This week on The Rounds Table we’re deepening our understanding of cardiovascular disease management through covering two exciting new articles. Kieran and Paxton break it down for listeners.

Last season we covered FOURIER/evolocumab and the reduction of cardiovascular events through aggressive lipid lowering with PCSK-9 inhibitors. Do treatments that target inflammation without affecting lipid levels also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease? Kieran covers a randomized controlled trial investigating anti-inflammatory therapy with canakinumab for atherosclerosis.

Next, Paxton takes the lead and guides listeners through the CANVAS study. In patients with diabetes and high cardiovascular risk, can canagliflozin reduce the risk of cardiovascaular events? Listen to find out!

Finally, it’s the Good Stuff segment. Can money buy happiness? Kieran covers an article which says that it depends what you spend it on! Paxton discusses an article on the unintended consequences of a 1980 letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine on the risk of opioid addiction.

Like what you hear? Rate us on iTunes! Chat with us on Twitter @roundstable and tweet at Kieran directly @kieranlquinn and Paxton @paxbach

The Papers

1. CANVAS: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1611925

2. Canakinumab for Atherosclerosis: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1707914#t=article

Good Stuff

1. Unintended Consequences: http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/06/16/533060031/doctor-who-wrote-1980-letter-on-painkillers-regrets-that-it-fed-the-opioid-crisi

2. NEJM Letter on the Risk of Opioid Addiction: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc1700150

3. Money CAN buy happiness! http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/08/28/545839192/need-a-happiness-boost-spend-your-money-to-buy-time-not-more-stuff

Music Credits

The Rounds Table Theme Music by Brendan Quinn, Creative Director and Composer, Vapor RMW