Acute Coronary Syndromes

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is most commonly caused by a heart attack (myocardial infarction) where blood flow to the heart is suddenly blocked. This is usually caused by a blood clot from a ruptured coronary artery atherosclerotic plaque. Other causes include spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), which most commonly occurs in women. ACS is usually treated in a cath lab with angioplasty and the placement of a stent to prop the vessel open.

ACC.24 sign American College of Cardiology

ACC.24: Impella CP boosts survival for patients with STEMI-related cardiogenic shock

“This is the first time in a very long time that we have a positive study for managing cardiogenic shock,” one cardiologist said. 

April 7, 2024
ACC.24, the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology (ACC), kicked off on Saturday, April 6, with a series of late-breaking clinical trials focused on testing the safety and effectiveness of new treatment strategies.

Day 1 at ACC.24: Late-breakers examine potential new heart attack, heart failure treatments

ACC.24 in Atlanta began Saturday, April 6, with a series of late-breaking clinical trials exploring brand new treatment strategies. 

April 6, 2024
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Risk of heart disease skyrockets when young, middle-aged women regularly drink alcohol

"I wasn’t expecting these results among women in this lower age group, because we usually see increased risk for heart disease among older women," one cardiologist said. "It was definitely surprising.”

April 1, 2024
artificial intelligence AI heart cardiology

Cardiologists see value in AI-based plaque assessments

Cardiologists were asked to develop a care strategy for CAD patients before and after using an FDA-approved AI tool to evaluate CT results. In two out of three cases, the AI influenced cardiologists to modify their original plan. 

March 29, 2024
American Heart Association and Joint Commission launch new Comprehensive Heart Attack Center certification.

Heart attacks after TAVR: New AMI data ‘reassuring’ at first glance, but questions remain

Hoping to gain a better understanding of how TAVR may impact a patient’s long-term cardiovascular health, researchers explored data from more than 200,000 patients and shared their findings in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions.

March 28, 2024
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Microplastics in carotid plaques increase risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes

Polyethylene was present in 58.4% of patients, and polyvinyl chloride was present in 12.1%. The presence of either one was associated with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke or death. 

March 27, 2024

Intermittent fasting may increase risk of death from heart attack, stroke

Time-restricted eating is popular in the United States, but new research suggests it may do more harm than good if taken to certain extremes. 

March 18, 2024
Breast arterial calcifications (BACs) identified on screening mammograms may help identify women who face a heightened risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a new analysis published in Clinical Imaging.

Incidental breast calcifications on mammograms linked to much higher risk of cardiovascular disease

These findings may say a lot more about a patient's long-term health than clinicians realized. 

March 18, 2024

Around the web

Eleven medical societies have signed on to a consensus statement aimed at standardizing imaging for suspected cardiovascular infections.

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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