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Beta blockers, touted for 3 decades as first-line drugs in the treatment of hypertension, are less than optimum in comparison to other antihypertensive drugs and raise the risk of stroke, according to a meta-analysis published online by The Lancet.

Early invasive strategy, recommended by the current guidelines in the treatment of patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), did not excel when compared with its more conservative alternative in a randomized study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Patients who have switched statins should receive special care as they are substantially less likely to be compliant and remain on the treatment long enough to obtain its full benefits, researchers reported in the American Journal of Managed Care.

Utilizing statin therapy, researchers have provided further evidence that absolute reductions in LDL-C reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) and other major vascular events.

Dronedarone, a class III multichannel blocker developed for maintenance of sinus rhythm and ventricular rate control, reduces the risk of all-cause hospitalizations and death in patients with atrial fibrillation/flutter (AF/AFl), according to a post-hoc analysis of 2 randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials.

The calcium sensitizer levosimendan was associated with an improvement in the clinical course of patients compared with placebo when used for the treatment of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), but the drug failed to reduce 6-month mortality when compared with dobutamine in a similar set of patients.

Drugs that reduce brachial blood pressure similarly can have different effects on central blood pressure. This finding may explain differences in clinical end points between antihypertensive drugs that lower blood pressure similarly, said Bryan Williams, MD, lead investigator of the Conduit Artery Function Evaluation (CAF?) trial, a substudy of the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial (ASCOT).

In a trial comparing high-dose atorvastatin with moderate-dose simvastatin in patients with stable coronary heart disease (CHD), the aggressive LDL-lowering strategy offered no significant advantage over the less aggressive strategy in reducing the number of coronary events, said Terje R. Pedersen, MD.

A nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist is an effective smoking cessation aid, said Serena Tonstad, MD, PhD, professor of nutrition at the Ulleval University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.

An exploratory analysis of PROactive (Prospective Pioglitazone Clinical Trial In Macrovascular Events Study) demonstrated a significant reduction in the risk of a second coronary event in patients with type 2 diabetes who took pioglitazone.

Oral anticoagulant therapy proved superior to the combination of clopidogrel and aspirin in preventing adverse vascular outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). This outcome was observed in a large, multicenter trial at the 2005 AHA meeting in Dallas, comparing warfarin therapy with combination antiplatelet therapy in patients with AF.

The American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions comprise the world's largest conference for scientists and healthcare professionals focusing on cardiovascular disease.

Complexity still strangling efforts to automate

When NASA astronauts first ventured into space and their vital signs were monitored by Earth-bound doctors using video conferencing equipment, the term "telemedicine" was born.

While healthcare costs are predicted to rise at a slower rate in 2006 than in recent years, employers will still pay an average of more than $8,400 per employee. This amounts to an 8% increase, roughly $600 per employee; employees will pay about $155 of that increase in 2006, a 10% rise from 2005 levels, according to the 17th Annual Towers Perrin Health Care Cost Survey released in September 2005.

Most PBMs will need to continue to work harder and smarter to bring value to their customers, say industry experts.

If the united states' healthcare trend continues on its current course, in 20 years the number of people with diabetes will more than double to 50 million. This dismaying prediction comes from a new report from the Yale Schools of Public Health and Medicine in conjunction with the Institute for Alternative Futures. If the current trend continues, by 2025

A value-based formulary enables the payer and pharmacy benefit partner achieve lower net cost.

Establishing and managing a RHIO is a little like promoting world peace.

On a national level, the Medicaid population has grown by 11 million since 1996 and has increasingly spread into managed care. Ten years ago, 40.1% of the 33 million Medicaid enrollees were covered by managed care plans, and as of June 2004, 60.6% of 44 million enrollees were covered by managed care, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The Medicare Advantage unit within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is keeping a watchful eye on improper marketing activities in the new, revamped Medicare product market. Medicare officials at CMS have received numerous complaints about the aggressive sales tactics being used by some insurance agents and insurers in the marketing of new Medicare prescription drug plans.

For some problems, there are no easy answers. Even the best solution might have detrimental drawbacks. We see this in healthcare every day when we try to deliver care to the uninsured, improve health through lifestyle changes or push the quality envelope.

Review of agents in late-stage development for the treatment of selected dermatologic disorders (December 2005).

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy, one of the most common late complications of diabetes, is associated with decreased quality of life and increased morbidity. The pathophysiology of diabetic neuropathy (DN) is multifactorial, contributing to ischemic and painful events and neuronal damage.

Thalidomide (Thalomid, Celgene) as a treatment for multiple myeloma

Acute care is less expensive through specialized treatment sources

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