The Handoff: Your Week in Cardiology News – 12/2/16

The Handoff is a weekly roundup of cardiology news covering various developments in subspecialties, as well as pharmaceutical industry, association, and society news.

• Don’t forget to submit your late-breaking clinical trial to the American College of Cardiology for the 2017 Annual Scientific Session & Expo. The deadline is December 8.
• The UK-based “Defibs Save Lives” campaign has increased the number of automated external defibrillators in public places. Since 2013, the Arrhythmia Alliance has installed 3000 devices, which they believe will save many more lives.
• Aerobic fitness may be better predictor of heart disease risk and early death than standard risk factors like smoking, obesity, or hypertension. The New York Times reported on a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association that concluded aerobic fitness should become a new vital sign.
• Drinking 1 or 2 alcoholic beverages per day may lower a person’s stroke risk according to an analysis published in BMC Medicine and reported in the New York Times.
• Abbott Vascular sponsored a webcast on key insights from a panel of Absorb experts, titled “A critical review of Absorb data: What do the recent RCTs teach us?” Absorb is a bioresorbable scaffold system used in PCI procedures.
• Certain exercise activities—mainly, racquet sports, swimming, and aerobics—can lower risk of death due to heart disease by up to 56%. While these 3 sports were considered the most effective, experts say that any activity is better than no activity at all. 
• Providing patients with personalized information about their genetic risk of developing type 2 diabetes may not lead to behavioral changes, according to a new study. However, participants who were given their genetic information did have a better understanding of risk at the end of the study.
• A feature from the National Institutes of Health offers healthy eating tips for upcoming holiday celebrations, including eating slowly, adding more exercise to your routine, and choosing grilled or broiled options over fried foods.