Have you looked in the rearview mirror lately? Complications may be closer than they once looked. Considering risks and alternatives now may improve outcomes later.   

Researchers at Imperial College London have designed a microchip technology that they say may help curb the obesity problem in developed nations. The chip, which presently is being tested in animals, is implanted in the gut, where it sends satiation signals to the brain. The researchers project that they will begin tests in patients in three to four years.

The long-term death rate for cancer patients who received radiation therapy and who later underwent major cardiac surgery was twice that of similar surgical patients who never had prior radiation. The authors of the study, published April 9 in Circulation, recommended that physicians consider alternative treatments for at-risk patients.

Of mice and men. A team from the Cleveland Clinic used animal and human studies to accumulate evidence that challenges conventional wisdom on red meat and cardiovascular disease. Red meat is still on the hook, but the culprit appears to be a byproduct of bacteria involved in the digestion of red meat. The New York Times describes the multiyear effort, including results published in Nature Medicine.

More people in the U.S. reported being hypertensive, and more said they took medications to control their hypertension. Don’t be alarmed, though. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) pointed to greater awareness as the likely cause for the rise in self-reported hypertension.

Cholesterol may play a role in the development of macular degeneration, according to a study published online in Cell Metabolism.

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and Pfizer, Inc., are joining forces with the goal of translating biomedical discoveries into novel treatments. CHOP is announcing its participation in the Centers for Therapeutic Innovation (CTI) network, a novel collaboration model built by Pfizer that brings academic researchers together with Pfizer scientists to expedite the pace of innovation.

The FDA will hold a public meeting to discuss developing an international consortium of cardiovascular registries. The initial thrust of the effort will be on transcatheter cardiac valve registries, with a later expansion to include additional cardiovascular devices.