Features

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Reported in 2018 by anesthesiologists at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, the case suggested a message to TAVR operators: “Vigilance and a high degree of suspicion” are critical for avoiding the potentially severe hemodynamic consequences of HCM associated with aortic stenosis, the authors asserted (J Med Case Rep 2018;18;12[1]:372).

Until recently, cardiologists’ eyes tended to glaze over at the mention of using 3D printing in their practices. Most believed the costs would be too high for routine use, that the applications and the price tag were better suited to academic applications.

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To get the operational perspective, CVB hosted a roundtable discussion with service line leaders about the opportunities and challenges they encounter around data.
 

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Experienced dyad and triad partners share tips for setting the stage for success and putting the brakes on mistakes.

Tom Giangiulio

As many as 700 hearts from donors with hepatitis C are discarded each year in the U.S. New research suggests at least some of these organs may be suitable for transplant.

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Following data supporting their use for heart failure and type 2 diabetes, will sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors find a spot in the heart failure armamentarium?

Marijuana use among older adults is associated with a heightened risk of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, according to new research published in the American Journal of Cardiology. “Marijuana use increases sympathetic nervous system activity and inhibits cardiac parasympathetic innervation, resulting in elevated heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and an increase in myocardial oxygen demand.

As use of cannabis products increases and evidence of possible cardiovascular harm mounts, it’s time for cardiologists to start having conversations with their patients.

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Forward-looking providers are converting reams of data from myriad sources into innovative new ways to deliver healthcare and improve efficiencies.

 Bundling is premised on viewing healthcare as a continuum, but most of today’s healthcare systems use electronic medical records (EMRs) developed for episodic fee-for-service billing. While many in the cardiovascular community are at the beginning of this experiment, some health systems participated in the earlier Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) Initiative and have insights to share.    

As a growing body of evidence links palliative care to improved quality of life and better healthcare utilization for patients with heart failure, some in the medical community are advocating a shift from the traditionalist, acute care model to one more in tune with the psychological and physical needs of people with advanced cardiovascular disease.

Every day, cardiologists make hundreds, if not thousands, of mouse clicks, encounter countless notifications and manage a steady stream of alerts that pop up on their computer and device screens. Some say these demands of the electronic health record (EHR) are distracting clinicians from patient care and contributing to physician burnout. Yet there are workarounds that can help cardiologists handle the digital data deluge.

To prevent the risk of patients developing heart failure from chemotherapy agents in cancer care, patients are typically have their left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) or myocardial strain monitored using either echocardiography or equilibrium radionuclide angiography/multigated acquisition (ERNA/MUGA). If cardiac damager occurs, the treatment is discontinue or pause treatment. Cardiac imaging to assess chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity using strain echo.

Treating today’s cancer patient no longer means simply targeting the cancer. Given the known cardiotoxicities of some established chemotherapies and the possibility that newer approaches may damage the heart, oncologists, cardiologists and imaging specialists now work together to detect and minimize the risk of treatment-induced heart failure.

Around the web

Eleven medical societies have signed on to a consensus statement aimed at standardizing imaging for suspected cardiovascular infections.

Kate Hanneman, MD, explains why many vendors and hospitals want to lower radiology's impact on the environment. "Taking steps to reduce the carbon footprint in healthcare isn’t just an opportunity," she said. "It’s also a responsibility."

Philips introduced a new CT system at ECR aimed at the rapidly growing cardiac CT market, incorporating numerous AI features to optimize workflow and image quality.