A Dutch study of 10,318 adults ages 45 and older with normal thyroid function found those with higher free thyroxine levels had more than double the risk of sudden cardiac death. The link between high FT4 levels and sudden cardiac death was independent of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other cardiovascular risk factors, researchers reported in Circulation.

A study in the journal Diabetologia showed that women with depression during the first or second trimester of their pregnancy had a 1.72 times greater risk of developing gestational diabetes, with a higher risk seen among women who weren't obese before pregnancy than women who were obese. Researchers evaluated 2,477 pregnant women and also found those who had gestational diabetes had a 4.62 times increased risk of developing postpartum depression.

A study in JAMA Cardiology suggests clinicians need to consider a patient's blood pressure and cardiovascular disease risk factors, rather than use clinical trial criteria, to diagnose hypertension and decide on a treatment approach. The findings, based on data for 14,142 adults ages 20 to 79, showed that having a systolic blood pressure of 120 mm Hg to 139 mm Hg or a high risk for cardiovascular diseases would not qualify many patients for the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial or the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation-3 trial.

Researchers found that young adults born very preterm had smaller kidneys and average systolic blood pressure that was 5 points higher than those born full term. Another study showed slower endothelial cell colony formation involved in creating new capillaries among those born at 29 weeks of gestation or earlier compared with those born full term. Both studies were presented at the American Heart Association meeting.

Aralez Pharmaceuticals' Yosprala, or aspirin and omeprazole, has been approved by the FDA for patients who take daily aspirin to prevent secondary cardiovascular events and are at risk for gastric ulcers caused by aspirin. Two clinical trials showed patients who received the drug had fewer endoscopic gastric ulcers compared with those who received enteric-coated aspirin.

Medicare Shared Savings Program cost benchmarks should account for national and regional spending trends as the Next Generation accountable care model does, with adjustments capped at 3.5% to boost participants' chances of success, according to a study in The American Journal of Accountable Care. MSSP participants' benchmarks are recalculated every three years and are lowered as health care spending declines, and changing the benchmark calculation would remove the correlation between prior performance and an ACO's savings, the study authors say.

ASNC offers Web-based activities for CME and CE credit that are designed to increase learners' competence in nuclear cardiology. Visit the ASNC webinar webpage to view previously recorded and new upcoming webinars. Plus, earn and track all your CME/CEs online with the ASNC Learning Center.