Angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) are commonly administered as a treatment to high-blood pressure, heart failure (HF) and other complex patient conditions and have been shown to reduce incidence of stroke, MI and HF. However, a new analysis featured in Lancet Oncology this week suggests that use of these drugs may increase the rates of new cancers in patients by 8-11 percent.

Despite regional improvement in beta blocker usage, post-operative MI rate did not decrease, perhaps due to preoperative beta blocker doses that did not change heart rate, according to unexpected study results presented June 12 at the Society of Vascular Surgery (SVS) in Boston.

A new study suggests that CT angiography (CTA) can be better targeted to patients with risk factors for pulmonary embolism (PE).  The study also indicates CTA may be overused in many patients with suspected PE. Thromboembolic risk factor assessment could suffice for many patients, eliminating CTA and helping reduce radiation exposure and CTA costs. Results of the study appear in the online edition and August print issue of the journal Radiology.

The FDA is evaluating data from two clinical trials in which patients with type 2 diabetes taking the blood pressure drug olmesartan (Benicar, Daiichi Sankyo), an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), had a higher rate of death from a cardiovascular cause compared with patients taking a placebo.

TransTech Pharma and Forest Laboratories Holdings Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Forest, have entered into a $50 million license agreement to develop and market TransTech Pharmas liver-selective glucokinase activators, glucose lowering compounds that can treat diabetes.

Diabetic patients have a two- to fourfold increased risk of experiencing cardiovascular events compared to patients without diabetes. While aspirin has been shown to reduce mortality in patients with MI or stroke, the FDA has not approved aspirin as a first-line treatment to prevent these adverse events in diabetics.

Defibtech has issued a voluntary recall for 5,418 DBP-2800 battery packs used in its Lifeline AED and ReviveR AED external defibrillators because of reports that the devices have not delivered shock therapy due to the report of  false errors during a charge.

Administering a low-dose combination of the thiazolidinedione rosiglitazone and metformin to patients with impaired glucose tolerance improved glucose levels and was effective in preventing type 2 diabetes, but had little effect on the adverse events of the two drugs, according to a study published online June 3 in the Lancet.