A recent meta-analysis of clinical trials with more than 100,000 patients has shown that the carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) progression can be used as a surrogate marker for cardiovascular risk in the clinical trials. The results of this study published in Circulation. According to Dr. Willeit, the assessment of cIMT progression can provide a link for the development and license of new therapies for cardiovascular disease. Continue reading →

A recent study by Dr. O’Donoghue, published in Circulation, shows that early aspirin discontinuation with continued P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy, after the percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI),  was associated with a significant reduction in major bleeding compared to dual antiplatelet therapy. This study did not show a significant increase in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) after aspirin discontinuation in the participants.
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A recent study by Dr. Julinda Mehilli, M.D., published in Circulation journal, has shown that in patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), pretreatment strategy with the intensified prasugrel loading does not differ from standard clopidogrel loading dose in terms of Safety and Efficacy. According to the trial, both strategies can be safely applied among patients undergoing elective PCI.
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The post hoc analysis of the SCOT-HEART trial by Dr. Adamson MBChB, Ph.D. published in JAMA Cardiology showed that abnormal results of exercise electrocardiography (ECG) were strongly associated with coronary revascularization and increased risk of mortality from coronary heart disease. However, coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography was a more accurate predictor of 5-year coronary events compared with exercise ECG alone. Continue reading →