CardioExchange Archive

March 10th, 2013

ACC.13: Is Cangrelor an Antiplatelet CHAMPION?

Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, Richard A. Lange, MD, MBA and L. David Hillis, MD

Deepak Bhatt sheds light on findings from the CHAMPION PHOENIX trial and their implications for clinical practice.

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March 10th, 2013

Cangrelor During PCI May Reduce Ischemic Events

Larry Husten, PHD

For more of our ACC.13 coverage of late-breaking clinical trials, interviews with the authors of the most important research, and blogs from our fellows on the most interesting presentations at the meeting, check out our Coverage Headquarters. In the Cangrelor versus Standard Therapy to Achieve Optimal Management of Platelet Inhibition (CHAMPION PHOENIX) trial, the intravenous platelet […]

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February 25th, 2013

Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: February 25th

Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP

This week’s topics include extended use of apixaban, dabigatran, warfarin, or placebo in VTE, the 5-year follow-up of the SYNTAX study, and more.

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February 22nd, 2013

SYNTAX After 5 Years: Any Change in Results (or Your Practice)?

Richard A. Lange, MD, MBA and L. David Hillis, MD

The 5 year results of the SYNTAX (SYNergy between percutaneous coronary intervention with TAXus and cardiac surgery) trial are now published.  SYNTAX assessed the optimal revascularization strategy for patients with left main and/or 3-vessel disease by randomly assigning such patients to CABG or PCI (with a first-generation paclitaxel-eluting stent) and then determining the rate of […]

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February 14th, 2013

No Aspirin After DES? Is This The Wild, Wild WOEST?

Richard A. Lange, MD, MBA and L. David Hillis, MD

According to the recently published results of the WOEST trial, patients receiving anticoagulation thereapy who undergo stenting have better outcomes with clopidogrel only than with clopidogrel plus aspirin. Rick Lange and David Hillis ask: Are you ready to stop prescribing aspirin to these patients?

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February 7th, 2013

Arms and the Interventionalist

Megan Coylewright, MD MPH, Michael Tempelhof, MD MSc, Micah Eimer, MD, L. David Hillis, MD, Richard A. Lange, MD, MBA and John Ryan, MD

According to an ESC consensus document published last week, radial artery access should be the “default” choice for PCI. CardioExchange’s John Ryan interviewed cardiologists and interventional cardiologists at different stages of their careers to find out how they view radial artery catheterization, and if the views differ among interventional fellows, faculty, and those in leadership roles. Dr. […]

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February 6th, 2013

FFR vs. iFR: All That Glitters Is Not Gold

Richard A. Lange, MD, MBA and L. David Hillis, MD

David Hillis and Rick Lange consider new evidence that iFR is not an acceptable substitute for FFR. Does the need for adenosine administration hinder the use of FFR to guide management decisions?

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January 8th, 2013

Early Results: Antiplatelet Drug Cangrelor Superior to Clopidogrel in PCI Patients at 48 Hours

Larry Husten, PHD

The experimental antiplatelet drug cangrelor was superior to traditional clopidogrel in reducing ischemic events at 48 hours in PCI patients, according to the Medicines Company, which is developing the drug. The company today announced positive results from the phase 3 CHAMPION PHOENIX trial, a randomized, double-blind study comparing intravenous cangrelor to oral clopidogrel in PCI patients. The […]

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January 8th, 2013

Could You Be Accused of Doing Unnecessary PCI?

Richard A. Lange, MD, MBA and L. David Hillis, MD

A recent rash of lawsuits and physician suspensions for “unnecessary PCI” have given many interventionalists pause. Rick Lange and David Hillis ponder the implications of these incidents on clinical practice.

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January 5th, 2013

Ohio Hospital and Cardiology Group Will Pay $4.4 Million to Settle Charges Over Unnecessary PCIs

Larry Husten, PHD

In 2006, Reed Abelson in the New York Times reported that the PCI rate in Elyria, Ohio, was four times the national average. Now, six-and-a-half years later, she reports that the local hospital, EMH Regional Medical Center, has agreed to pay $3.9 million to settle accusations that it billed Medicare for unnecessary PCIs. And the local cardiology group, North Ohio Heart Center, has agreed […]

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