ACC: American College of Cardiology

A study being presented at the upcoming meeting of the American College of Cardiology found a dose–response relationship between walking and reduced heart failure risk.

The use of technology in behavioral interventions is exciting, but it is important to integrate the underlying principles of behavioral science when developing counseling interventions, explained Rob Nolan, PhD, CPsych, director of Cardiac eHealth at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and clinical psychologist and scientist at the Toronto General Research Institute, at the American College of Cardiology 66th Scientific Session, where he presented the results of the REACH eCounseling trial.

The REACH trial of an eCounseling program to reduce hypertension was effective because it encouraged patients to see themselves as an active member of the team, according to lead study author Rob Nolan, PhD, CPsych, director of Cardiac eHealth at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and clinical psychologist and scientist at the Toronto General Research Institute.

It remains unclear why insurers approve some patients for PCSK9 inhibitors while denying others with similar clinical characteristics, according to Seth J. Baum, MD, FACC, FACPM, FAHA, FNLA, FASPC, president of the American Society for Preventive Cardiology, who presented an abstract on the subject at the American College of Cardiology 66th Scientific Session.

As CMS developed the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) over the past few years, it was responsive to the needs and concerns of clinicians, according to William Borden, MD, FACC, FAHA, associate professor of medicine and director of healthcare delivery transformation at the George Washington University. Still, Borden says there are ways the requirements could be simplified, which would benefit both physicians and patients.

The Million Hearts initiative, with its goal of preventing a million cardiovascular events in 5 years, requires sustained efforts by cardiologists in conjunction with public health experts to achieve success, explained Janet Wright, MD, FACC, the program’s executive director.

After presenting the results of the REACH eCounseling hypertension intervention at the American College of Cardiology 66th Scientific Session, lead author Rob Nolan, PhD, CPsych, director of Cardiac eHealth at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and clinical psychologist and scientist at the Toronto General Research Institute, discussed his team’s plans for future eCounseling research.

At the American College of Cardiology 66th Scientific Session, Seth J. Baum, MD, FACC, FACPM, FAHA, FNLA, FASPC, president of the American Society for Preventive Cardiology, discussed why insurers are so reluctant to approve coverage of PCSK9 inhibitors and how this hesitance could harm patients who are denied access to the cardiovascular drugs.

The Million Hearts initiative, which aims to prevent a million cardiovascular events in a 5-year period, will focus on utilizing its partnerships with health systems and employers as it embarks upon its second phase, according to Janet Wright, MD, FACC, the program’s executive director.

Robert P. Giugliano, MD, MSc, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, discussed the findings of the EBBINGHAUS study on evolocumab’s effect on cognition, which he presented at the American College of Cardiology 66th Scientific Session. He also explained how that study was related to the highly-anticipated FOURIER trial.

It remains unclear why insurers approve some patients for PCSK9 inhibitors while denying others with similar clinical characteristics, according to Seth J. Baum, MD, FACC, FACPM, FAHA, FNLA, FASPC, president of the American Society for Preventive Cardiology, who presented an abstract on the subject at the American College of Cardiology 66th Scientific Session.

The CVD-REAL study presented at the American College of Cardiology 66th Scientific Session asked whether cardiovascular outcomes seen in the EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial could be seen in a real-world environment, and for the entire class of SGLT2 inhibitors, according to AstraZeneca’s Jim McDermott, PhD, vice president for Medical Affairs, Diabetes.

Heart disease is America’s top killer, and people living in poverty are affected at higher rates. With that in mind, the American College of Cardiology devoted devoted a 3-part intensive to this issue at the 66th Scientific Session.

The Million Hearts initiative launched in 2012 set a lofty goal of preventing 1 million cardiovascular deaths in 5 years, but did not quite achieve that target. According to the program’s executive director, Janet Wright, MD, FACC, Million Hearts will continue to make progress in part due to the solid foundations it has formed in the initial stage.

The Quality Payment Program (QPP) from CMS, including the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA), represents a shift toward focusing on quality measures, but there are resources available to help clinicians adjust to these changes, explained William Borden, MD, FACC, FAHA, associate professor of medicine and director of healthcare delivery transformation at the George Washington University.

Research from the REACH trial presented at the American College of Cardiology 66th Scientific Session indicated that participants who received the REACH eCounseling intervention showed significant improvements in measures of hypertension management, according to lead study author Rob Nolan, PhD, CPsych, director of Cardiac eHealth at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre and clinical psychologist and scientist at the Toronto General Research Institute.

Results from the CVD-REAL study seek to answer questions raised by the EMPA-REG OUTCOME study: do the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on heart failure apply to a broad population?

At the American College of Cardiology Scientific Session, a study of prescriptions for PCSK9 inhibitors confirms what doctors say about trying to get their patients access to the cholesterol drug.

Past study results had raised concerns about the effect of lipid-lowering drugs like evolocumab on cognitive function, but the EBBINGHAUS trial presented at the American College of Cardiology 66th Scientific Session may finally help put those fears to rest, explained lead study author Robert P. Giugliano, MD, MSc, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

The study was the first head-to-head trial to compare 2 common options for treatment to prevent recurrent venous thromboembolism.

Coverage from the American College of Cardiology 2017 Scientific Session.

The study's lead author said the findings may show something similar to the "obesity paradox," where high-risk patients fare better than expected due to frequent follow-up by physicians.

The study from Sweden found a substantial benefit for men taking the class of drugs that was discovered by accident when researchers were developing a treatment for angina 2 decades ago.

The study finds that this biomarker can show which patients may develop heart disease even if they have no current blockage or elevated cholesterol levels.

Researchers have identified another high associated with marijuana use: the risk of heart failure and cerebrovascular accidents.

The nation's top food and drug regulator enjoyed a warm welcome from colleagues on the final day of the 65th Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology.

While overall data did not suggest a benefit for the drugs, a look at the effects on patients whose cardiac arrests were witnessed shows the benefit of reaching patients quickly.

The data were submitted to the FDA following idarucizumab’s accelerated approval last year, which is granted to therapies that address an unmet medical need.

Results from the GAUSS-3 trial presented Sunday at the American College of Cardiology should be good news for Amgen, but an editorial in JAMA says the cost of evolocumab exceeds "willingness to pay" limits.

A small study of sudden out-of-hospital deaths raises questions about the quality of primary care, especially for women.