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News, opinions and meeting coverage in geriatrics.

Whitney Houston Autopsy Reveals Heart Disease

The death of Whitney Houston in some ways represents a medical "perfect storm" -- heart disease and a plethora of drugs that can accelerate or aggravate that condition, cardiovascular specialists told 麻豆传媒.

FDA Adds More Warnings for Lipitor, Crestor, and Zocor

WASHINGTON -- Statins may cause drug-drug interactions for patients taking drugs to treat HIV/AIDS or hepatitis C, according to a new statin warning from the FDA.

FDA Adds Diabetes Warning to Statin Label

WASHINGTON -- The FDA is changing the labeling on statins to include a warning about increased risks of hyperglycemia and transient memory problems, but the agency is no longer recommending routine liver function testing.

Big BP Variation Between Arms Raises Red Flag

A substantial difference in blood pressure from one arm to the other could be a warning sign for overall cardiovascular and mortality risk, a meta-analysis determined.

Higher LDL Level Linked to Lower Incidence of Afib

Although physicians usually aim to lower patients' total and, in particular, LDL cholesterol, lower LDL levels are associated with developing atrial fibrillation, a study has found.

Researcher Charged With Fabricating Red-Wine Data

A veteran researcher, known for his work on the heart benefits of the red-grape component resveratrol, allegedly fabricated data in 23 papers published over five years, an investigation showed.

Diet, Exercise Sufficient to Reduce Triglycerides

While cholesterol control is often balanced between statins and lifestyle changes, reducing triglycerides can usually be accomplished with diet and lifestyle changes alone, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association.

Cardiologist Who Revealed Echo Errors Out of a Job

MILWAUKEE -- A cardiologist whose research at a national medical meeting revealed that other doctors at her hospital were misreading a substantial number of diagnostic echocardiograms has been fired by that hospital, the Journal Sentinel and 麻豆传媒 have learned.

AHA: One or Two Drinks May Not Hurt Bypass Patients

CHICAGO -- Having an alcoholic drink does not appear to cause problems for patients following coronary artery bypass graft surgery -- but doctors warn that these patients cannot have more than one or two drinks a day.

Heart, Not Ear, Main Source of Dizziness in Elderly

Heart disease, not inner ear problems, appears to be the most common cause of dizziness in elderly patients seen in primary care offices, researchers say.

ACC: Triglycerides Decreased with Rosuvastatin Therapy

ATLANTA -- In a study that specifically scrutinized the effects of statin therapy on triglycerides, researchers said that rosuvastatin (Crestor) significantly reduced the blood lipid that has been linked to coronary artery disease better than placebo.

ACC: Clopidogrel Black Box Likely to Have Immediate Clinical Impact

ATLANTA -- The FDA's decision to add a black box warning to the label of clopidogrel (Plavix) came without warning to doctors attending the American College of Cardiology meeting here. But getting the word out to more than 13,000 cardiologists gathered in this city not an easy task.

ACC: FDA Announces Review of ACCORD Data

ATLANTA -- The FDA said it will conduct a full review of findings from a study which concluded that neither aggressive lipid-lowering therapy nor tight blood pressure control reduced cardiovascular events in persons with diabetes.

Ending Statins May Not End Associated Muscle Pains

Patients experiencing muscle pain and weakness as a result of statin treatment may continue to suffer symptoms long after stopping the drugs, French researchers reported.

Hidden Dangers of Herbal Meds Reviewed

Herbal medicines are not always the harmless nostrums that many patients and even some physicians think, but may actually contribute to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, researchers warned.

AHA: FDA Drops Clopidogrel Bomb at AHA

ORLANDO -- The FDA has issued a public health advisory warning patients and physicians that concommitant use of clopidogrel (Plavix) and omeprazole (Prilosec and Prilosec OTC) blunts the antiplatelet effect of clopidogrel, so the combination should be avoided.

ESC: Peto Analysis Called Short on Proof of Simvastatin/ Ezetimibe Cancer Safety

SEATTLE -- Simvastatin/ezetimibe (Vytorin) may increase the risk of cancer after all, concluded a leading American biostatistician who dismissed as prematurely reassuring an analysis by Richard Peto, Ph.D., F.R.S., that found the link with excess malignancy to be overblown.

ASNC: Caffeine Screens Before Stress Tests Often Miss Positives

SAN DIEGO -- Routine screening by questionnaire for caffeine intake before pharmacologic cardiac stress testing fails to identify most patients who have detectable serum levels of the stimulant, investigators said here.

IAS: HIV Treatment Requires Cardiac Assessment

SYDNEY -- As the long-term prognosis for patients with HIV improves, it becomes more important to assess the patient's risk for cardiovascular disease and other health issues, researchers suggested here.