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Many patients suffer from both hypertension and high cholesterol, putting them at greater risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Controlling the hypertension and high cholesterol would reduce CHD risk by 50% or more, but less than a third of patients have achieved adequate control of both, according to an online study in Circulation.

When metformin cannot maintain glycemic control, sulfonylureas are often used as add-on therapy in type 2 diabetes; however, risks include weight gain and hypoglycemia. Dapagliflozin is an SGLT2 inhibitor and increases urinary glucose excretion and reduces hyperglycemia independently of insulin secretion or action.

In patients with type 2 diabetes, treatment with exenatide has shown beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk factors. A recent study used the GE Healthcare database to evaluate the risk of heart failure, myocardial infarction, and stroke in 2,795 patients taking exenatide twice daily and in 51,547 patients taking insulin in routine clinical practice.

The US healthcare system could avoid hundreds of millions of dollars in medical costs if medication adherence rates improved, according to a CVS Caremark report.

The new update to the 2009 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) guideline on the pharmacologic interventions for breast cancer risk reduction now lists aromatase inhibitor exemestane (Aromasin, Pfizer) as an option for postmenopausal women for primary risk reduction that are at an increased risk of developing invasive breast cancer.

Estimates of the cost of fraud in the Medicare system range broadly from $17 billion to $90 billion. However, there are no estimates of-or methods to detect-how much of the wasted money is attributable to old-fashioned human error rather than blatant crime.

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Long-term use of calcium-channel blockers (CCBs) may increase the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women, but additional research is needed to confirm, according to a study in JAMA Internal Medicine, published online August 5.

There's more political pressure on governors to contain costs and influence healthcare delivery. An industry think tank aims to tackle cost and quality for state leaders.

Approximately 90,000 Americans die every year as a result of kidney disease. This disease produces no symptoms until it is in the advanced stages, so people in the early stages are not likely to know they have it unless they are tested.