Structural Heart Disease

Structural heart diseases include any issues preventing normal cardiovascular function due to damage or alteration to the anatomical components of the heart. This is caused by aging, advanced atherosclerosis, calcification, tissue degeneration, congenital heart defects and heart failure. The most commonly treated areas are the heart valves, in particular the mitral and aortic valves. These can be replaced through open heart surgery or using cath lab-based transcatheter valves or repairs to eliminate regurgitation due to faulty valve leaflets. This includes transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Other common procedures include left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion and closing congenital holes in the heart, such as PFO and ASD. A growing area includes transcatheter mitral repair or replacement and transcatheter tricuspid valve repair and replacement.

Transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr) is associated with “promising” short-term outcomes among patients with a history of cancer, according to new research published in the American Journal of Cardiology. #TEER #TMVR

'Promising' new data on TMVr among cancer patients

The study's authors examined data from nearly 23,000 patients who underwent transcatheter mitral valve repair from 2014 to 2018. 

June 13, 2022
Heart

TAVR vs. surgery among children and young adults with congenital heart disease

Though TAVR was once never considered a treatment option for younger patients, it is becoming more common as time goes on. 

June 10, 2022
Charles D. Fraser, Jr., MD, executive director of the new Institute for Cardiovascular Health, a collaboration between Ascension Texas and the University of Texas at Austin, including its Dell Medical School. This new, state-of-the-art cardiology program fully integrates all the cardiac subspecialties to create a comprehensive heart team approach in treating patients.

VIDEO: Creating an integrated heart team program in central Texas

Charles D. Fraser, Jr., MD, executive director of the new Institute for Cardiovascular Health in Austin, Texas, discusses the facility's new, state-of-the-art cardiology program.

June 8, 2022
Early clinical evaluation of the Alleviant System to create no-implant interatrial shunts to treat heart failure patients with preserved and reduced ejection fraction (HFpEF and HFrEF) demonstrated procedural safety and feasibility with a promising efficacy signal through six months.

Key interventional cardiology takeaways from the SCAI 2022 conference

The key interventional cardiology takeaways from sessions presented at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 2022 annual meeting.

June 7, 2022
Same-day discharge after TAVR is safe for low-risk patients, leads to considerable cost savings

Same-day discharge after TAVR is safe for low-risk patients, leads to considerable cost savings

Researchers aimed to shine light on this key topic, tracking data from nearly 200,000 patients. 

June 2, 2022
Examples of mitral annulus calcification (MAC) visualized using echocardiography. Image from the journal Echocardiography.

Mitral annulus calcification more than doubles a patient’s risk of heart valve disease

"For clinicians, suspicion for valve diseases should be increased and evaluations carefully performed for patients with MAC," according to one Mayo Clinic cardiologist.

June 1, 2022

Transcatheter PVL closure linked to lower 30-day mortality than surgery

Long-term mortality, meanwhile, is similar between the two treatment options.

May 27, 2022

Left bundle branch block after TAVR hurts outcomes, even when no permanent pacemaker is required

Researchers tracked data from more than 2,000 TAVR patients, focusing on cardiovascular mortality and hospitalizations for heart failure. 

May 23, 2022

Around the web

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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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