Medical Therapy, Carotid Endarterectomy on Par in Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis

A US comparative effectiveness study suggests that, given the up-front perioperative risks associated with carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and the reduced benefit derived from revascularization, initial medical therapy may be an acceptable treatment strategy for asymptomatic carotid stenosis. The study included 5221 patients who received carotid imaging between January 1, 2005, […]


Benign Prognosis of Asymptomatic Intracranial Stenosis

A prospective cohort study in England found that the prevalence ofasymptomatic intracranial stenosis (ICS) increased with age in patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) and minor stroke, but did not increase the short- or medium-term risk of distal recurrent ischemic stroke in patients receiving standard medical treatment. The study included […]


COVID-19 Positivity Not Higher in ACEI or ARB Users

A US retrospective cohort study found no association between angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) use and COVID-19 test positivity. The study included 18 472 patients tested for COVID-19 (mean age 49 years, 40% male, and 69% white), 12.4% were taking either ACEIs or ARBs. A positive […]


Myocardial Injury Common and Risky in COVID-19

A retrospective cohort study in the US suggested that myocardial injury was prevalent among patients hospitalized with COVID-19, and was associated with higher risk of mortality. The study included 2736 patients (median age 66.4 years, 59.6% men) with COVID-19 admitted between February 27th and April 12th, 2020 with troponin-I (normal […]


Hydroxychloroquine plus Azithromycin May be Risky

International cohort studies suggest that adding azithromycin to hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) treatment may increase heart failure and cardiovascular mortality, potentially due to synergistic effects on QT length of ECG. Severe adverse events associated with HCQ-azithromycin were compared to HCQ-amoxicillin in rheumatoid arthritis patients aged 18+ and followed up over 30 days. […]


Aspirin Linked to Lower Risk of Liver Cancer

A nationwide Swedish cohort study suggests that in patients with chronic viral hepatitis, low-dose (75 mg or 160 mg) aspirin use was associated with a duration-dependent significantly lower risk of incident hepatocellular carcinoma and liver-related death than no use of aspirin, without a significantly higher risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. The […]


Stress-Related Disorders Linked to Subsequent Neurodegenerative Diseases

A Swedish nationwide cohort study suggests that stress-related disorders may be associated with the subsequent risk of neurodegenerative diseases, possibly through a cerebrovascular pathway. A population-matched cohort included 61 748 individuals who received their first diagnosis of stress-related disorders (posttraumatic stress disorder, acute stress reaction, adjustment disorder, and other stress reactions) […]


Dose Dependent BP Lowering by Salt Reduction

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials concluded that the magnitude of blood pressure (BP) lowering achieved with sodium reduction showed a dose-response relation and was greater for older populations, non-white populations, and those with higher BP. Short term studies underestimate the effect of sodium reduction on BP. The […]