Managing stable angina: How cardiologists can find the right mix of revascularization, therapy and interventions

cardiologists evaluating the human heart to provide a treatment strategy

The management of stable angina has been evolving at a rapid rate. Using a one-size-fits-all strategy is becoming a thing of the past, replaced by a patient-centered approach that requires open communication and a healthy understanding of recent clinical research.

Intravascular lithotripsy, the technology at heart of $13B acquisition, linked to positive real-world data

The Shockwave Medical M5+ new peripheral intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) catheter cuts procedures times in half and was showed for the first time at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2022 meeting. It is designed to break up calcium in heavily calcified arteries to avoid the need for vessel trauma caused by high pressure angioplasty.

Intravascular lithotripsy image courtesy of Shockwave Medical.

The calcified plaque-shattering technology developed by Shockwave Medical continues to gain momentum. As more care teams start using IVL during PCI, researchers are paying close attention to its long-term impact on patient care.

Siemens Healthineers gains FDA clearance for new AI-powered cardiovascular ultrasound system

Siemens Healthineers has gained U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for Acuson Origin, its new cardiovascular ultrasound system featuring advanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. The Acuson Origin represents a significant update from the prior Siemens Healthineers cardiovascular ultrasound system, the Acuson SC2000.

Image courtesy of Siemens Healthineers. 

The Acuson Origin system includes advanced AI algorithms designed to assist users with the treatment of diagnostic, structural heart, vascular, electrophysiological and pediatric patients. It also comes packaged with a new 4D ICE catheter capable of multiplanar reconstruction imaging with or without the use of an electrocardiogram.

Cardiologists perform world’s first valve-in-valve caval valve procedure in heart transplant patient

first-in-man valve-in-valve caval valve implantation

Fluoroscopy confirming no signs of paravalvular leak after a successful valve-in-valve caval valve implantation. Image courtesy of Jennifer von Stein, MD, et al. and JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions. 

A care team in Germany has completed what may be the first structural heart procedure of its kind on a high-risk patient. It started as a straightforward heterotopic caval valve implantation, but then paravalvular leak resulted in a change of plans. 

Cardiology still a leader in healthcare AI, trailing only radiology in FDA-cleared algorithms

An example of HeartFlow's new RoadMap Stenosis software that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to show areas of interest for possible stenting based on a patient's CT scan and FFR-CT. This software is still undergoing beta testing at several hospitals and will likely be rolled out commercially later in 2023.

An example of HeartFlow's new RoadMap Stenosis software that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to show areas of interest for possible stenting based on a patient's CT scan and FFR-CT. The software was rolled out commercially in April 2023.

At its current rate, the number of clinical AI models cleared by the FDA will break 1,000 before the end of 2024. Cardiology continues to play a significant role in this ongoing trend. 

CMS increases inpatient payment for Recor Medical, Medtronic renal denervation systems

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Recor Medical’s Paradise Ultrasound Renal Denervation (RDN) system for uncontrolled hypertension. The Recor system gained FDA clearance in November 2023.

Paradise Ultrasound image courtesy of Recor Medical. 

Physicians using the Paradise Ultrasound Renal Denervation system from Recor Medical or Symplicity Spyral Renal Denervation system from Medtronic will soon be eligible for a much more significant reimbursement when treating Medicare patients in an inpatient setting.