Heart Matters ReachMD

Host: Mary Katherine Cheeley, PharmD, BCPS, CLS, FNLA

Guest: Wilson Tang, MD



Many different artificial sweeteners are being consumed by patients; however, this discussion will focus on research around one that has been used in the food industry for a long time, called erythritol. Interestingly, it was found that patients with cardiac problems had the highest levels of erythritol levels in their blood, which prompted further studies on this association. So to learn more about the impact of artificial sweeteners on heart disease and how we can guide patients into consuming less, join Dr. Mary Katherine Cheeley as she speaks with Dr. Wilson Tang, Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University and Co-Author of the article, titled “The Artificial Sweetener Erythritol and Cardiovascular Event Risk,” published in Nature Medicine in February 2023.

Host: Javed Butler, MD, MBA, MPH

Guest: Michael J. LaMonte, PhD, MPH



The American Heart Association recommends physical activity to help lower the risk of heart failure, but how much exercise is needed, especially for older women, to lower that risk? According to a recent study, even just low-intensity exercise for 30 minutes is associated with a 25 percent lower risk of overall heart failure. Dive further into the findings with Dr. Javed Butler and Dr. Michael LaMonte, a Research Professor of Epidemiology and Environmental Health at the University of Buffalo.

Host: Javed Butler, MD, MBA, MPH

Guest: Jeffrey Wilson, MD



There’s a decent amount of evidence showing allergic immune responses could have connections with heart disease. But with the knowledge gaps that exist, a need for bigger cohorts is necessary to get more information and data. So to explore the link between allergic reactions from food and heart disease, Dr. Javed Butler is joined by Dr. Jeffrey Wilson, Allergist and Immunologist in the Department of Medicine’s Division of Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology at the University of Virginia.

Host: Javed Butler, MD, MBA, MPH

Guest: Chiadi Ndumele, M.D., Ph.D., M.H.S.



For the first time, the American Heart Association (AHA) has identified cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome, which reflects a strong overlap between heart disease, kidney disease, and obesity. The major clinical consequence of CKM syndrome is multi-organ dysfunction with a particularly high incidence and burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and the result of this is premature morbidity and mortality. So as a result, recognizing CKM syndrome is the first step in earlier diagnosis and treatment. Dive into this episode with Dr. Javed Butler who’s joined by Dr. Chiadi Ndumele, Associate Professor of Medicine and the Director of Obesity and Cardiometabolic Research at Johns Hopkins University.

Host: Mary Katherine Cheeley, PharmD, BCPS, CLS, FNLA

Guest: Dave L. Dixon, PharmD, FACC,  FCCP, FNLA, BCPS, BCACP, CDE, CLS



What would the cost-effectiveness look like if the uptake of a pharmacist-prescribing model for hypertension were to be put into practice? A new study shows that a pharmacist-prescribing method could have significant economic impact on the U.S. healthcare system. Dive in with Dr. Mary Katherine Cheeley as she speaks with Dr. Dave Dixon, Nancy L. and Ronald H. McFarlane Professor of Pharmacy at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy, to discuss the findings from the study, titled “Cost-Effectiveness of Pharmacist Prescribing for Managing Hypertension in the United States,” which was published in JAMA Network.

Host: Mary Katherine Cheeley, PharmD, BCPS, CLS, FNLA

Guest: Javed Butler, MD, MBA, MPH



There’s no approved therapies specifically targeting obesity and HFpEF, but based on the STEP-HFpEF study that was presented at the 2023 ESC Congress, the treatment option semaglutide improves heart failure-related symptoms, physical function, and weight loss among patients with HFpEF and obesity. Here to walk through the study’s key findings with Dr. Mary Katherine Cheeley is fellow ReachMD host, Dr. Javed Butler, President of Baylor Scott and White Research Institute in Dallas, Texas.