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There is much current interest in the entirely subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (S-ICD) which is heralded as a major advance for the prevention of sudden cardiac death in selected patients.

“Worldwide, strokes are the most common cause of death. This makes it a top priority for medicine to expand prevention in this area,” said Prof. Dr. Karl Max Einhäupl, from the University Clinic Charité in Berlin, who is co-chair of the Annual Meeting of the European Neurological Society (ENS) which took place in Berlin recently.

Allopurinol, which has commonly been used to treat gout for over 40 years, has had a new lease of life recently as it may help preserve renal function, according to an analysis appearing in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN) (1) and it is also potentially a drug for treatment of angina.

Urgent coordinated action is needed to avoid the thousands of preventable strokes that leave many atrial fibrillation (AF) patients mentally and physically disabled or dead, every year. A report, How Can We Avoid a Stroke Crisis?, recently launched in the European Parliament by Action for Stroke Prevention, a group of health experts from across Europe, proposes measures to tackle stroke in patients with AF, the most common, sustained abnormal heart rhythm and a major cause of stroke(1).

Haemodialysis patients are at increased risk of sudden death for many reasons. This important topic was reviewed by Dr Paul R Roberts, Consultant cardiologist and electrophysiologist, Southampton University Hospital, at a recent meeting of the Cardiorenal Forum. The author briefly reviews the data here also.

BMI and waist circumference explain one half of all fatal and one quarter of all non-fatal cardiovascular disease in those overweight and obese according to a recent ten-year follow-up study.

A new definition of syncope – was discussed at the European Society of Cardiology meeting in Barcelona. The new definition– makes the diagnosis more precise and now dependent on a specific cause. Restrictions on driving are not recommended for drivers with mild reflex syncope.