This paper, recently published in JAHA, showed that patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus exhibiting lower-limb vascular disease benefit from combining cilostazol and clopidogrel. Treatment for at least 6 months with clopidogrel (75 mg/QD) plus cilostazol (100 mg/BID) significantly reduces ischemic events—including stroke, infarction, and death from vascular causes—compared with clopidogrel monotherapy. Adding cilostazol reduces ischemic events, but that…
Saturated Fats: Dietary Angels or Demons?
In order to reduce cardiovascular events, dietary guidelines recommend restricting saturated fatty acids—without taking into account differences among them—to <10% of the daily caloric intake. It should be noted that there are many different saturated fatty acids, each with its own biological effect. Moreover, said biological effect could be modified by the food matrix and…
The most relevant articles in pharmacology in 2020
In this selection, we summarize for you the most important scientific news of 2020 in the field of pharmacology. 01- Virtual ACC 2020 | Colchicine After Infarction: Good Results and Cost-Effectiveness Low doses of colchicine reduce the risk of ischemic events after an acute myocardial infarction, according to the COLCOT trial, originally presented at the…
Watch again our Webinar on Short Dual Therapy in Patients with High Bleeding Risk
Watch again our Webinar on “Short Dual Therapy in Patients with High Bleeding Risk” on our Youtube account. The event was held on 12/08/2020 and had the participation of more than 200 people and the support of ABBOTT. What things will I learn if I watch this video? 04:02 | Innovation: Short Dual Therapy in…
AHA 2020 | Effect of Evolocumab in Complex Coronary Revascularization
Evolocumab, a PCSK9 inhibitor, has shown significant reduction of complex coronary disease requiring revascularization (be it PCI or CABG). Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors induce plaque regression and could eventually reduce the risk of coronary revascularization, especially complex revascularization. The FOURIER study randomized 27564 patients with stable CAD already on statins to evolocumab…
AHA 2020 | Omega-3 Fatty Acids Provide No Cardiovascular Benefits and Cause More Atrial Fibrillation
Results confirm the interim analysis, whereby the study was suspended for futility. Omega-3 fatty acids do not reduce cardiovascular events in patients with high triglycerides and low HDL. Previous studies, such as REDUCE-IT, had shown positive results, but given this new research (presented at the American Heart Association [AHA] 2020 Congress and simultaneously published in…
AHA 2020 | EMPATROPISM: Empagliflozin in Non-Diabetics with Cardiac Failure
Empagliflozin improves cardiac function, exercise capacity and quality of life in non-diabetic patients with cardiac failure and deteriorated ejection fraction. These findings were presented during the scientific sessions at AHA 2020 and published simultaneously in JACC. EMPATROPISM outcomes are on the same line as other studies using sodium glucose 2 cotransporter inhibitors (SGLT2) which showed…
AHA 2020 | RIVER: Rivaroxaban as Alternative to Warfarin in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Bioprosthetic Mitral Valve
Rivaroxaban seems to be a reasonable alternative to warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation and bioprosthetic mitral valve. These results arise from the RIVER Study presented at the American Heart Association (AHA) 2020 Congress and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). After 5 years of follow-up, rivaroxaban reached the non-inferiority criterion…
AHA 2020 | Clopidogrel Resists as the Best Option in Elective Patients
High risk patients undergoing elective PCI treated with a more potent antiplatelet scheme (ticagrelor) vs. the classic clopidogrel do not see a benefit in protection against periprocedural events and instead see increased costs and minor bleeding rate. These are the outcomes of the ALPHEUS study presented at AHA 2020 simultaneously published in the Lancet. Ticagrelor…
AHA 2020 | POLYPILL: One Pill Plus Aspirin to Treat Everything
Using only one compressed tablet or pill with a fixed combination of statins, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, beta-blockers, and diuretics significantly lowered cardiovascular risk in a large population without previous events (primary prevention). However, it presented an intermediate risk of cardiovascular disease onset. The TIPS-3 (The International Polycap Study 3) study had a 2-by-2-by-2 factorial design,…