The findings offer evidence that dabigatran is a safe and effective alternative to warfarin in the context of atrial fibrillation ablation. The trial showed a 5.3 percent reduction in its primary endpoint, major bleeding events during ablation or in the first two months after the procedure, with major bleeds occurring in 1.6 percent of study participants who received dabigatran and 6.9 percent of patients receiving warfarin.

Newswise — CHICAGO — Patients on statins should not stop taking the cholesterol-lowering medication before heart surgery—even on the day of surgery, according to an article posted online today in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery. The new research shows that continuation of statins may significantly improve survival following the operation.

“Patients frequently forget to take their pills on the day of surgery, or they’ve been told to stop certain medications,” said Wei Pan, MD, a cardiovascular anesthesiologist at the Texas Heart Institute in Houston. “This study shows that not taking your statin for even 1 day before cardiac surgery may increase your risk of death after surgery. Based on our findings, we would advise patients to continue taking their statin medication all the way up to and including the day of surgery.”

A new article published in the American Journal of Hypertension finds that babies born to mothers with cardiometabolic risk factors were less likely to develop high blood pressure if their mothers had higher levels of folate during pregnancy.

Since the late 1980s, the prevalence of childhood elevated blood pressure has increased in the United States, in particular among African Americans. From a life course perspective, childhood high blood pressure can predict higher blood pressure values later in life, and people with higher blood pressure are at greater risk of developing cardiovascular, metabolic and kidney disease and stroke. Research has also shown that maternal cardiometabolic risk factors during pregnancy - including hypertensive disorders, diabetes, and obesity - are associated with higher offspring blood pressure.

Despite recommendations to limit sodium intake to support a heart-healthy lifestyle, daily sodium intake significantly increased in Americans with high blood pressure from 1999-2012, according to a study scheduled for presentation at the American College of Cardiology's 66th Annual Scientific Session.

The study found people with high blood pressure consumed an average of 2,900 milligrams of sodium per day in 1999 and 3,350 milligrams per day in 2012, for an overall average daily sodium intake of 3,100 milligrams during the 14-year study period. That's more than twice the 1,500 milligram daily maximum recommended for people with high blood pressure in dietary guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture since 2005.

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Erratum to: Pediatric Nephrology