Month: March 2018
ODYSSEY Demonstrates a Mortality Benefit in ACS Patients
Results of the much anticipated ODYSSEY Outcomes trial were presented today by Professor Phillipe Gabriel Steg, who is the chief of cardiology at Bichat-Claude Bernard Hospital, at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Scientific Sessions in Orlando. Alirocumab, a monoclonal antibody directed against PCSK9, reduced major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), myocardial infarction (MI), ischemic stroke and all-cause mortality in patients post-acute coronary syndrome (ACS), who were on high-intensity statin therapy. Continue reading
AHA Releases a Scientific Statement for Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection
Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) has gained considerable recognition as an important cause of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), particularly among young females without conventional cardiovascular risk factors. To facilitate dissemination of current knowledge on SCAD, a Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association was recently published in Circulation by Hayes et al. concerning the current knowledge of epidemiology, precipitants and triggers, pathophysiology, and associated comorbidities. Furthermore, the document provides an overview of the advance in diagnostic imaging, management options, as well as the prognostic outlook for SCAD, in hopes of spurring a paradigm shift in the care of this under-diagnosed condition. Continue reading
Does Magnitude of CRP Level Reduction Correlate With Cardiovascular Mortality?
In a recent study published in The Lancet, it has been found that the magnitude of reduction in C Reactive Protein (CRP) levels due to treatment with Canakinumab, an interleukin 1β targeting monoclonal antibody, may directly correlate with a decrease in major cardiovascular events in post-myocardial infarction (MI) patients, even in the absence of an alteration in LDL levels. Continue reading
Thrombectomy Done Beyond 6 Hours has a Favorable Prognosis in Stroke Patients
In a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, it was found that endovascular thrombectomy for ischemic stroke that is performed 6 to 16 hours after the onset of symptoms resulted in better functional outcomes than standard medical therapy alone among patients with a proximal middle cerebral artery or internal carotid artery occlusion. Continue reading
Incorporating Non-Invasive Fractional Flow Reserve into Clinical Practice
Dr. Jeffrey Popma and Dr. Campbell Rogers Discuss
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Acute Myocardial Infarction after Laboratory-Confirmed Influenza Infection
In a recent retrospective cohort study published in the New England Journal Medicine, a significant association was found between acute respiratory infections, particularly influenza, and the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction (MI) in the following week. The study also highlights the increased risk in older patients and in those who are hospitalized for the first time for an MI. Continue reading
