In the time since our last post on this topic, two randomized controlled trials have been conducted to test the effects of early vasodilator therapy in patients with acute decompensated heart failure, and both came up short. But is this a failure of the drugs themselves or were the populations simply too diverse to detect an effect?
You’ve Got this! Tips on Nailing Your Pharmacy Residency Interview
Residency interviews can be both exciting and nerve-wracking for candidates. In this blog post, we provide tips for students and residents who are preparing for post-graduate residency training interviews.
Up in Flames: Antiplatelet Therapy in Patients with Stable Ischemic Heart Disease Receiving Anticoagulation for A-fib
The optimal antithrombotic regimen in patients with AF and comorbid CAD remains unclear. Current American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines provide minimal guidance on whether to continue antiplatelet therapy in combination with anticoagulation in this population. Additionally, while the 2017 European Society of Cardiology guidelines recommend oral anticoagulation alone, there is little supporting evidence for this recommendation. This blog discusses the implications of the recently published AFIRE study, which attempts to answer the question: In patients with stable CAD and AF, is combination therapy necessary or is anticoagulation monotherapy sufficient?
2020 Glow-Up: Does colchicine have a role post-MI?
Despite the known role of inflammation in atherosclerosis, interventions beyond statins that address this mechanism have been either unsuccessful or plagued with extreme costs and/or intolerable side effects. As a relatively low-cost and acceptably-tolerated medication, colchicine would be a practical choice to target the inflammatory nature of atherosclerosis and has shown promise in previous studies. This blog discusses the recent publication of the Colchicine Cardiovascular Outcomes Trial (COLCOT) and the implications for colchicine to reduce ischemic events.
Should DOACs be Used for Treatment of Cancer-Related Thromboembolism?
Patients with active cancer are at an increased risk of arterial and venous thromboembolism (VTE) and bleeding events. Until recently, low molecular weight heparins (LMWH) were generally the preferred therapeutic class for treatment of VTE in patients with cancer. However, LMWH use is limited in the outpatient setting by parenteral administration. Recently, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have demonstrated efficacy in large randomized clinical trials of patients with both VTE and atrial fibrillation and are recommended over warfarin in certain populations. Given the attractive oral dosing option and lack of laboratory montioring, DOAC use have been used for VTE treatment for patients with cancer. In this blog, we summarize the available trial data and provide clinical recommendations for VTE treatment in patients with cancer.
What’s in the Black Box? Examining the Evidence for Five Cardiac Medications? Part 2
Boxed warnings appear in the product labeling for several cardiac medications. The purpose of a boxed warning is to minimize the risk of harm. In this second part of a two-part series, we’ll review the literature that led to the boxed warnings for edoxaban (Savaysa), prasugrel (Effient) and ticagrelor (Brilinta), along with practical considerations for their use.
What’s in the Black Box? Examining the Evidence for Five Cardiac Medications? Part 1
Boxed warnings appear in the product labeling for several cardiac medications. The purpose of a BW is to minimize the risk of harm. In this two-part blog series, we’ll review the literature that led to the BWs for cilostazol (Pletal), dofetilide (Tikosyn), edoxaban (Savaysa), prasugrel (Effient) and ticagrelor (Brilinta), along with practical considerations for each. Cilostazol and dofetilide will be discussed in this first post of the series.
A Tough Pill to Swallow: Clinical Application of Prasugrel in Patients with ACS
The recent results of The Intracoronary Stenting and Antithrombotic Regimen: Rapid Early Action for Coronary Treatment (ISAR-REACT) 5 trial have, to say the least, brought into question the notion that ticagrelor is a superior P2Y12 inhibitor in patients with ACS. This blog will briefly review the results of ISAR-REACT 5, but more importantly outline key considerations for the use of prasugrel in clinical practice.
SGLT2 Inhibitors, the next GDMT?
Questions regarding the role of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) in heart failure have been raised since the publications of EMPA-REG OUTCOME in 2015. The recent results of the Study to Evaluate the Effect of Dapagliflozin on the Incidence of Worsening Heart Failure or Cardiovascular Death in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure (DAPA-HF) shed some light on the potential for these medications in HFrEF. In this blog, we discuss the implications of DAPA-HF and the role of SGLT2i for heart failure, including perspectives from a cardiologist.
Aldosterone Receptor Antagonist Use in Heart Failure Patients with End Stage Renal Disease Undergoing Dialysis: Is it Safe?
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD). A significant number of patients with ESRD undergoing dialysis have reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. Contemporary treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) includes multiple pharmacotherapeutic strategies such as renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors to reduce mortality and slow disease progression. However, because of concerns about hyperkalemia, aldosterone receptor antagonists are not commonly used in patients with HFrEF and ESRD undergoing dialysis. This blog summarizes the current evidence for efficacy and safety of aldosterone receptor antagonists in patients with concomitant HFrEF and ESRD requiring dialysis.