CardioExchange Archive

August 30th, 2011

No Benefit for Routine Counterpulsation Found in CRISP AMI

Larry Husten, PHD

Routine use of intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (IABC) in STEMI patients who do not have cardiogenic shock does not reduce infarct size, according to a new trial. Results from the CRISP AMI (Counterpulsation to Reduce Infarct Size Pre-PCI Acute Myocardial Infarction) trial were presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting in Paris by Manesh Patel […]

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August 30th, 2011

New Results from EMPHASIS-HF Show Big Benefits For High-Risk Subgroups Taking Eplerenone

Larry Husten, PHD

Last November the main results of the EMPHASIS-HF trial demonstrated that eplerenone was significantly better than placebo in reducing the risk for death and hospitalization in patients with systolic heart failure and mild symptoms. Now a new analysis of the trial, presented by Bertram Pitt at the European Society of Cardiology meeting in Paris, reinforces the earlier findings […]

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August 30th, 2011

Is Warfarin Still the First Choice in Atrial Fibrillation?

Stephen Fleet, MD

There’s an old maxim in medicine that one shouldn’t be the first to prescribe a new drug, nor the last. A fascinating debate between Michael Ezekowitz from the U.S. and Felicita Andreotti from Italy highlighted the differences between warfarin and the newer oral anticoagulants (NOACs) apixaban, rivaroxaban, and dabigatran. Even Dr. Ezekowitz, the warfarin protagonist for purposes […]

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August 29th, 2011

Not Shocking: French Studies Evaluate Remote Monitoring of ICDs

Larry Husten, PHD

Remote monitoring of ICDs can reduce inappropriate shocks, but the overall clinical benefit and cost-effectiveness of the technology has not yet been demonstrated, according to two new studies presented at the ESC meeting in Paris. Salem Kacet presented the ECOST (Effectiveness and Cost of ICD Follow-Up Schedule with Telecardiology) study in which 433 ICD patients were […]

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August 29th, 2011

Shortfalls in Secondary Prevention Particularly Acute in Poor Countries

Larry Husten, PHD

It shouldn’t come as a surprise, but an international epidemiological study shows large shortfalls in the use of established drugs for secondary prevention. The shortfalls are dramatically acute in poor countries, said Salim Yusuf, who presented the results of the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiological (PURE) study at the ESC in Paris on Sunday. The paper […]

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August 29th, 2011

ESC: A Closure Device and a Warfarin Substitute for High-Risk AFib Patients

Stephen Fleet, MD

How can we manage a patient with atrial fibrillation and contraindications to warfarin therapy such as recurrent severe bleeding — a common scenario in clinical practice? Data from the manufacturer-sponsored ASAP study (ASA Plavix Feasibility Study with WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Technology) provides some hope, beyond what we had learned from the Protect AF […]

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August 28th, 2011

Anatomical vs. Physiological Assessment of Coronary Artery Disease

Stephen Fleet, MD

Just as the great voleur Willie Sutton robbed banks because “that’s where the money is,” why don’t we just look for coronary artery disease (CAD) directly in the coronary arteries? At the ESC meeting today in Paris, Bharati Shivalkar of Belgium reviewed the assessment of CAD utilizing coronary CT angiography (anatomical)  vs. the usual standard of care, stress […]

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August 28th, 2011

A “Straight A” Trial: Answers About Apixaban from ARISTOTLE

Samuel Goldhaber, MD

Several important questions about the relative safety and efficacy of apixaban versus warfarin in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation have been answered.

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August 28th, 2011

ARISTOTLE Finds the Golden Mean of Anticoagulation

Larry Husten, PHD

In ancient Greece the philosopher Aristotle thought the golden mean was the desirable middle between two extremes, one of excess and the other of deficiency. In cardiology, apixaban may be the golden mean of anticoagulation, achieving the ideal balance of reduced strokes and deaths without causing any additional bleeding complications. The Apixaban for Reduction in Stroke and Other […]

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August 24th, 2011

ARISTOTLE at ESC: What to Look for When the Data Are Unveiled

Samuel Goldhaber, MD

At 11:54 a.m. on August 28 in Paris (5:54 a.m. U.S. east coast time), I can almost imagine a huge drop in cell phone call volume as the ARISTOTLE presentation begins at ESC. The ESC exposition site is right next to Charles de Gaulle airport. Will a temporary “no fly zone” be declared? We know […]

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