Heart Matters

Results of a recent study may change the standard of care for patients with acute coronary syndromes. Although clopidogrel is generally the antiplatelet therapy of choice for patients for whom an invasive strategy is planned for treating their acute coronary syndromes, bleeding can be of concern. Prasugrel often presents the same dilemma. Enter, ticagrelor. The PLATelet inhibition and patient Outcomes, or PLATO, trial compared ticagrelor and clopidogrel, which demonstrated promising results for ticagrelor. Dr. Gregg Stone, professor of medicine and director of research and education at the Center for Interventional Vascular Therapy at the Columbia University Medical Center, and director of medical research and education at the Cardiovascular Research Foundation in New York City, hails the PLATO findings as transformative to the standard of care for acute coronary syndromes. He joins host Dr. Alfred Bove to discuss the new place of ticagrelor among the antiplatelet therapy options.

Elevated blood sugar levels are quite common among even non-diabetic patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction (or AMI). Does lowering a patient's glucose level actually improve outcomes, and if so, what glucose-control therapies are most effective for these patients? Dr. Mikhail Kosiborod, associate professor of medicine at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and cardiologist at St. Luke's Hospital Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, Missouri, reviews recent findings about glucose control and AMI with host Dr. Janet Wright.

Stem cell therapies across multiple disciplines continue to demonstrate promising results. How successful are autologous cardiac stem cell treatments proving to be at regenerating cardiac tissue after a heart attack? Which patients would be the best candidates for this procedure, and when might this treatment move from clinical trials into the clinic? Dr. Eduardo Marbán, director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, developed this procedure, and joins host Dr. Janet Wright to discuss its exciting applications.

We are well aware that the overabundance of processed, frozen and fast foods contribute to many Americans exceeding the recommended daily allowance of sodium. But there are potentially enormous cardiovascular benefits to cutting down on salt intake by even a very modest amount. How can we quantify the actual clinical impact of salt reduction? Dr. Kirstin Bibbins-Domingo, associate professor of medicine and of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California San Francisco, and Dr. Glenn Chertow, professor of medicine and chief of the division of nephrology at Stanford University School of Medicine in Stanford, California, discuss findings from their study on the effects of modest salt reduction using a computerized model. How would reducing salt intake cut down on healthcare costs, in addition to promoting better overall public health? Can the health benefits of reducing population-wide salt intake compare to reducing the number of smokers in the US?

Elevated blood sugar levels are quite common among even non-diabetic patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction (or AMI). Does lowering a patient's glucose level actually improve outcomes, and if so, what glucose-control therapies are most effective for these patients? Dr. Mikhail Kosiborod, associate professor of medicine at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and cardiologist at St. Luke's Hospital Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, Missouri, reviews recent findings about glucose control and AMI with host Dr. Janet Wright.

Stem cell therapies across multiple disciplines continue to demonstrate promising results. How successful are autologous cardiac stem cell treatments proving to be at regenerating cardiac tissue after a heart attack? Which patients would be the best candidates for this procedure, and when might this treatment move from clinical trials into the clinic? Dr. Eduardo Marbán, director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, developed this procedure, and joins host Dr. Janet Wright to discuss its exciting applications.

We are well aware that the overabundance of processed, frozen and fast foods contribute to many Americans exceeding the recommended daily allowance of sodium. But there are potentially enormous cardiovascular benefits to cutting down on salt intake by even a very modest amount. How can we quantify the actual clinical impact of salt reduction? Dr. Kirstin Bibbins-Domingo, associate professor of medicine and of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California San Francisco, and Dr. Glenn Chertow, professor of medicine and chief of the division of nephrology at Stanford University School of Medicine in Stanford, California, discuss findings from their study on the effects of modest salt reduction using a computerized model. How would reducing salt intake cut down on healthcare costs, in addition to promoting better overall public health? Can the health benefits of reducing population-wide salt intake compare to reducing the number of smokers in the US?

Use of electronic medical records (EMRs) and personal health records (PHRs) can improve adherence, increase efficiency and better coordinate patient care. What role are health information exchanges playing in the integration of EMRs and PHRs, and how effective are disease management software programs? How can we meet the challenges of integrating health information technology, or HIT, tools into cardiology practices? Dr. Richard Katz, the Bloedorn Professor of Cardiology, director of the division of cardiology at George Washington University Hospital, and director of the George Washington Cardiovascular Institute in Washington, DC, discusses the opportunities to utilize existing and emerging technologies to improve patient care. Dr. Katz also offers pragmatic advice about implementing HIT systems, and reviews current HIT initiatives. Hosted by Dr. Jack Lewin.

What payment cuts does the 2010 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule include for cardiology? How will these lower reimbursements affect cardiology practices and impact patients' access to care? Chris Kaiser, editor of Cardiovascular Business, joins host Dr. Jack Lewin to discuss ways cardiology practices can try to adapt to payment cuts by increasing practice efficiency. How can cardiologists optimize use of health information technology to help their practices thrive and encourage better outcomes, despite these payment cuts? What economic challenges will cardiology practices continue to face? Tune in to hear more.

Medication adherence is a significant problem in the US. Patients with chronic conditions such as hypertension or high cholesterol can be particularly susceptible to non-adherence, because patients may not experience symptoms that would seem to justify taking medication, and thus may not notice any immediate benefits from their medications. What are some of the other barriers to medication adherence? Dr. Michael Ho, associate professor in the department of medicine at the University of Colorado, Denver, has examined the prevalence of non-adherence, and says that good communication and patient education can go a long way toward encouraging patients to take their medications. Tune in to hear other strategies cardiologists can use to address the issue with patients, including utilization of health information technology. Dr. Janet Wright hosts.