The obesity paradox in AF and paradoxes in general, digital health gets whacked again, and direct-to-consumer ads are the topics discussed by John Mandrola, MD in this week's podcast. This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals only. To read a partial transcript or to comment, visit: https://www.medscape.com/twic

I. Collider Bias and the Obesity Paradox

- 'Obesity Paradox' in Atrial Fibrillation Challenged as Mortality Climbs With BMI https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/979150

- Association of body mass index with outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation: GARFIELD-AF https://openheart.bmj.com/content/9/2/e002038

- Collider bias https://catalogofbias.org/biases/collider-bias/

- Pediatric obesity appears to lower the risk of diabetes if selection bias is ignored https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29374028/

- Effect of Caloric Restriction or Aerobic Exercise Training on Peak Oxygen Consumption and Quality of Life in Obese Older Patients With Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Randomized Clinical Trial https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2480484

II. Digital Health

- Blood Pressure Smartphone App Fails to Beat Standard Self-Monitoring https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/979341

- Effectiveness of Standard vs Enhanced Self-measurement of Blood Pressure Paired With a Connected Smartphone Application https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2794971

III. Direct-to-Consumer Ads

- Does DTC Heart Drug Advertising Discourage Lifestyle Changes? https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/979404

- Association of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Prescription Drugs With Consumer Health-Related Intentions and Beliefs Among Individuals at Risk of Cardiovascular Disease https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2794995

You may also like:

Medscape editor-in-chief Eric Topol, MD, and master storyteller and clinician Abraham Verghese, MD, on Medicine and the Machine https://www.medscape.com/features/public/machine

The Bob Harrington Show with Stanford University Chair of Medicine, Robert A. Harrington, MD. https://www.medscape.com/author/bob-harrington

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