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NEW—Action needed now to prevent further increases in #measles and measles deaths in the coming years

Kim Mulholland, Katrina Kretsinger, Liya Wondwossen & Natasha Crowcroft lay out three pillars of action needed to address this concerning situation https://t.co/m6nD6yupMp pic.twitter.com/njd5PD9K3s

— The Lancet (@TheLancet) November 13, 2020

#AHA20 – Randomized trial: In patients with atrial fibrillation and a bioprosthetic mitral valve, Rivaroxaban (20 mg) was noninferior to Warfarin (INR 2-3) for death, MACE, or major bleeding at 12 months

16 Nov, 2020 | 02:01h | UTC

Rivaroxaban in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and a Bioprosthetic Mitral Valve – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

News Release: Rivaroxaban may be as effective as warfarin for bioprosthetic mitral valves, AF – American Heart Association

Commentaries: Rivaroxaban an Option for Patients with Bioprosthetic Mitral Valves and A-fib – TCTMD AND Rivaroxaban for Valvular Heart Disease and Atrial Fibrillation – RIVER – American College of Cardiology AND Rivaroxaban Noninferior to Warfarin for Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Bioprosthetic Mitral Valves – NEJM Journal Watch

Commentary on Twitter

In a trial comparing rivaroxaban with dose-adjusted warfarin, rivaroxaban was noninferior to warfarin with respect to the mean time until the primary outcome of death, major cardiovascular events, or major bleeding at 12 months. #AHA20

— NEJM (@NEJM) November 14, 2020

#AHA20 – Randomized trial: A polypill comprising statins, multiple blood pressure lowering drugs, and aspirin prevents cardiovascular events among patients at intermediate cardiovascular risk

16 Nov, 2020 | 02:03h | UTC

Polypill with or without Aspirin in Persons without Cardiovascular Disease – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

News release: New study confirms combo pill alone and with aspirin lowers heart disease risk – American Heart Association

Commentaries: Polypill along with aspirin cuts heart attacks and strokes by up to 40%: International study – McMaster University AND Big study supports cheap combo pill to lower heart risks – Associated Press AND TIPS-3: International Study Looks at Benefits of Polypill and Polypill Plus Aspirin in Reducing CVD Risk – American College of Cardiology

Commentary on Twitter

Public health vs precision medicine. Thinking through a one size fits all drug prevention approach. "Combined Rx w/polypill+aspirin led to lower incidence of CV events than placebo among participants w/o CV disease who were at intermediate CV risk.” #AHA20 https://t.co/TsbvPtA1Pl pic.twitter.com/Ylq3AKThII

— Harlan Krumholz (@hmkyale) November 14, 2020

#AHA20 – Randomized trial: In patients with refractory hypercholesterolemia, the use of Evinacumab significantly reduced the LDL levels. Larger studies with patient-relevant outcomes are needed.

16 Nov, 2020 | 01:59h | UTC

Evinacumab in Patients with Refractory Hypercholesterolemia – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentary: Evinacumab in Patients With Refractory Hypercholesterolemia – Evinacumab for Refractory Hypercholesterolemia – American College of Cardiology

Commentary on Twitter

In patients with hypercholesterolemia that is refractory to statin and PCSK9 inhibitor therapy, the use of evinacumab reduced plasma lipid levels by 50%. #AHA20

— NEJM (@NEJM) November 15, 2020

Sleep problems in dementia: Despite many drugs being widely prescribed, systematic review finds lack of evidence and no randomized controlled trials to guide decisions about drug treatment

17 Nov, 2020 | 09:29h | UTC

Pharmacotherapies for sleep disturbances in dementia – Cochrane Library

#AHA20 – A small phase 2 randomized trial showed significantly improved survival with an early ECMO-facilitated resuscitation for patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and refractory ventricular fibrillation

16 Nov, 2020 | 01:56h | UTC

Advanced reperfusion strategies for patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and refractory ventricular fibrillation (ARREST): a phase 2, single centre, open-label, randomised controlled trial – The Lancet

Commentaries: Early ECMO-Facilitated Resuscitation for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest – NEJM Journal Watch AND Advanced REperfusion STrategies for refractory cardiac arrest – ARREST – American College of Cardiology AND Cardiac arrest treatment that uses life support machine boosts survival – NIH News Releases

Commentary on Twitter

Latebreaker at #AHA20 @AHAMeetings—Advanced reperfusion strategies for patients with out-of-hospital #cardiacarrest and refractory ventricular fibrillation (ARREST): a phase 2, single centre, open-label, randomised controlled trialhttps://t.co/1TjdlD6G8h pic.twitter.com/zQoRcxF1jO

— The Lancet (@TheLancet) November 14, 2020

#AHA20 – Randomized trial: In patients with systolic heart failure, Cardiac Myosin activation with Omecamtiv Mecarbil led to modest reduction in heart failure events

16 Nov, 2020 | 02:00h | UTC

Cardiac Myosin Activation with Omecamtiv Mecarbil in Systolic Heart Failure – New England Journal of Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)

Commentaries: Modest Gains With Omecamtiv Mecarbil in Chronic HFrEF: GALACTIC-HF – TCTMD AND Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac Outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure – GALACTIC-HF – American College of Cardiology

Commentary on Twitter

Among patients with heart failure & a reduced ejection fraction, those who received the cardiac myosin activator omecamtiv mecarbil had a lower incidences of heart-failure events or cardiovascular death at a median of 22 months than those who received placebo. #AHA20

— NEJM (@NEJM) November 13, 2020

#AHA20 – Randomized trial: In elective percutaneous coronary intervention Clopidogrel led to similar outcomes compared with Ticagrelor with less minor bleeding

16 Nov, 2020 | 01:55h | UTC

Ticagrelor versus clopidogrel in elective percutaneous coronary intervention (ALPHEUS): a randomised, open-label, phase 3b trial – The Lancet

News release: Ticagrelor was not superior to clopidogrel to reduce heart attack risk during angioplasty – American Heart Association

Commentaries: Clopidogrel Should Remain Antiplatelet of Choice in Elective PCI: ALPHEUS – TCTMD AND Ticagrelor Not Superior to Clopidogrel for Elective PCI – NEJM Journal Watch

Commentary on Twitter

NEW Research—Clopidogrel vs ticagrelor or prasugrel in patients aged 70 years or older with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (POPular AGE): the randomised, open-label, non-inferiority trial https://t.co/joepKHbgtu pic.twitter.com/gEyPl2HE80

— The Lancet (@TheLancet) April 30, 2020

#AHA20 – In patients who had discontinued statins because of side effects, a N-of-1 trial of a statin, placebo, or no treatment found that side effects often attributed to statins were the same for those taking a placebo

16 Nov, 2020 | 01:57h | UTC

Side effects often attributed to statins were the same for those taking a placebo – American Heart Association

Commentary: ‘Nocebo effect’ cause of most statin side-effects, study suggests – The Guardian

Original study: N-of-1 Trial of a Statin, Placebo, or No Treatment to Assess Side Effects – New England Journal of Medicine ($ – no abstract available)

Commentary on Twitter

Patients who had discontinued statins because of side effects received four bottles of a statin, four bottles of placebo, and four empty bottles. Each used for 1 month, in random sequence. The symptom burden with placebo was 90% of the symptom burden with the statin. #AHA20

— NEJM (@NEJM) November 15, 2020

#AHA20 – Randomized trial: High-dose Omega-3 fatty acids did not reduce the risk of cardiac events in patients at high cardiovascular risk

16 Nov, 2020 | 01:51h | UTC

Effect of High-Dose Omega-3 Fatty Acids vs Corn Oil on Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients at High Cardiovascular Risk: The STRENGTH Randomized Clinical Trial – JAMA

Editorial 1: Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events: What Matters Most: the Drug, the Dose, or the Placebo?

Editorial 2: Do Omega-3 Fatty Acids Benefit Health?

Commentary: STRENGTH trial finds new fish oil medication did not reduce the risk of cardiac events – American Heart Association

Commentary on Twitter

In this RCT, omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA) did not reduce major adverse CV events vs corn oil in statin-treated patients at high CV risk
(Compare w Vascepa in REDUCE-IT) https://t.co/7BIs1Rr8YZ #STRENGTHTrial #AHA20 #SteveNissen @ProfSNicholls @Dmozaffarian @ClevelandClinic

— JAMA (@JAMA_current) November 15, 2020

[Not Published Yet] #AHA20 – Randomized trial: Fish oil and vitamin D supplements not effective for preventing atrial fibrillation

16 Nov, 2020 | 01:49h | UTC

Fish oil and vitamin D supplements not effective for preventing atrial fibrillation – American Heart Association

Commentary: Fish Oil, Vitamin D Don’t Prevent A-fib: VITAL Rhythm – TCTMD

#AHA20 – In patients hospitalized for heart failure with iron deficiency, intravenous Ferric carboxymaltose at discharge reduced the risk of heart failure rehospitalizations

16 Nov, 2020 | 01:53h | UTC

Ferric carboxymaltose for iron deficiency at discharge after acute heart failure: a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, controlled trial – The Lancet

Commentaries: Intravenous iron reduced rehospitalization risk in people with heart failure – American Heart Association AND AFFIRM-AHF: IV Iron Supplementation Linked to Fewer Repeat Hospitalizations for HF – TCTMD

Commentary on Twitter

Latebreaker at #AHA20 @AHAMeetings—Ferric carboxymaltose for iron deficiency at discharge after acute #heartfailure: AFFIRM-AHF, a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, controlled trial https://t.co/gRKtbsxfba pic.twitter.com/k67HDJMW2b

— The Lancet (@TheLancet) November 14, 2020

Practice Pointer: Using antibiotics wisely for respiratory tract infection in the era of covid-19

16 Nov, 2020 | 01:48h | UTC

Using antibiotics wisely for respiratory tract infection in the era of covid-19 – The BMJ

Commentary on Twitter

When should patients with respiratory tract infections be assessed in person and when should you prescribe antibiotics based on best available evidence? This Practice Pointer offers guidance in the era of covid-19https://t.co/k6LoYPWmsv pic.twitter.com/rtIrjplyv0

— The BMJ (@bmj_latest) November 15, 2020

Sweden has admitted its coronavirus immunity predictions were wrong as cases soar across the country

16 Nov, 2020 | 01:44h | UTC

Sweden has admitted its coronavirus immunity predictions were wrong as cases soar across the country – Business Insider

Perspective: The third surge is breaking health-care workers

16 Nov, 2020 | 01:46h | UTC

‘No One Is Listening to Us’. More people than ever are hospitalized with COVID-19. Health-care workers can’t go on like this. – The Atlantic

Commentary from the author (thread – click for more)

🚨I wrote about what health-care workers are going through, how exhausted & scared they are, and what this 3rd pandemic surge is doing to them.

It’s not like the first 2. It’s worse. How much slack is left in the system? Iowa nurse: “There is none” 1/ https://t.co/is2NGHdwRP

— Ed Yong is not here (@edyong209) November 13, 2020

World Diabetes Day 2020 (14 November 2020): Introducing the Global Diabetes Compact

16 Nov, 2020 | 01:43h | UTC

World Diabetes Day 2020: Introducing the Global Diabetes Compact – World Health Organization

Covid-19: Inhaled Nebulized Interferon Beta-1a shows potential for hospitalized patients in preliminary trial

13 Nov, 2020 | 09:33h | UTC

Safety and efficacy of inhaled nebulised interferon beta-1a (SNG001) for treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial – The Lancet Respiratory Medicine

Preliminary study shows fluvoxamine may reduce clinical deterioration in outpatients with symptomatic COVID-19

13 Nov, 2020 | 09:35h | UTC

Fluvoxamine vs Placebo and Clinical Deterioration in Outpatients With Symptomatic COVID-19: A Randomized Clinical Trial – JAMA

Editorial: COVID-19 Infection—Preventing Clinical Deterioration

Commentary: Fluvoxamine may prevent serious illness in COVID-19 patients, study suggests – Washington University School of Medicine

Long Covid: Persistent fatigue following SARS-CoV-2 infection is common and independent of severity of initial infection

13 Nov, 2020 | 09:27h | UTC

Persistent fatigue following SARS-CoV-2 infection is common and independent of severity of initial infection – PLOS One

Commentary: Half of recovered COVID-19 patients report lingering fatigue – CIDRAP

Long Covid: 2 months after being hospitalized for Covid-19, many patients persisted symptomatic and did not resume normal activities

13 Nov, 2020 | 09:28h | UTC

Sixty-Day Outcomes Among Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19 – Annals of Internal Medicine

Commentary: Life after COVID hospitalization: Study shows major lasting effects on health, work and more – University of Michigan

Commentary on Twitter

New Mich. hospital data: Of people admitted with COVID, 70% were alive and home 60 days later.

Of those who'd been working, 40% either lost their job or were still too sick to work.

It's not just the deaths; it's the health and economic damage. https://t.co/wMGkJw5KSF pic.twitter.com/8EbHktTxRX

— Atul Gawande (@Atul_Gawande) November 12, 2020

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