CardioExchange Archive

November 16th, 2014

Prolonged Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Affirmed in DAPT

Larry Husten, PHD

The advent of drug-eluting stents dramatically reduced the restenosis rate associated with bare-metal stents but prompted new concerns about the rare but potentially lethal complication of stent thrombosis (ST). Cardiologists have relied upon dual antiplatelet therapy to prevent ST but there has been considerable uncertainty and controversy about the ideal duration of therapy. The Dual Antiplatelet […]

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October 27th, 2014

Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: October 27th

Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP

This week’s topics include behavioral counseling for those with CV risk factors, long-term outcomes after stenting vs. endarterectomy for treatment of symptomatic carotid stenosis, and more.

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September 2nd, 2014

Fractional Flow Reserve Gains Support in Stable CAD and NSTEMI

Larry Husten, PHD

Two studies presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting in Barcelona offered fresh support for fractional flow reserve (FFR), which has been slowly but surely gaining traction in the interventional cardiology community. FFR in Patients with Stable CAD Bernard De Bruyne presented 2-year results from the FAME 2 (Fractional flow reserve versus Angiography for Multivessel Evaluation […]

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June 30th, 2014

Registry Study Offers Reassurance About Newer Drug-Eluting Stents

Larry Husten, PHD

Findings from a large ongoing registry study provide some reassurance about the long-term safety of new-generation drug-eluting stents (DES)  in patients with STEMI who undergo primary PCI. The results are published online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. SCAAR (Swedish Coronary Angiography and Angioplasty Registry) investigators analyzed data from 34,000 primary PCI patients who […]

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February 3rd, 2014

Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: February 3rd

Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP

This week’s topics include biomarkers for systemic sclerosis, the effectiveness of ICDs for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death, and more.

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January 30th, 2014

Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: January 30th

Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP

This week’s topics include articles on the FDA’s premarket approval of cardiac implantable electronic devices, the Stryker Wingspan stent system, and more.

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January 6th, 2014

Selections from Richard Lehman’s Literature Review: January 6th

Richard Lehman, BM, BCh, MRCGP

This week’s topics include the NAVIGATOR study, trials of stents, mitral valve repair vs. replacement, and more.

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December 3rd, 2013

Stents Lose in Comparisons with Surgery and Medical Therapy

Larry Husten, PHD

Despite the enormous increase in the use of stents in recent decades, there is little or no good evidence comparing their use to the alternatives of CABG surgery or optimal medical therapy in patients also eligible for these strategies. Now two meta-analyses published in JAMA Internal Medicine provide new evidence that the alternatives to PCI […]

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November 25th, 2013

FDA Reprimands 23andMe, Grants Breakthrough Status to Factor Xa Inhibitor, and Approves Promus Premier Stent

Larry Husten, PHD

It was a busy morning at the FDA. Three new FDA actions may be of considerable interest in the cardiology universe: FDA Halts 23andMe Personal Genome Test: The FDA sent a scathing letter to 23andMe ordering the company to stop selling its Personal Genome Service (PGS) test.  The FDA highlighted two cardiology-related uses of PGS as “particularly concerning,” including […]

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October 15th, 2013

Questions Remain About George W Bush’s Stent

L. David Hillis, MD

The National Journal reported yesterday that “George W. Bush’s recent heart problems were far more dangerous than generally believed — potentially life-threatening, in fact.” The Journal cited “an authoritative source”: “He was more than 95% occluded. With a blockage like that in a main artery you’re supposed to die. He was pretty lucky they caught it.” On the Nightly News” […]

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