South Korean researchers are working on packing the ability to monitor heart health and detect signs of atrial fibrillation into what might be the smallest cardiology wearable to date: a “smart ring.”
The bioresorbable vascular scaffold, once an exciting prospect for cardiologists, saw a unique rise and fall in popularity within a year of its introduction to the CV market.
Atrial fibrillation patients with coronary artery disease pose a delicate balancing act for physicians. A growing awareness of bleeding vs. ischemic risks could soon lead to a steadier therapeutic response.
Where I live in Pennsylvania, not far from the “Heroin Highway,” the local news delivers frequent but superficial glimpses of the impact of the opioid epidemic on families and our communities. Statistics underscore such stories: More than 70,000 drug over-dose deaths just in 2017 with an associated “economic burden” exceeding $78 billion per year.
As rates of infective endocarditis among intravenous drug users skyrocket, cardiologists are finding that treating the heart condition without addressing the disease of addiction contributes to readmissions and mortality.
Ryan Madder, MD, is at the robotic controls for an experimental telestent procedure. In this case, the robotic controls are in a medical office building miles away from the cath lab and stent recipient. Source: Ryan Madder, MD.
Telehealth enthusiasts are optimistic about telestenting’s potential to solve access-to-care issues but concede that significant obstacles must be overcome before it will be ready for prime time.
The global market for transcatheter treatment of the mitral and aortic valves is expected to increase from $4 billion to $8 billion in the next five years, but barriers exist.
