The obesity paradox in AF and paradoxes in general, digital health gets whacked again, and direct-to-consumer ads are the topics discussed by John Mandrola, MD in this week’s podcast. This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals only. To read a partial transcript or to comment, visit: https://www.medscape.com/twic I. Collider Bias and the Obesity Paradox - 'Obesity Paradox' in Atrial Fibrillation Challenged as Mortality Climbs With BMI https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/979150 - Association of body mass index with outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation: GARFIELD-AF https://openheart.bmj.com/content/9/2/e002038 - Collider bias https://catalogofbias.org/biases/collider-bias/ - Pediatric obesity appears to lower the risk of diabetes if selection bias is ignored https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29374028/ - Effect of Caloric Restriction or Aerobic Exercise Training on Peak Oxygen Consumption and Quality of Life in Obese Older Patients With Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Randomized Clinical Trial https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2480484 II. Digital Health - Blood Pressure Smartphone App Fails to Beat Standard Self-Monitoring https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/979341 - Effectiveness of Standard vs Enhanced Self-measurement of Blood Pressure Paired With a Connected Smartphone Application https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2794971 III. Direct-to-Consumer Ads - Does DTC Heart Drug Advertising Discourage Lifestyle Changes? https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/979404 - Association of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Prescription Drugs With Consumer Health-Related Intentions and Beliefs Among Individuals at Risk of Cardiovascular Disease https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2794995 You may also like: Medscape editor-in-chief Eric Topol, MD, and master storyteller and clinician Abraham Verghese, MD, on Medicine and the Machine https://www.medscape.com/features/public/machine The Bob Harrington Show with Stanford University Chair of Medicine, Robert A. Harrington, MD. https://www.medscape.com/author/bob-harrington Questions or feedback, please contact news@medscape.net