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AstraZeneca's (AZN) Cholesterol Lowering Drug Crestor Reduces Risk of Developing Venous Thromoembolism (VTE)

March 30, 2009

Analysis of:Study: Cholesterol drug lowers blood clot risk | hosted.ap.org

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) [also called the economy class syndrome] is an important public health problem. Blood clots that develop in the deep veins of the body can travel to the lungs and be fatal. The JUPITER trial was presented at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) annual meeting currently underway in Orlando, FL and published concomitantly in the online version of the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine (http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/NEJMoa0900241). The trial showed that apparently healthy patients who received Crestor instead of a placebo were 43% less likely to develop VTE and 23% less likely to develop Pulmonay emoblism (blood clot in the lungs). This suggests that Crestor has effects on the inflammatory mechanisms in the body in addition to its effects on lowering cholesterol.

Atritech's Watchman Atrial appendage closure device could be a useful alternative to warfarin in patients with Atrial Fibrillation.

March 29, 2009

Analysis of:ACC: Device May Prevent Stroke in AF Patients | www.medpagetoday.com

The results of the PROTECT-AF trial were presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) currently underway in Orlando, FL. This trial enrolled patients with Atrial fibrillation and compared warfarin with the Watchman device. The trial was designed as a non inferiority trial and the device was noted to be non inferior to warfarin for its primary end points of stroke and death and as expected the device group had lower rates of strokes caused by bleeding in the brain (hemorrhagic strokes).

Genous bio-engineered (endothelial cell capture) stent results presented at the American College of Cardiology Annual Meeting

March 29, 2009

Analysis of:Novel Stent Fares Worse Than Bare Metal in STEMI Patients | www.tctmd.com

The Genous stent is a bio-engineered endothelial cell capture stent that has been projected as a "stent technology of the future". This stent was designed to decrease the rates of stent re-narrowing (in stent restenosis) and catastrophic closure of the stent (stent trombosis). The GENOUS trial (comparing this stent to an older generation cobalt-chromium non drug coated stent) was presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) currently underway in Orlando. This showed the GENOUS stent performed much worse. While the mortality rates were similar in both groups, this trial raises significant safety concerns.

Emerging role of Dronedarone in management of Atrial Fibrillation

March 24, 2009

Analysis of:FDA advisory panel approves dronedarone | www.drugs.com

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac rhythm disorder. Amiodarone is effective in maintaining normal rhythm in atrial fibrillation but is associated with potentially serious toxic effects. Dronedarone is a new antiarrhythmic agent pharmacologically related to amiodarone but developed to reduce the risk of side effects. Dronedarone is effective and compared to placebo, rates of side effects on the lungs, thyroid and liver are not significantly increased. In the ATHENA study, recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine (Feb 2009), Dronedarone reduced the incidence of hospitalization due to cardiovascular events or death in patients with atrial fibrillation. In patients with severe heart failure, treatment with dronedarone may be associated with increased early mortality related to the worsening of heart failure.

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