JournalScan

This is the first “JournalScan”. The aim is to focus on the “non-cardiological” journals and to locate publications which are of relevance to cardiology. We are going to do this on a monthly basis. On the web there will be links to the abstract of the article and in many cases to full text. The reviewers are all cardiology trainees who select the articles; the section is then put together by Iqbal Malik and finally edited by Iqbal and myself. I hope you find this a useful addition to the journal.

Comments would be welcomed.

CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE

GP IIb/IIIa receptor blockers, such as tirofiban and abciximab, are cost effective in the treatment of unstable angina and during coronary angioplasty:Using published data, Hillegass and colleagues conclude that use of these agents during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or in acute coronary syndromes has a cost effectiveness of less than $16 000 (about £10 000) per life year gained. This compares well with other standard treatment. As a comparison, haemodialysis costs about £30 000 per life year gained.

 1 Hillegass WB, Newman AR, Raco DL. Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor therapy in percutaneous coronary intervention and non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes: estimating the economic implications.PharmacoEconomics2001;19:41–55.

Staying fit reduces the progression of atherosclerosis: Increased cardiorespiratory fitness reduces risk of cardiovascular events, but whether it is related to slower progression of early atherosclerosis is unclear. Lakka and associates show that progression of carotid atherosclerosis seen on ultrasound is slower in those who do more exercise.

 2 Lakka TA, Laukkanen JA, Rauramaa R, Salonen R, Lakka H-M, Kaplan GA, Salonen JT. Cardiorespiratory fitness and the progression of carotid atherosclerosis in middle-aged men. Ann Intern Med2001;134:12–20.

Recovery of coronary flow after bypass grafting may take up to six months: Positron emission tomography (PET) …