For cardiovascular risks, the kind of fat consumed may be as important as how much. In a study published online Oct. 15 in the Journal of the American Heart Association, volunteers had better cardiometabolic markers after seven weeks of consuming muffins baked with sunflower oil compared to those with palm oil. 

More psoriasis sufferers are at risk for elevated blood pressure and uncontrolled hypertension, researchers found. The findings, published online Oct. 15 in JAMA: Dermatology, suggest a dose-response relationship between more severe psoriasis and hypertension compared with patients without psoriasis.

Covidien is alerting customers of an incompatibility issue with defibrillation electrodes, which the FDA has classified as a Class 1 recall.

Talk about convenience. The Cleveland Clinic opened two kiosks in a local drug store chain for people who want on-the-spot virtual appointments. A touchscreen computer and video screen allow for a consultation plus provide readings for heart rate and blood pressure.

Today, Boston Heart launched the Boston Heart Fatty Acid BalanceTM test, a blood test that provides novel indices of cardiovascular health. The test measures important fatty acid levels and the balance of beneficial and detrimental plasma fatty acids. With the test results, healthcare providers can make personalized dietary and supplement recommendations to decrease their patient’s risk of heart disease. Patients also gain a better understanding of how the foods they eat affect their heart health.

A pilot program that allowed patients to provide feedback on medications listed in their EHR found 89 percent of respondents requested changes. These patients were also more than twice as likely to use the health system outpatient portal compared to average patients, researchers found.

Patient outcomes were not poorer when practicing physicians worked fewer residency hours, a study found. Patients whose practicing, post-residency physicians had been affected by 2003’s reduction in residency hours regulations did not have higher rates of mortality or longer hospital stays, according to a study published in the October issue of Health Affairs.

Mahendra Kumar, Ph.D., and Deborah Jones Weiss, Ph.D., M.Ed., in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, have received a $2.9 million, five-year grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to study cardiovascular disease in HIV-positive cocaine users.