10-year mortality and morbidity data confirm the original trial conclusions, they say, that while amlodipine and lisinopril are not superior to chlorthalidone on any outcome, chlorthalidone is superior to these agents on one or more secondary end points. Full agreement with this conclusion in the community, though, is still hard to come by.

Orlando, FL - A new analysis looking at 10-year mortality and morbidity data from the landmark Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT) would appear to confirm the previous trial conclusions, the investigators say.

Combining data from the trial plus information on death and events that occurred after the trial taken from administrative databases, the researchers found that differences seen in cardiovascular outcomes such as stroke during the trial did not persist at 10 years, except for a 34% increase in heart failure with amlodipine vs chlorthalidone that had become evident during the trial but didn't increase in the interim.Read full article »

Inside: Hypertension

Accredited educational programs, supported by industry, developed by theheart.org

Hypertension

Beyond Control of Hypertension to Prevention of Renal Damage

2 COMMENTS - Jul 30, 2009 14:55 EDT

Read Dr. Kalaitzidis' review of the role of hypertension in the cardiovascular risk continuum, then watch Drs. Weber, Mancia, Williams, and Haller as they present the latest treatment options and preview important clinical trial data.

Hypertension

Crossroads of Risk - Hypertension and Diabetes

2 COMMENTS - Jun 29, 2009 10:07 EDT

Microalbuminuria does not only signal worsening renal function but is an important marker in cardiovascular risk assessment. Join our expert panel, Drs. Izzo, Ruilope, and Weir as they discuss the interplay of diabetes and hypertension on the cardiovascular risk continuum.

Hypertension

Analyzing the ACE/ARB Combo Concern

13 COMMENTS - Apr 24, 2009 12:00 EDT

Inhibiting the RAS: how much and for what indications? Is there consensus?

Hypertension

Emerging Options for Hypertensive Patients With Osteoarthritis

1 COMMENT - Aug 25, 2009 13:14 EDT

Join Drs Giles, Elliott, Mason and White as they discuss a new approach to preservation of NO offered by the cyclooxygenase-inhibiting nitric oxide donating (CINOD) drugs, which may have an important role in treating arthritis patients with hypertension.

heartbriefs

Sen Grassley questions top medical schools about ghostwriting

Nov 20, 2009 13:15 EST

As part of his mission to see more financial transparency in medicine, Sen Grassley has asked eight top US medical schools about their policies on ghostwriting.

News

EFFECT: Public reporting of hospital performance improves quality of care?

Nov 19, 2009 10:00 EST

Publicly released report cards based on hospital performance did not result in a measurably greater systemwide improvement in two composite AMI or CHF process-of-care indicators in a Canadian study. But they did appear to stimulate some important changes in delivery of care that could have led to some better outcomes.

Heart failure

HEAAL: High-dose trumps low-dose ARB for heart failure in the ACE-inhibitor intolerant

1 COMMENT - Nov 17, 2009 08:15 EST

UPDATED WITH COMMENTARY // The randomized trial, which compared losartan dosages of 150 mg/day and 50 mg/day, "makes a strong case for the value of incremental inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system," its authors say.

Prevention

Canadian confusion: Primary-care docs lack knowledge of CVD risk factors, prevention

8 COMMENTS - Nov 15, 2009 09:00 EST

Family doctors and general practitioners in Canada are confused about cardiovascular risk assessment in primary prevention, a new survey reveals.

News

What's going to be hot at AHA 2009?

2 COMMENTS - Nov 11, 2009 09:00 EST

Anticipation is building for full trial results from ARBITER 6-HALTS, plus a better understanding of what went wrong with cangrelor in the CHAMPION trials. Also in the lineup are updates from PLATO, RE-LY, ALLHAT, BARI 2D, STICH, CASCADE, POPULAR, HEARTMATE II, and many more. Indeed, this year's "late-breaking" sessions include more than 30 trials over five days.

Medscape Medical News

Echocardiographic evidence of PAH often doesn't trigger referral to a specialist

Nov 10, 2009 11:00 EST

Only one in four patients with echocardiographic evidence of pulmonary arterial hypertension is being referred for further evaluation.

Hypertension

Ambrisentan effective long-term for pulmonary arterial hypertension

1 COMMENT - Nov 9, 2009 17:00 EST

New data from the extension phase of two pivotal trials of the endothelin-receptor antagonist ambrisentan support its use as part of a long-term strategy for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Arrhythmia/EP

Obesity may top hypertension as risk factor for LA enlargement

Nov 9, 2009 17:00 EST

Obesity and hypertension were major independent risk factors for left atrial enlargement (itself a risk factor for atrial fibrillation) in an observational, population-based study, but obesity was the strongest predictor.

Lipid/Metabolic

Not all metabolic syndrome is created equal: Framingham Offspring analysis

3 COMMENTS - Nov 5, 2009 11:45 EST

The syndrome (defined by ATP III criteria) can predict increased cardiovascular and mortality risk or not, depending on which three of five risk factors contributed to the diagnosis, a cohort study suggests; its investigators caution that their observations are only preliminary.

Hypertension

Adding fuel to the J-curve fire; debate is reignited

2 COMMENTS - Nov 4, 2009 14:30 EST

More discussion about the J-curve in hypertension is published this week; one expert believes the undue attention being paid to this subject might discourage doctors from treating high blood pressure aggressively.

Prevention

Another in-hospital CV risk marker: 24-hour shifts with overnight on-call duty

1 COMMENT - Nov 4, 2009 09:45 EST

Long work shifts with nighttime on-call duty, with the inevitable interruptions of sleep, are associated with ECG, blood-pressure, and biochemical changes associated with increased cardiovascular risk, suggests a randomized crossover study that hints at a sustained effect on the risk markers if the 24-hour shifts happen too frequently.

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Editorial Programs

The Cardiology Show

The AHA 2009 Roundup: ARBITER 6-HALTS, PLATO, the two CHAMPIONs, and CASCADE

1 COMMENT - Nov 18, 2009 16:30 EST

Join Drs Valentin Fuster, Roger Blumenthal, Bob Harrington, Judith Hochman, Sanjay Kaul, Suzanne Oparil, Gregg Stone, Lynne Warner Stevenson, and Bruce Wilkoff as they discuss the results of ARBITER 6-HALTS, the PLATO STEMI subanalysis, the two CHAMPIONs, and CASCADE and tackle the issue of too little, too soon in clinical trials today.

Editorial series

Clinical research: Comparing regulatory pathways in US and UK

Oct 30, 2009 12:35 EDT

How do regulatory pathways differ in the US and UK? Drs Harrington, Bhatt, and Cleland share their experiences and offer insight on how to support innovative research.

Editorial series

All about ARBs: From Kyoto to Barcelona

Oct 16, 2009 10:00 EDT

Join heartwire's Lisa Nainggolan as she talks to Drs Franz Messerli and Melissa Walton-Shirley about the results of the KYOTO HEART Study, what they mean for North American and European populations, and the future role of angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs).

Educational partnerships

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