The Handoff: Your Week in Cardiology News – 2/3/17

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

• E-cigarette use is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events, according to a study published in JAMA Cardiology.
• From 1999 to 2014, premature death rates declined among Hispanics, blacks, and Asian/Pacific Islanders, but rose among whites and American Indian/Alaska Natives. A study, published in The Lancet, found that the increase was mainly due to several avoidable causes of death (eg, drug poisonings, suicide, and chronic liver disease).
• The New England Journal of Medicine unveiled a new collection of NEJM Catalyst content. Patient Engagement: Driving Behavior Change for Better Health includes topics such as “Health Care That Targets Unmet Social Needs,” “Physician Attire and Patient Preference: Evidence-Based Guidance for Choosing a Dress Code,” “Better Communication Makes Better Physicians,” and more.
• New York Times readers weigh in on how the possible repeal of the Affordable Care Act may affect them.
• Taking commonly prescribed NSAIDs or other pain relievers to ease cold or flu symptoms may increase your risk of heart attack, according to a study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. 
• American Heart Month kicks off with the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women National Wear Red Day® on Friday, February 3. Next week, the Go Red for Women® Red Dress Collection 2017 fashion show will air on Facebook Live, Thursday, February 9 at 8 PM EST.
• Potential neurological consequences of anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapies will be among the topics of discussion between cardiologists and neurologists at the International Stroke Conference (ISC) Pre-Conference Symposium. “We are focusing on controversies or overlap between the diseases and how each specialty views the appropriate treatments for them,” said symposium chair Ted Wein, MD, FRCPC, FAHA.
• A new funding opportunity is available for organizations interested in joining the All of Us Research Program at the National Institutes of Health. All of Us is “an ambitious effort to gather data over time from 1 million or more people living in the United States, with the ultimate goal of accelerating research and improving health.” For more information, a webinar will be held on February 10.
• A molecule discovered by researchers may help personalize heart failure treatment. An excess of lysyl oxidase can impede normal heart function. By removing the excess, heart function can return to normal. Learn more below.