October 31st, 2013
Does OPTIMIZE Reveal the Optimal DAPT Time Frame?
Richard A. Lange, MD, MBA and L. David Hillis, MD
Rick Lange and David Hillis pose several important questions triggered by the OPTIMIZE findings.
October 31st, 2013
Prolonged Dual Antiplatelet Therapy May Not be Necessary for Second-Generation Drug-Eluting Stents
Larry Husten, PHD
The precise duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) following implantation of a drug-eluting stent (DES) has been the subject of considerable controversy. On the one hand, prolonged therapy may help prevent late stent thrombosis, which was particularly evident in first generation DESs. On the other hand, the risk of stent thrombosis may have diminished in […]
October 31st, 2013
EUROMAX Meets Primary Endpoint But Editorialist Raises Questions
Larry Husten, PHD
When started during transport to the hospital during a heart attack, bivalirudin (Angiox, Medicines Company) improves clinical outcomes and reduces major bleeding, though at the cost of a small but significant risk in stent thrombosis. The results of the European Ambulance Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) Angiography) Trial (EUROMAX) were presented on Wednesday by Phillippe Gabriel […]
October 29th, 2013
Pivotal Results for Medtronic’s CoreValve
Larry Husten, PHD
Key data on what will likely be the second transcatheter aortic valve to gain approval in the U.S. were presented today at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) 2013 Conference in San Francisco. Jeffrey Popma, co-principal investigator of the trial, presented the major results from the CoreValve U.S. Pivotal Trial in patients who were too ill or frail for traditional open […]
October 29th, 2013
Using CAC Scores to Determine the Best Candidates for a Polypill
Anita Vashi, MD, MPH
Khurram Nasir discusses his research group’s JACC study, which examines whether the coronary artery calcium score can be used to determine the target population for a polypill.
October 28th, 2013
Radiation Dose Linked to Cardiac Risk in Breast Cancer Patients
Larry Husten, PHD
In the past, cardiovascular risk has been linked to the radiation dose received by breast cancer patients. Now, a new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine attempts to calculate the cardiac risk of breast cancer patients today undergoing current radiotherapy protocols. David J. Brenner and colleagues calculated the excess cardiac risk for 48 patients who received radiotherapy […]
October 28th, 2013
Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: October 28th
Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP
This week’s topics include thrombus aspiration during STEMI, the effect of statins on mortality in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia, and more.
October 25th, 2013
FDA Approves Abbot’s MitraClip for Patients at Prohibitive Surgical Risk
Larry Husten, PHD
The FDA today approved Abbott’s catheter-based MitraClip device for patients with significant symptomatic degenerative MR who are at prohibitive risk for mitral valve surgery. The company said it would launch the device immediately in the United States. The device is the first percutaneous nonsurgical therapy approved for the treatment of mitral valve disease. Surgery remains the […]
October 24th, 2013
Surgery Preferable to Stents in Elderly People with Carotid Disease
Larry Husten, PHD
Age should play an important role in choosing a revascularization procedure for people with blocked carotid arteries, according to a new paper published in JAMA Surgery. Carotid endarterectomy surgery (CEA) is preferable to carotid artery stenting (CAS) in elderly people; for younger patients, the two revascularization procedures are broadly similar. George Antoniou and colleagues analyzed data from 44 […]
October 23rd, 2013
Flu Vaccine May Help Prevent Cardiovascular Events
Larry Husten, PHD
A new meta-analysis published in JAMA offers the best evidence yet that the flu vaccine may help prevent cardiovascular events. Jacob Udell and colleagues analyzed data from five published clinical trials in which 6469 patients were randomized to flu vaccination or placebo (or no treatment). People who received the flu vaccine were significantly less likely than controls […]