Worldwide cardiological news

Warfarin underused in some patients: study
Patients with atrial fibrillation -- the most common type of heart arrhythmia -- who suffer a stroke and are candidates for potentially life-saving anti-clotting therapy with warfarin are not prescribed the drug or are not prescribed enough of it, a study suggests

Angina: New Drug Gets Right To The Heart Of The Problem
A compound designed to prevent chest pains in heart patients has shown promising results in animal studies, say scientists. In the second issue of the British Journal of Pharmacology to be published by Wiley-Blackwell, researchers from the Centre de Recherche Pierre Fabre in France, show that the novel compound F15845 has anti-angina activity and can protect heart cells from damage without the unwanted side effects often experienced with other drugs.

Coronary Heart Disease Not Accurately Predicted By Traditional Risk Assessment Tools
The Framingham and National Cholesterol Education Program tools, NCEP, do not accurately predict coronary heart disease, according to a study performed at the Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, CT. The study included 1,653 patients who had no history of coronary heart disease; although 738 patients were taking statins (cholesterol lowering drugs like Lipitor) because of increased risk of developing coronary heart disease.

Aortic Stenosis Surgery To Transform By 2015
Medical advances continue to shape the treatment and management of life threatening diseases specific to the human heart. Such is the case for patients diagnosed with aortic stenosis, a life-threatening disease in which a heart valve narrows due to calcification, wear or infection. Ultimately, aortic valve stenosis can lead to thickening of the cardiac muscle and heart failure.

Atrial fibrillation in heart failure: current treatment of patients with remodeled atria

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and chronic heart failure (CHF) can be caused by each other, and therefore constitute a vicious circle. The prevalence of both conditions is about 1% in industrialized countries and increases with age. Although mortality is increased in heart failure, the additional prognostic relevance of AF in these patients is less clear. AF in patients with CHF can worsen heart failure symptoms, cause complications (eg, stroke), and is difficult to treat. Thus, prevention of AF entirely is an important goal. This review summarizes recent data concerning prognostic relevance, treatment, and means of primary and secondary prevention of AF in patients with CHF. Content Type Journal ArticleDOI 10.1007/s11897-008-0033-xAuthors Hans-Ruprecht Neuberger, U...