–Observational study compares new anticoagulants to warfarin in VTE population. In clinical trials the new oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have been shown to have similar efficacy and safety compared to warfarin, but questions have been raised about whether the results are similar in real world settings. Now a new observational study lends some measure of reassurance…
Stopping Aspirin Hikes CV risk
September 25, 2017 by Leave a Comment
–37% increase in events seen after discontinuation in Sweden People who quit taking aspirin have an increased risk for a cardiovascular event, a large national registry has shown. The use of aspirin for primary prevention against cardiovascular disease has fallen from favor in recent years but aspirin for secondary prevention is still broadly popular and…
Serious Bleeding Risk With Aspirin Soars With Age
June 14, 2017 by 1 Comment
–Routine PPI use might cut the risk of major bleeds in people over 75. Older people who take aspirin to prevent a recurrent cardiovascular event should take a proton-pump inhibitor to lower their risk of serious bleeding complications, say the authors of a new study published in the Lancet. After a transient ischemic attack, ischemic…
Theranos Ignored Red Flags On Its Blood Clot Tests
March 8, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Beleaguered laboratory company Theranos sent out unreliable blood clot tests on at least 81 patients, according to an article by John Carreyrou and Christopher Weaver in the Wall Street Journal. Theranos, a former darling of Wall Street, Silicon Valley, and high technology medicine enthusiasts, has been the subject of a series of embarrassing revelations in…
Reality Check: After Starting Warfarin One In Five Older Vets Hospitalized For Bleeding
November 10, 2015 by Leave a Comment
A new study presented at the American Heart Association meeting in Orlando finds that more than one in five elderly US veterans are hospitalized for bleeding after starting warfarin. This high rate of serious bleeding complications in a real world setting surprised and even disturbed the study authors. Anticoagulants are the proverbial double-edged sword. Striking the right balance between benefit…
Common Pain Drugs Linked To More Problems After A Heart Attack
February 24, 2015 by Leave a Comment
The cardiovascular safety of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen and diclofenac has been the subject of considerable uncertainty and controversy. Now a new study published in JAMA raises specific concerns about the safety of these drugs in the highly vulnerable population of people who have had a recent heart attack. … Click here to read the full…
New Drug From Isis Breaks Important Ground But Unlikely To Dent The Market
December 7, 2014 by Leave a Comment
The first important results with a new drug under development by Isis Pharmaceuticals may well have an enormous long term impact on our understanding of how blood flows through the body and how that same blood forms clots in response to damage and disease. But it appears unlikely that the new drug– an anticoagulant unlike anything…
Women: Don’t Use Aspirin For Routine Prevention Of Heart Attacks, Stroke, And Cancer
December 5, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Although once widely recommended, aspirin for the prevention of a first heart attack or stroke (primary prevention) has lost favor in recent years, as the large number of bleeding complications appeared to offset the reduction in cardiovascular events. But at the same time evidence has emerged demonstrating the long-term effect of aspirin in preventing colorectal cancer,…
FDA Investigation Finds No Excess Bleeding Risk For Dabigatran
November 2, 2012 by 1 Comment
In its latest assessment of a highly controversial issue, the FDA has found no indication that bleeding rates for dabigatran (Pradaxa, Boehringer-Ingelheim) are any higher than the bleeding rates for warfarin. The FDA investigation was in response to the large number of post-marketing reports of bleeding in people taking dabigatran. Click here to for the…
Real World Bleeding Risk Of Aspirin In Primary Prevention Examined
June 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment
A new study published in JAMA provides substantial new evidence about the real world effects of aspirin, including the risk of bleeding, in a broad population. The study also sheds important new light on the effects of aspirin in a diabetic population. Giorgia De Berardis and colleagues analyzed data from more than 4 million people in…
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