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

The Handoff is a weekly roundup of cardiology news covering various developments in subspecialties, the pharmaceutical industry, and the overall state of health care as it affects cardiologists. 

• MarkVCID (Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia), a new consortium formed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will be charged with accelerating the development of small vessel VCID biomarkers. The consortium consists of 7 research groups that will work together through a coordinating center at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, head by Steven M. Greenberg, MD, PhD, director of the Hemorrhagic Stroke Research Program at the hospital.
• Are stents being implanted too often unnecessarily? The Atlantic examines the potential harm done when medical opinion contradicts the current research in cardiology and other fields.
• Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and Johns Hopkins University will use data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study to improve the Pooled Cohort Equation risk calculator for cardiovascular disease to include older patient populations. In addition, they will identify factors in middle aged people who have gone on to have healthy cardiovascular aging.”
• According to a meta-analysis published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, furosemide matched with hydration by the RenalGuard® system may reduce contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients considered high risk undergoing PCI or TAVR.
• Consistent, heavy alcohol consumption is associated with a higher cardiovascular risk, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The researchers examined data from nearly 4000 study participants and found that heavier drinkers had significantly higher baseline pulse wave velocities compared with moderate drinkers.
• The Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) published a report, How We Work: Trends and Insights in Hospital Palliative Care that revealed 13% palliative care patients had a primary diagnosis of heart disease. This diagnosis group was the second largest after cancer.
• Pacemakers may be affected by electric and magnetic fields produced from household appliances and tools, according to a new study published in Circulation. However, in many cases, holding the appliance at distance of more than 12 inches limits the risk of interference. 
• The American College of Cardiology’s (ACC) annual Scientific Session & Expo will take place from Friday, March 17 through Sunday, March 19 in Washington, DC. The Cardiology Advisor will be on site to bring you the most up-to-date news. In the meantime, check out the ACC’s site for the keynote speaker schedule and more.