Dr. R. Clinton Webb, Chairman of the Department of Physiology at the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University, is the 2013 recipient of the American Heart Association Council on High Blood Pressure Research's Irvine Page-Alva Bradley Lifetime Achievement Award.

In the assessment of peripheral artery disease (PAD), the initial test requires only a blood pressure cuff and CT angiography (CTA) to noninvasively image small vessels. This would seem to leave MRI to play a bit part, but as techniques improve, MR’s role in both clinical use and research grows more important.

Black patients often have multiple risk factors for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but secondary prevention efforts target white patients more often. In a study published in the Aug. issue of the Journal of Women’s Health, researchers found that black women bear the highest AMI risk factor burden, but are less likely to be prescribed preventive medications.

Painkillers, antibiotics and cardiovascular medications made up the bulk of unused first-time prescriptions turned in during a recent National Drug Take-Back event, according to a study published in the July-August issue of The American Journal of Pharmacy Benefits.

Faced with a disparate array of information technology (IT) products throughout its 19 facilities located in the state of Virginia, Sentara Healthcare selected Medstreaming Vascular Software Solutions and began an enterprise-wide installation late last year. Post-installation, Sentara officials have reported significant efficiency gains in patient throughput, report standardization, quality and workflow.

While cardiovascular disease causes nearly one-third of deaths in the U.S. every year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in its Sept. issue of Vital Signs reported that at least 200,000 of these deaths can be prevented through lifestyle changes. 

Delaying catheter ablation treatment after a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) may lead to a worse prognosis, according to a study published in the Sept. issue of Heart Rhythm. Researchers found that delayed treatment was associated with higher risk of AF recurrence, death and heart failure hospitalization.

Peritoneal dialysis reduced the concentration of glutamate in a group of experimental rats, suggesting that this intervention may decrease the amount of brain damage caused by ischemic strokes in humans. These study findings were published online Sept. 3 in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.