Researchers analyzing a cross-section of EHRs from one large New England health system found that the antidepressants citalopram, escitalopram and amitriptyline, as well as methadone contribute to long QT interval, a marker for heart rhythm abnormalities. The study was published online Jan. 29 in BMJ.

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) Foundation and the American Heart Association have released a document containing definitions and data elements for symptoms and conditions relevant to the management of patients with acute coronary syndrome and coronary artery disease. “Despite centuries of advances in medicine and science, the clinical community does not use a single vocabulary to communicate,” James E. Tcheng, MD, chair of the ACC's informatics committee told Cardiovascular Business. “We are espousing and advancing the development of a unified vocabulary in cardiovascular medicine.”

The FDA has given 510(k) clearance to an autonomous, remote-presence robot for use in hospitals. The approval specifies that the robot can be used for active patient monitoring in preoperative, perioperative and postsurgical settings, including cardiovascular, neurological, prenatal, psychological and critical care assessments and examinations.

The American College of Physicians (ACP) has launched a new website to help physicians and other healthcare professionals understand the benefits, harms and costs of tests and treatment options for common clinical issues and whether they provide good value.

The FDA has approved St. Jude’s next-generation Merlin.net Patient Care Network (PCN), a secure, Internet-based remote care system for patients with implanted medical devices.

Harvard Medical School and Orca Health have launched an app called HeartDecide and a series of related interactive iBooks.

EHR adopters are using health IT to improve patient outcomes. There is potential for savings, too, if barriers can be overcome.

Calling and then sending follow-up letters to patients who failed to pick up newly prescribed statins improved medication adherence by 16 percentage points, according to a randomized trial published online Nov. 26 in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The results highlight both the opportunities and challenges of treating patients with coronary artery disease, one of the authors told Cardiovascular Business.