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Continuous and high-adherent statin users had lower baseline arterial stiffness which also grew more slowly over time, a new JAMA Network Open study finds.

All participants were free of ASCVD and had no history of statin use at the start of the study. 

pharmaceutical drug approval process

Pharmacists interact with patients on a regular basis and are seen as a trusted source of health information. Can they help cardiologists improve care for AFib patients? 

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TAVR was initially associated with greater benefits than surgery, but that difference faded by the end of the first year.

Community Hospital Munster

Munster, Indiana, is a thriving suburb 30 miles south of the heart of Chicago. It’s a place where the locals like to stay local, especially when it comes to healthcare. Patients in the area often turn to 454-bed Community Hospital, one of three acute-care hospitals part of Community Healthcare System. 

Lars Svensson, MD, PhD

Svensson, a prominent voice in cardiothoracic surgery, said he has seen a rise in enthusiasm ahead of this year's meeting.

Video of James Januzzi explaining the results of a new diabetic cardiomyopathy treatment in ACC 2024 late-breaking ARISE-HF trial. #ACC #ACC24 #ACC2024

James Januzzi Jr., MD, said the treatment's overall impact was neutral, but he and his team saw "a very clear and encouraging signal."

Advanced artificial intelligence (AI) models can evaluate cardiovascular risk in routine chest CT scans without contrast, according to new research published in Nature Communications.[1] In fact, the authors noted, the AI approach may be more effective at identifying issues than relying on guidance from radiologists. Representative non-contrast CT slices for two patients (left), with super-imposed segmentations (right). One artificial intelligence (AI) model was used to segment a cardiac mask.

Two advanced algorithms—one for CAC scores and another for segmenting cardiac chamber volumes—outperformed radiologists when assessing low-dose chest CT scans. 

doctor examines patient data on their tablet

Researchers asked ChatGPT to make treatment decisions for patients with severe aortic stenosis, comparing its answers to the recommendations of a full heart team. 

Clinician and physician burnout is fueling the large numbers of resignations in healthcare, which are fueled by a handful of factors, including adequate staffing and being bogged down in non-clinical work, especially with inefficient EMRs.

Julius Bogdan, vice president and general manager of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Digital Health Advisory Team for North America, discusses how artificial intelligence (AI) can help combat clinician burnout.

Comparison of flurpiridaz F-18 PET, SPECT and angiography of the 60-year-old female patients in the Aurora trial. The SPECT scan appeared normal, but flurpiridaz was shown to be more sensitive and showed the ischemia from two blockages in the right coronary artery. The new radiotracer may help expand cardiac PET. #ASNC

The biggest news from the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) 2022 meeting was positive late-breaking data on the phase 3 Aurora trial for the flurpiridaz (F-18) PET radiotracer agent.

Three transcatheter tricuspid valve repair and replacement (TTVR) technologies that will likely see FDA clearance in. the next couple years include the Edwards Evoque transcatheter tricuspid valve (top left), Abbott TriClip (below) and the Edwards Lifesciences Pascal clip device (right).

The complexity of the mitral valve has slowed development of new transcatheter technologies, and it now seems much more likely that transcatheter devices for tricuspid valve will push ahead to gain FDA clearances.

Thermedical SERF thermal ablation system for VT.

The FDA has approved a clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a new type of ablation catheter for patients with ventricular tachycardia (VT) resistant to conventional anti-arrhythmic drugs or standard ablation procedures.

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.