CardioExchange Archive

March 15th, 2015

Encouraging 5-Year Results for TAVR

Larry Husten, PHD

The publication five years ago of the two-part PARTNER trial brought a major change to the treatment of aortic valve replacement. The trial demonstrated that transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) was a reasonable treatment option, first for patients who were not surgical candidates and then for patients who were at high risk for surgery. One […]

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March 10th, 2015

First Good Look at TAVR in The Real World

Larry Husten, PHD

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is one of the most important advances in cardiovascular medicine in recent years. Although it is associated with significant risks, TAVR can offer some patients a less invasive alternative to traditional aortic valve replacement surgery.  Because of early concerns about potential overuse and misuse of TAVR, many observers have been eagerly […]

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October 30th, 2014

Aortic Valve Surgery for Nonagenarians

Larry Husten, PHD

As people continue to live longer physicians are increasingly confronted with very elderly patients who have serious conditions that might benefit from surgery but who are at high risk for surgical complications. In a paper published in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery, doctors at the Mayo Clinic reviewed their experience with 59 patients age 90 or […]

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September 30th, 2014

No Difference in Survival Found for Different Aortic Valve Prostheses

Larry Husten, PHD

A new study published in JAMA suggests that younger patients who need aortic valve replacement (AVR) may now be more eligible to receive bioprosthetic valves. Each year about 50,000 people in the U.S. undergo AVR surgery. Older patients generally receive bioprosthetic valves because these valves are less prone to clotting and bleeding complications. Surgeons are often […]

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June 17th, 2014

FDA Approves Second-Generation Heart Valve from Edwards Lifesciences

Larry Husten, PHD

The next phase of the burgeoning and rapidly maturing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) market has begun. Edwards Lifesciences announced on Monday afternoon that the FDA had approved its second-generation Sapien XT TAVR device  for the treatment of high-risk and inoperable patients suffering from severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS). The Sapien XT is the successor to the first-generation Sapien device, which […]

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April 21st, 2014

The CoreValve Trial: What Do You Say to Your Patients?

Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM

Harlan Krumholz presents a scenario based on the CoreValve trial and asks, “What do you say to your patient?”

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March 30th, 2014

Taking Patient-Centeredness to the Next Level at ACC.14

Kumar Dharmarajan, MD MBA

A fellow discusses an interesting lecture approach at ACC.14.

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March 30th, 2014

First TAVR Comparison Trial Favors Sapien XT Over CoreValve

Larry Husten, PHD

With two devices now approved for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), the marketing battle has begun to win the hearts and minds of cardiologists. On Saturday at the ACC, Medtronic gained bragging rights showing the first mortality benefit for its CoreValve device. A similar improvement did not occur in the PARTNER trials with the Edwards […]

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March 29th, 2014

TAVR: Are You Impressed Now?

Ajay J Kirtane, MD, SM

Interventionalist Ajay Kirtane offers his perspective on the new randomized trial comparing transcatheter (CoreValve) with surgical aortic valve replacement.

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March 29th, 2014

Survival Advantage for TAVR Over Surgery in High-Risk Patients

Larry Husten, PHD

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), which has been slowly and cautiously entering the clinical arena, will probably get a big boost from a new trial showing a significant mortality advtange for TAVR over traditional surgery. Results from the U.S. CoreValve High-Risk Study were presented at the American College of Cardiology in Washington, DC, and published simultaneously […]

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