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.

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Coronary IVL now recommended at all cath labs, even those without surgical backup

The latest SCAI guidance on the safety of PCI procedures included a key change that could expand coronary IVL utilization throughout the United States. 

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Cardiologists use video-based AI model to ID coronary artery disease

A team of specialists out of Cedars-Sinai developed the deep learning model using TTEs from nearly 3,000 patients.

FDA announces new IABP recall after 4 serious injuries, 1 death

The new recall includes nearly 4,500 devices. There have been 134 incidents so far, including 5 adverse events.  

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COVID-19 caused CVD deaths in the U.S. to spike, new research confirms

Researchers explored updated data from the AHA, noting that the number of CVD-related deaths increased from more than 874,000 in 2019 to more than 928,000 in 2020.

A study that analyzed patient outcomes in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in veterans showed outcomes for on-pump and off-pump procedures over 10 years to be similar. Photo by Jim Lennon

CABG bests PCI for multivessel CAD, large new study confirms

"The singular message to the public is that the optimal treatment for multivessel coronary artery disease—to improve not only long-term survival but also lower your risk of complications—is coronary artery bypass surgery," one specialist said in a statement. 

Cardiologist Martha Gulati, MD, who specializes in both preventive cardiology and cardiovascular disease in women, has been named the Anita Dann Friedman Endowed Chair in Women’s Cardiovascular Medicine and Research at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles.

Cardiologist Martha Gulati named chair of women’s cardiovascular medicine and research at Cedars-Sinai

Gulati, an award-winning cardiologist and author, first joined Cedars-Sinai in 2022. She is also the president of the American Society for Preventive Cardiology.

 The Neovasc Reducer System is designed to treat the symptoms of refractory angina by altering a patient's blood flow.

Shockwave Medical to acquire medical device company for $100M

Shockwave Medical's decision to acquire Neovasc is based largely on the potential of the Neovasc Reducer System, a solution designed to treat the symptoms of refractory angina by altering a patient's blood flow.

Patients with especially high blood pressure may want to limit how much coffee they drink

Researchers explored nearly 20 years of data from more than 18,000 patients, sharing their findings in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Around the web

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.

Ron Blankstein, MD, professor of radiology, Harvard Medical School, explains the use of artificial intelligence to detect heart disease in non-cardiac CT exams.