Heart(y) News, April 23

What we need less

Public ban on trans fat leads to rapid improvements in health, says BMJ editorial
First it was smoking, now it’s trans fat in the food that health experts are pushing to ban, to promote rapid heart health improvements. The smoke ban has proven itself – most countries which implemented the ban reported lower cardiovascular events. The trans fat ban might be next.

IOM recommends FDA set new standards for salt in foods
Or perhaps it should be dietary salt first? The US Institute of Medicine (IOM) is urging the US FDA to review the current salt standards in foods. IOM reports that common food items contain too much salt and the consumers unknowingly take in too much sodium. High salt consumption is believed to be a major risk factor for hypertension. According to Dr George Bakris of the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and incoming president of the American Society of Hypertension (ASH):

“I take my hat off to the IOM. ASH, along with the AHA and other societies, has been actively campaigning against high salt in the diet, but there needs to be a partnership with the government in doing this; otherwise physicians will fail.”

Certain Powerheart/CardioVive/CardioLife AED Recalled
Cardiac Science Corp recalled some models of automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) due to possible failure during a resuscitation attempt. The recall affects more than 12,000 AEDs manufactured or serviced between October 19, 2009 and January 15, 2010.

What we need more

Diet high in B-vitamins lowers heart risks in Japanese study
We may need more dietary intake of folate and vitamin B-6 to prevent heart disease, stroke and heart failure, according to a Japanese study. Sources of folate include vegetables and fruits, whole or enriched grains, fortified cereals, beans and legumes. Sources of vitamin B-6 include vegetables, fish, liver, meats, whole grains and fortified cereals.

Fear of Rejection — Monitoring the Heart-Transplant Recipient
In the latest issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, results from Invasive Monitoring Attenuation through Gene Expression (IMAGE) trial are present, which the editorial hailed as issue “an important advance in the assessment of noninvasive methods for monitoring rejection after heart transplantation.”

FDA to Address Challenges of Using Complex Medical Devices in the Home
Hemodialysis equipment to treat kidney failure, wound therapy care, intravenous therapy devices, and ventilators are complex medical products that are now possible to have within the home setting. To ensure the use of their safety, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a new initiative to ensure that caregivers and patients can operate the devices and perform the therapy safely.