FDA updates LDL-C lowering indication for Nexletol (bempedoic acid) tablet and Nexlizet (bempedoic acid and ezetimibe) tablet – Esperion

Esperion announced that the FDA has approved an updated LDL-cholesterol lowering indication for Nexletol and Nexlizet to include the treatment of primary hyperlipidemia as a qualifier for existing approved populations . Additionally, the maximally tolerated qualifier for statin use has been removed, and the prior limitation of use stating “the effect of Nexlizet or Nexletol on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality […]

Expanding pharmacists’ role for patients with hypertension could prevent 15 million heart attacks and save $1.1 trillion over 30 years, VCU-led study finds

If pharmacists had a larger role in prescribing medications to control blood pressure, they could prevent more than 15 million heart attacks, nearly 8 million strokes and more than 4 million cases each of angina and heart failure in the U.S. over 30 years, according to a new Virginia Commonwealth University-led study. The study, “Cost-Effectiveness of Pharmacist Prescribing for Managing […]

Commonly prescribed hypertension drug, amlodipine, not actually dangerous

A new paper in the journal Function, published by Oxford Univetrsity Press, finds that a widely prescribed drug for treating hypertension, amlodipine, is not dangerous for patients, despite recent concerns from researchers and clinicians that taking amlodipine may have risks. Approximately 700,000 Americans die from hypertension each year and researchers believe some 116 million Americans (and one in five adults worldwide) have […]

Commonly prescribed antibiotic, antipsychotic and prokinetic drugs are associated with a higher risk of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in people with type 2 diabetes, study finds

New research being presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Hamburg, Germany (2-6 Oct) has identified a range of characteristics associated with a higher risk of sudden cardiac arrest in individuals with type 2 diabetes. These include the some commonly prescribed antibiotic and antipsychotic drugs, prokinetics (drugs used to treat gastrointestinal […]

Statin therapy appears to lower the risk another stroke after a bleeding stroke

Patients who have suffered an intracerebral hemorrhage (bleeding stroke) who subsequently take statins appear to have a lower risk of having another stroke, especially an ischemic stroke, when compared to similar patients who did not take statins. Researchers reported these findings in Neurology on August 30, 2023. “Previous research has had mixed results on the risk of stroke in people […]

Simple blood test may predict future heart, kidney risk for people with Type 2 diabetes

A simple blood test may predict the risk of progressive heart and kidney disease in people with Type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, according to new research published today in the American Heart Association’s flagship journal Circulation. “High levels of certain biomarkers are indicators of heart and kidney complications and may help predict future risk of disease progression,” said lead author James Januzzi, […]

Biotronik receives FDA approval for next-generation family of pacemakers

Biotronik announced FDA approval of its portfolio of Amvia Edge pacemakers and cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemaker (CRT-P), its latest innovation in cardiac rhythm management. Amvia Edge, the market’s smallest single-chamber MR conditional pacemaker, introduces a unique set of patient-centric clinical solutions coupled with automated workflow efficiency. Amvia Edge pacemakers feature Biotronik’s proprietary MRI Guard 24/7 technology, which uses always-on, dedicated […]

Bayer starts phase II/III study with vericiguat in children with heart failure

Bayer and its development partner MSD (a tradename of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA) announced that the first patient has been enrolled in the Phase II/III VALOR trial. VALOR will investigate the efficacy, afety, and pharmacokinetics of vericiguat (Verquvo) in pediatric patients aged greater than 28 days to 18 years with heart failure due to left ventricular systolic […]

FDA approves Injectafer to treat iron deficiency and heart failure – Daiichi Sankyo + American Regent Inc

Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. and American Regent, Inc., a Daiichi Sankyo Group company, announced that the FDA approved Injectafer (ferric carboxymaltose injection) for the treatment of iron deficiency in adult patients with heart failure categorized as New York Heart Association class II/III to improve exercise capacity. “This new indication for Injectafer marks the first and only FDA approval of an intravenous […]

Treating asymptomatic elevated blood pressure linked to cardiac and kidney injury

Blood pressure is closely monitored in hospitalized patients. Severely high blood pressure can lead to a heart attack, stroke, or damage blood vessels and organs including the heart, brain, kidneys and eyes. However, most hospitalized patients experience transiently elevated blood pressure without signs of organ damage, also referred to as asymptomatic hypertension, which is sometimes treated with blood pressure medications. […]