Peripheral Artery Disease

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) involves atherosclerosis mainly in the extremities, especially in the legs and feet that lead to ischemia. Untreated, PAD can progress to critical limb ischemia (CLI), also called chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI), which will lead to foot or leg amputation. The mortality rate for these CLI amputees is 70% within three years. There is currently an epidemic of PAD and CLI in the U.S. The majority of patients are defined by health disparities concentrated in the Black, Latino, Native American populations in both rural and low-income urban areas. A large number of PAD patients have other comorbities, with diabetes being one a primary issue.

Food insecurity increases risk of poor heart health in young adults
Food insecurity—lacking consistent access to the food needed to live an “active, healthy lifestyle”—impacts up to one in eight Americans each year.
SCAI leaders 'on a mission' to improve cath lab protection from radiation, orthopedic injury
SCAI President James Hermiller, Jr., MD, explains the need for more innovative radiation protection systems in the cath lab.
Shockwave Medical launches new IVL catheter for targeting challenging lesions in PAD patients
The new-look Javelin Peripheral IVL Catheter was designed to travel through extremely narrowed blood vessels and target plaques with up to 120 pulses.
Philips pulls endovascular devices from market after safety issues prompt Class I recall
Philips is recalling all sizes of its Tack Endovascular System after 20 patient injuries were reported. Interventional cardiologists are urged to stop using the device immediately.
FDA warns that atherectomy devices are breaking during use—30 serious injuries, 4 deaths reported
More than 100 incidents have been reported so far. The FDA is still evaluating this issue, but the agency wanted to raise awareness as quickly as possible.

Food insecurity increases risk of poor heart health in young adults

Food insecurity—lacking consistent access to the food needed to live an “active, healthy lifestyle”—impacts up to one in eight Americans each year.

SCAI President James Hermiller, MD, discusses the need for more better radiation protection in the cath lab#SCAI #CathLab, #RadiationExposure #cardiology

SCAI leaders 'on a mission' to improve cath lab protection from radiation, orthopedic injury

SCAI President James Hermiller, Jr., MD, explains the need for more innovative radiation protection systems in the cath lab.

Shockwave Medical Javelin Peripheral IVL Catheter

Shockwave Medical launches new IVL catheter for targeting challenging lesions in PAD patients

The new-look Javelin Peripheral IVL Catheter was designed to travel through extremely narrowed blood vessels and target plaques with up to 120 pulses.

Philips pulls endovascular devices from market after safety issues prompt Class I recall

Philips is recalling all sizes of its Tack Endovascular System after 20 patient injuries were reported. Interventional cardiologists are urged to stop using the device immediately.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has shared a new warning about ongoing safety issues with atherectomy devices sold and distributed by Bard Peripheral Vascular, an Arizona-based subsidiary of Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD). The warning includes multiple models of Bard Peripheral Vascular’s Rotarex Atherectomy System, which is designed to target high-risk plaques and blood clots in the peripheral arteries by rotating at a high speed.

FDA warns that atherectomy devices are breaking during use—30 serious injuries, 4 deaths reported

More than 100 incidents have been reported so far. The FDA is still evaluating this issue, but the agency wanted to raise awareness as quickly as possible.

Cardiologists help highlight ‘severe consequences’ of peripheral artery disease

Many PAD patients do not even know they have the disease until it is too late, leading to unnecessary amputations and increasing the risk of other adverse patient outcomes. Awareness is especially limited among Black and Hispanic adults, experts warn, creating an added sense of urgency when looking to accelerate patient education efforts.

Black, rural and low-income PAD patients are less likely to receive high-quality care

"This research should be a call to health systems, policymakers and other stakeholders to make it easier for patients—especially the most vulnerable patients—to access PAD-specific care," one cardiologist explained.

Philips Healthcare's combined IVL and laser atherectomy catheter that is being used in the THOR trial to treat heavily calcified peripheral artery lesions.

Intravascular lithotripsy technology now a top priority for many healthcare companies

After the significant success of Shockwave Medical's IVL therapy to break up heavily calcified vessels without trauma, there are now several companies working on their own IVL devices.

Around the web

Radiology Business

The impact of Trump tariffs on iodine contrast media costs

GE HealthCare said the price of iodine contrast increased by more than 200% between 2017 to 2023. Will new Chinese tariffs drive costs even higher?

Radiology Business

Key takeaways from RSNA 2024 for AI, CT, MRI and the radiology staffing shortage

Several key trends were evident at the Radiological Society of North America 2024 meeting, including new CT and MR technology and evolving adoption of artificial intelligence.