Clinical Cardiology Alert – December 1, 2022

Are Renal Artery Denervation Efficacy Claims Too Good to Be True?

Three-year follow-up data from the SYMPLICITY HTN-3 trial of renal denervation provide support for long-term safety of this technique and suggest blood pressure benefit.

The Right Dose at the Right Time: Improving Hypertension Outcomes

An online study of evening vs. morning administration of patients’ usual antihypertensive medications, with a median five-year follow-up, revealed there is no difference in major cardiovascular outcomes between the two periods.

Another Marker of Severe Mitral Regurgitation

A small retrospective study showed Doppler echocardiography-derived left ventricular ejection time is an independent predictor of adverse outcomes in patients with moderate or worse mitral valve regurgitation.

Is Illicit Substance Use Associated with Atrial Fibrillation?

An observational study of a huge cohort of patients admitted to California hospitals showed patients who used cocaine, methamphetamine, opiates, and cannabis were at a higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation vs. those with similar risk factors who did not use the substances.

Periodontal Disease as an Independent Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease

Researchers used data from the 2013 to 2014 period of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to study possible connections between poor oral health and the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease.