A meta-analysis conducted by Shah and his colleagues published in JAMA cardiology demonstrated that in patients with high bleeding risk, coronary interventions with drug-eluting stents (DES) optimized for biocompatibility were preferable over those with bare-metal stents (BMS) in terms of both safety and efficacy, in patients with only 1 month of Dual Antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). Continue reading →

A study published in Circulation showed that the evaluation of chest pain in emergency departments with higher chest pain volume had lower rates of death or hospitalization for patients with acute coronary syndrome after discharge. The primary investigator, Dr. Dennis T. Ko and his colleagues also found that past a certain volume threshold, a rise in volume was not associated with any reduction in outcomes. Continue reading →

A meta‐analysis performed by Choi et al., the results of which were published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, indicated that CoQ10 supplementation improved statin‐associated muscle symptoms, suggesting a therapeutic approach for statin‐induced myopathy. Continue reading →

A new study by Neal et al. demonstrated that although patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and cancer were less likely to see a cardiologist or fill anticoagulant prescriptions, cardiology involvement was associated with increased anticoagulant prescription fills and favorable AF-related outcomes. The results of the study were published online in JACC. Continue reading →

The FAITH study (Faith-Based Approaches in the Treatment of Hypertension) has portrayed how a community-based lifestyle intervention delivered in churches can lead to a significantly greater reduction in systolic BP in hypertensive blacks in comparison with Health Education (HE) alone. The results were published online in Circulation. Continue reading →

In an article published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, authored by Caroline Sindet-Pederson, MSc, and colleagues in the Department of Cardiology at Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev and Gentofte in Hellerup, Denmark, evaluating a real-world population of AF patients with MI and/or after PCI, the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) as compared to VKA reduced the risk of bleeding in patients also taking dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). Continue reading →

A study by Lopes and his colleagues published in JAMA Cardiology has shown that in patients with ACS undergoing PCI, periprocedural loading doses of atorvastatin appeared to reduce the rate of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events (MACE) at 30 days, primarily in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Insights from the Statins Evaluation in Coronary Procedures and Revascularization (SECURE-PCI) randomized clinical trial showcased this beneficial effect to be preserved and consistent, regardless of the timing of atorvastatin administration, including within 2 hours before PCI. Continue reading →

An observational cross-sectional cohort study by Amin et al. suggested that greater and more consistent use of same-day discharge(SDD) following elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the United States, could markedly increase the overall value of PCI care. Apparently, SDD was not only safe but associated with large savings of more than $5000 per PCI. Continue reading →

A study by published in JAMA cardiology indicated that the potential benefit of early intervention must be considered in high-risk AS patients. Cases of asymptomatic AS followed up in heart valve centers had a good midterm survival rate. However, patients with severe AS at baseline and peak aortic jet velocity of 5.0 m/s or greater or LVEF less than 60% had increased risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality even after AVR, according to Patrizio Lancellotti, M.D., Ph.D., of University of Liège Hospital in Belgium, and colleagues. The investigators also identified certain factors that correlated with poorer prognosis. Continue reading →

Results from the Portico 1 study were presented during a late-breaking session at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics conference in San Diego showing that transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with the new transcatheter heart valve (THV) in patients at increased surgical risk is associated with low 1-year mortality and stroke rates. In the study, favorable hemodynamic results at 1 year were observed with low transvalvular pressure gradient and incidence of significant Paravalvular leakage (PVL).   The results were also published online in the Journal of American College of Cardiology. Continue reading →

The findings of the Pulmonary artery denervation (PADN) trial, presented at the TCT conference on Sept 23rd have shown that PADN is associated with significant improvements in hemodynamic and clinical outcomes including 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) in patients with combined pre- and post-capillary pulmonary hypertension CpcPH. The results of this study were simultaneously published in JACC: Interventions. Continue reading →

For angina patients without obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), adjunctive testing of coronary vascular function during coronary angiography followed by medical therapy targeted to the findings improved angina outcomes, according to the CorMicA trial. In the study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, a tiered approach for assessment for microvascular and/or vasospastic angina among patients with stable angina and no evidence of significant epicardial disease was deemed superior to usual care. Continue reading →

The results of PREPARE-CALC trial, presented at TCT 2018, have shown that among patients with severely calcified coronary lesions, the routine use of upfront high-speed rotational atherectomy (RA) increases stent deliverability compared with the use of balloon modification techniques such as scoring or cutting balloons (MB), with similar rates of angiographic late lumen loss and other clinical outcomes at 9 months. In his presentation in San Diego, the author, Dr. Gert Richardt emphasized that a strategy of provisional MB remained feasible, safe, and effective as long as bailout RA was readily available and offered the advantages of compatibility with smaller sized catheters and less irradiation. Continue reading →

In the long saga of ABSORB trials, the ABSORB IV trial presented at the TCT conference 2018 showed that polymeric coronary bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS) were non-inferior to cobalt-chromium-based Xience DES for cardiovascular outcomes of target lesion failure and angina in fairly simple lesion types, with lower acute procedural success in a 1 year period. The results for this trial were published today in The Lancet. Continue reading →

The results of the ULTIMATE trial, presented at the TCT conference 2018, have shown that IVUS-guided PCI is superior to angiography-guided PCI in the prevention of target vessel failure in an all-comers population. The study findings have been simultaneously published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Continue reading →

The FAST-FFR study conducted by Fearon and his colleagues, and presented at the annual TCT conference 2018, has shown that Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR_angio) measured from the coronary angiogram alone has a high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy compared with pressure-wire derived Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR). The results of this study were published ahead of print in Circulation. Continue reading →

Results from a subgroup analysis of the TriValve Registry presented at TCT 2018 showed that interventional tricuspid edge-to-edge valve repair was safe with improvement in outcomes in patients, with high procedural success rates. Continue reading →

The spectacular results of the Cardiovascular Outcomes Assessment of the MitraClip Percutaneous Therapy for Heart Failure Patients with Functional Mitral Regurgitation (COAPT) trial, presented at TCT 2018, show that transcatheter mitral valve approximation using the MitraClip, on a background of maximally tolerated guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) was superior to GDMT alone in the reduction of Heart Failure (HF) hospitalization and mortality in symptomatic HF patients with grade 3-4+ Mitral regurgitation (MR). These landmark findings were simultaneously published today in the New England Journal of Medicine. Continue reading →

Polymer-free amphilimus-eluting stents (PF-AES) are non-inferior to permanent-polymer zotarolimus-eluting stents (PP-ZES) in terms of target-lesion failure at 12 months, according to the results of the ReCre8 study, presented by Pieter R. Stella, MD, Ph.D. (University Medical Center, Utrecht, the Netherlands) at TCT 2018. The results for the first RCT comparing PF-AES versus latest generation PP ZES in an all-comers PCI population were simultaneously published in Circulation. Continue reading →

Findings from the SORT-OUT trial, presented at the 30^th annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) conference 2018 held at San Diego, showed that at 12 months, polymer free Biolimus A9-coated BioFreedom stent was non-inferior to the thin strut, biodegradable polymer cobalt-chromium sirolimus-eluting Orsiro stent in an all-comers patient population. Continue reading →