Early AVR bests ‘watchful waiting’ in asymptomatic patients

A heart team working together during a TAVR procedure at Emory. The success of the heart team approach has has made it a model for care collaborations across cardiovascular care.

A heart team working together during a TAVR procedure at Emory. The success of the heart team approach has has made it a model for care collaborations across cardiovascular care.

Patients with severe but asymptomatic aortic stenosis have better survival two and three years later if an aortic valve replacement (AVR) is initially recommended instead of a “watchful waiting” approach, according to a single-center study published in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

Heart attack patient’s $227K balance highlights inconsistent billing practices

A woman who was on the hook for nearly $227,000 in medical bills after suffering a heart attack and other complications had her balance wiped out by a medical charity waiver, Kaiser Health News reported. But that didn’t save Debbie Moehnke and her husband, Larry, the stress of mounting medical bills and calls from debt collectors, and the story highlights how inconsistent billing practices could impact other patients.