Reduce salt — get your iodine elsewhere

Markel H. "When it rains it pours": endemic goiter, iodized salt, and David Murray Cowie, MD. American Journal of Public Health 1987; 77:219-29.

Dasgupta PK, Liu Y, Dyke JV. Iodine nutrition: iodine content of iodized salt in the United States. Environmental Science and Technology 2008; 42:1315-23.

Tayie FA, Jourdan K. Hypertension, dietary salt restriction, and iodine deficiency among adults. American Journal of Hypertension 2010; 23:1095-102.

Stroke centers

Xian Y, Holloway RG, Chan PS, et al. Association between stroke center hospitalization for acute ischemic stroke and mortality. JAMA 2011; 305:373-80.

Alberts MJ. Preventing death one stroke at a time. JAMA 2011; 305:408-9.

Weight-loss surgery can help — and harm — the heart

Poirier P, Cornier M, Mazzone T, Stiles S, Cummings S, Klein S, McCullough PA, Fielding CR, Franklin BA. Bariatric surgery and cardiovascular risk factors: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation, published online, Mar. 14, 2011

Who needs an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator?

Epstein AE, DiMarco JP, Ellenbogen KA, et al. ACC/AHA/HRS 2008 Guidelines for Device-Based Therapy of Cardiac Rhythm Abnormalities: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. Circulation 2008; 117:e350-408.

Al-Khatib SM, Hellkamp A, Curtis J, et al. Non-evidence-based ICD implantations in the United States. JAMA 2011; 305:43-9.

Kadish A, Goldberger J. Selecting patients for ICD implantation: are clinicians choosing appropriately? JAMA 2011; 305:91-2.

Matlock DD, Peterson PN, Heidenreich PA, et al. Regional variation in the use of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators for primary prevention: results from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes 2011; 4:114-21.

The shape of cardiovascular risk

Wormser D, Kaptoge S, Di Angelantonio E, et al. Separate and combined associations of body-mass index and abdominal adiposity with cardiovascular disease: collaborative analysis of 58 prospective studies. Lancet 2011; 377:1085-95.

Huxley RR, Jacobs DR, Jr. Size still matters...but not in the way we once thought. Lancet 2011; 377:1051-2.

Mediterranean-type diet can fix multiple problems

Kastorini CM, Milionis HJ, Esposito K, Giugliano D, Goudevenos JA, Panagiotakos DB. The effect of Mediterranean diet on metabolic syndrome and its components a meta-analysis of 50 studies and 534,906 individuals. Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2011; 57:1299-313.

In brief

Hypertension on the rise. Carroll, W. Hypertension in America: Estimates for the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population, age 18 and older, 2008. March 2011. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD and Vital Signs: Prevalence, treatment, and control of hypertension—United States, 1999-2002 and 2005-2008. MMWR 2011; 60(4):103-108.

Exercise and HDL. Ahmad T, Chasman DI, Buring JE, Lee IM, Ridker PM, Everett BM. Physical activity modifies the effect of LPL, LIPC, and CETP polymorphisms on HDL-C levels and the risk of myocardial infarction in women of European ancestry. Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics 2011; 4:74-80.

Heart disease and depression drugs. Pizzi C, Rutjes AW, Costa GM, Fontana F, Mezzetti A, Manzoli L. Meta-analysis of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in patients with depression and coronary heart disease. American Journal of Cardiology 2011; 107:972-9 and Lichtman JH, Bigger JT, Jr., Blumenthal JA, et al. Depression and coronary heart disease: recommendations for screening, referral, and treatment: a science advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation 2008; 118:1768-75.