GP puts her heart into checkups
A DIAGNOSIS of heart failure at the age of 40 has made Sydney GP Dr Joanna (Jodie) Emanuel passionate about raising awareness of heart disease in women and has influenced the way she practises.
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heart failure
The following articles have the tag heart failure
New guide clarifies role of ablation in AF
THE increasing prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF), together with some confusion about the optimal use of catheter ablation, has prompted the development of Australia’s first consensus statement to guide treatment of AF.
New guide clarifies catheter ablation
CONFUSION about the optimal use of catheter ablation and the increasing prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) has prompted the development of Australia’s first consensus statement to guide treatment.
OSA in elderly raises CV death risk
ELDERLY people with untreated severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) are at a higher risk of dying from stroke or heart failure, a prospective study shows.
Movement disorder drug linked to heart failure
A POSSIBLE increased risk of heart failure has been linked by the US Food and Drug Administration to the movement disorders drug pramipexole.
No difference between aspirin and warfarin in heart failure
WARFARIN is not superior to aspirin in preventing stroke or death in patients with heart failure, a large head-to-head study finds.
Heart failure compromises cognitive skills
SIMPLE and clear therapeutic regimens are needed for patients with heart failure, as the condition compromises cognitive function, Australian researchers say.
Antidepressant unsuccessful in heart failure
THE use of an SSRI in patients with heart failure and depression has failed to show a significant reduction in depressive symptoms or improvement in cardiovascular status. US researchers randomised 469 patients with heart failure and major depressive disorder to either sertraline (50-200 mg a day) or a matching placebo. After 12 weeks, both groups recorded similar reductions in depression severity and improvements in cardiovascular outcomes. About 69% of patients in both groups recorded some level of cardiovascular improvement. Professor Henry Krum, director of the Centre of Cardiovascular Research and Education in Therapeutics at Monash University, ...
Lifesaving benefit of implantable defibrillators in women disputed
THE benefits of using implantable defibrillators in women with heart failure have been thrown into doubt. New research shows that in women, unlike in men, they fail to reduce all-cause mortality. A meta-analysis of five randomised trials involving more than 900 women with heart failure and reduced left ventricular function who received an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) found that, compared to medical therapy, no mortality benefit was gained. In contrast, among 3810 men included in the study, all-cause mortality rates decreased by 22% with an ICD. The authors said there appeared to be clear sex differences ...
Evidence shows HMRs work but uptake still low
HOME Medicines Reviews (HMRs) have been successful in improving patient outcomes, experts say, with research showing GP and pharmacist collaboration halves the rate of hospitalisation among elderly patients with heart failure. Despite the success, AGPN chairman Dr Emil Djakic said the uptake of HMRs “hadn’t matched expectations”, with the number of participating GPs hovering around the 25% mark. “The feedback we’ve had is that the process is perceived to be complex and the business model around it is not sound,” Dr Djakic said. The latest research found 273 veterans who underwent an HMR had 45% fewer ...
Moderate glucose control best with heart failure
THE risks associated with intensive HbA 1c reduction have again been highlighted, this time in a study of more than 5800 US veterans with diabetes and heart failure. Researchers found the lowest mortality rate over a two-year follow-up was among those with modest glucose control – HbA 1c levels between 7.1 and 7.8 (17% mortality). In comparison, mortality was 23% among those whose average HbA 1c was more than nine, and 25% among those with average levels 6.4 and under. The findings backed those of the ACCORD trial, which was stopped early due ...
Proximity to busy road a risk for heart failure
PEOPLE who live close to major roads may be increasing their risk of developing heart failure. Previous research has linked long-term air pollution exposure with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure. Now, evidence appears to suggest exposure to traffic pollution may actually induce cardiac changes which might lead to heart failure. An MRI study of 3827 adults aged 45-84 years found those who lived less than 50 m from a major road had higher left ventricular mass than did participants who lived more than 150 m from a major roadway. Higher left ventricular ...
Waist size better heart failure predictor than BMI
WAIST circumference is a more accurate predictor of heart failure than BMI, especially in women, a large study has confirmed. The association of BMI with heart failure also declined with age, Swedish researchers found. They compared self-reported height, weight and waist circumference among more than 80,000 adults aged 45 and older, with hospitalisations or deaths due to heart failure. Among women, higher waist circumference was associated with heart failure at all BMI levels, but BMI was only predictive in those with high waist circumference. Associate Professor Rachel Huxley, director of the renal and metabolic division ...
Debate over elderly heart failure treatment
A STUDY showing pharmacological treatment for heart failure in patients older than 80 years does not prolong life has sparked debate about the role of drug therapy in elderly patients. The US study of 142 octogenarians who had heart failure with preserved ejection fraction found none of the usual drug therapies made a difference to long-term survival. Among the treatments used were beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers and diuretics. Only statins showed a small improvement in mortality over a five-year follow-up. Dr Leon Flicker, professor of geriatric medicine at the Western ...
ARBs no answer for diastolic heart failure
AN effective therapy for patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction remains elusive after new research found the angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) irbesartan failed to improve outcomes for these patients, who make up almost half of all heart failure cases. Hopes raised by previous studies that ARBs might hold the key were dashed with the release of results from the Irbesartan in Heart Failure with Preserved Systolic Function (I-PRESERVE) study. It showed that inhibition of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system failed to improve the primary outcome – a composite of death from any cause or hospitalisation for a ...
Diabetes drug alert: thousands need review
GPs have been urged to review patients taking rosiglitazone, following the sudden removal of key indications for prescribing the drug. Last year, studies linked rosiglitazone (Avandia/Avandamet) to an increased risk of heart failure, which led to bolstered product information warnings. Last week, manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced the drug will no longer be indicated as triple therapy with metformin or a sulfonylurea or in combination with insulin. GSK said it would also be contraindicated in patients with heart failure and acute coronary syndrome. The drug is now not recommended for patients with known ischaemic heart disease. The ...