Anticlotting Studies: Data presented at a meeting of the American Heart Association show that Xarelto, the anticlotting drug from Johnson & Johnson and Bayer, lowers the risk of heart-related death, heart attack and stroke in patients with a heart attack or unstable chest pain, the WSJ reports . J&J plans to submit study results to the FDA by the end of the year. Meantime, a study of another anticlotting drug from Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb failed to show a benefit compared to an older drug in preventing venous thromboembolism in hospitalized patients, while data showed that an experimental Merck drug didn’t prevent cardiovascular events or deaths in heart-attack patients when given with aspirin and Plavix, the WSJ reports. Assessing Medicare Fraud Contractors: A report due out today from the inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services finds that Medicare contractors paid by the government to ferret out fraudulent claims weren’t being consistently evaluated by how many investigations they initiated and were using inconsistent and sometimes

inaccurate data, the Associated Press reports . Previous reports have also found problems with contractor accountability, the AP says. ADHD Brain Differences: A study presented at a meeting of the Society for Neuroscience suggests a part of the brain called the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex works much harder in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, the WSJ reports . Scientists said difference in brain function might be an underlying cause of the cognitive problems that plague kids with ADHD. Incomplete Heart Screenings: Researchers from Seattle Children’s Hospital and the University of Washington say only about 6% of 1,113 pediatricians and family doctors surveyed fully follow American Heart Association guidelines for screening high-school athletes for heart problems that might cause sudden death on the practice or playing field, the Los Angeles Times’ Booster Shots blog reports . The AHA recommends pre-participation physical exams that include questions about symptoms and family history. Image: iStockphoto

Continued here:
A.M. Vitals: J&J, Bayer Anticlotting Drug Shows Promise in Heart-Attack Patients