Cardiology Digest podcast: Episode #5

Study #1

Dig into a study that issues a wake-up call about the potential accuracy of home blood pressure measurements. A dash of detective work is required here that could be the key to solving the mystery of some blood pressure anomalies. Cue suspenseful music!

"Approximately 80% of both arm and wrist devices were not validated... It's a good idea to ask patients to occasionally bring their home devices to the office so we can double-check their accuracy compared to our office devices."

Picone, DS,  Chapman, N, Schultz, MG, et al. 2023. Availability, cost, and consumer ratings of popular nonvalidated vs validated blood pressure–measuring devices sold online in 10 countries. JAMA. 17: 1514–1516. (https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2023.2661)

Study #2

Take a close look at 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurement and its prognostic value. This is a robust study, but doesn't shy away from addressing some thorny issues surrounding the use of ambulatory monitoring in the U.S. Does this comprehensive blood pressure monitoring lead to better clinical outcomes? This is sure to spark some debate!

"Nighttime ambulatory blood pressure was about six times more informative for the risk of death than clinic blood pressure."

 "Variable insurance coverage, and variable acceptability to patients can be barriers to the use of ambulatory monitoring in the U.S."

Staplin, N, de la Sierra, A, Ruilope, LM, et al. 2023. Relationship between clinic and ambulatory blood pressure and mortality: An observational cohort study in 59   124 patients. Lancet. 10393: 2041–2050. (https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00733-X)

Study #3:

Explore a paper that evaluates whether apixaban, a commonly prescribed oral anticoagulant, had a higher rate of thromboembolic events than warfarin when given to patients with On-X mechanical aortic valves. Tune in as we explore the implications of this eye-opening research!

"Despite the benefits of oral anticoagulants like apixaban in patients with atrial fibrillation, this study adds to others that have shown direct oral anticoagulants should not be prescribed for patients with mechanical heart valves."

Wang, TY, Svensson, LG, Wen, J, et al. 2023. Apixaban or warfarin in patients with an On-X mechanical aortic valve. NEJM Evid. 2. (https://doi.org/10.1056/EVIDoa2300067)

Join us for this informative overview of contemporary research, as we break down complex medical concepts into digestible nuggets of knowledge, suitable for both medical students and healthcare professionals eager to keep up-to-date in cardiology.