Interventional Cardiology

This cardiac subspecialty uses minimally invasive, catheter-based technologies in a cath lab to diagnose and treat coronary artery disease (CAD). The main focus in on percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) to revascularize patients with CAD that is causing blockages resulting in ischemia or myocardial infarction. PCI mainly consists of angioplasty and implanting stents. Interventional cardiology has greatly expanded in scope over recent years to include a number of transcatheter structural heart interventions.

Medicure files supplemental new drug application to expand tirofiban hydrochloride labeling

Medicure submitted a supplemental new drug application with the FDA on Sept. 10 to expand the labeling for tirofiban hydrochloride (Aggrastat) to include patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The company said in a news release that it expects the FDA to make its approval decision by July 2016.

September 11, 2015
surgeons operating

Cyclosporine does not improve clinical outcomes in STEMI patients

Patients with an acute anterior ST-segment elevation MI (STEMI) who were injected with cyclosporine immediately before undergoing PCI did not have better clinical outcomes compared with a group receiving placebo, according to a randomized, double-blind trial.

September 8, 2015

Post-discharge bleeding after PCI is associated with increased mortality risk

More than six percent of patient who underwent successful PCI with drug-eluting stents had post-discharge bleeding within two years, according to a prospective study. A multivariable analysis found post-discharge bleeding was the strongest predictor of two-year mortality.

September 4, 2015
heart team approach

[VIDEO] Building a Protected PCI Program: The Heart Team Approach

Offered in cooperation with Abiomed

Building a Protected PCI Program: The Heart Team Approach

September 1, 2015

Short-term outcomes are positive following TMVR

After six months of follow-up, all three patients in a recent trial who underwent transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) to treat mitral valve disease remained alive and were not readmitted to hospitals for heart failure. The patients were treated with the Fortis mitral transcatheter heart valve, which is not FDA-approved.

August 26, 2015

Model identifies risk factors for early hospital readmission after PCI

A prediction model developed by researchers in Boston found that anticoagulation treatment, frequency of emergency department visits before the procedure and anxiety were associated with early hospital readmission after patients underwent PCI.

August 20, 2015

Early surgery superior to rescue surgery for mitral regurgitation

Patients who underwent early surgery for mitral regurgitation were less likely to have postoperative mortality and heart failure compared with those who waited for rescue surgery, according to a Mayo Clinic analysis.

August 18, 2015

Cardiac troponin T concentration helps predict outcomes

For patients with type 2 diabetes and stable ischemic heart disease, measuring their cardiac troponin T concentration may help predict their risk of death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal MI or nonfatal stroke, according to an analysis of a randomized study.

August 13, 2015

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."

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