Interventional Cardiology

This cardiac subspecialty uses minimally invasive, catheter-based technologies in a cath lab to diagnose and treat coronary artery disease (CAD). The main focus in on percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) to revascularize patients with CAD that is causing blockages resulting in ischemia or myocardial infarction. PCI mainly consists of angioplasty and implanting stents. Interventional cardiology has greatly expanded in scope over recent years to include a number of transcatheter structural heart interventions.

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Catheter-directed therapy treatments for pulmonary embolism on the rise

Catheter-directed therapy (CDT) is being used to treat pulmonary embolism (PE) more and more by healthcare providers, according to new research published in the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology.

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25% of PCI patients rehospitalized within 6 months

Around a quarter of heart patients who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are readmitted to the hospital for unplanned reasons within six months of their procedure, researchers report in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions.

PCI use, survival trending up for elderly STEMI patients with cardiogenic shock

Percutaneous coronary intervention is being offered to a greater proportion of older adults with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock over the past two decades—a trend that’s been paralleled by declining mortality rates, according to a study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

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ICUs overused for STEMI patients

More than 80% of stable patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are treated in the intensive care unit despite only 16% of them experiencing complications that require an ICU stay, according to a U.S. registry analysis published in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions.

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Domestic tasks take harsher toll on proceduralist moms’ career satisfaction

Domestic responsibilities put a damper on career satisfaction for proceduralist mothers more than for physician mothers in nonprocedural specialties, suggests a study published April 10 in JAMA Surgery.

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Comic illustrations enhance informed consent before coronary angiography

A new pilot study out of Germany suggests a comic-style graphic supplement can improve the informed consent process before coronary angiography by putting patients at ease and helping them understand the procedure.

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FDA approves therapy to reduce infarct size in LAD STEMI after PCI

Once the artery has been opened with PCI, the treatment involves mixing a patient’s own blood with oxygenated saline and then infusing that superoxygenated mixture to the targeted ischemic area for 60 minutes.

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Colorado 2nd state to require surgical smoke evacuation systems

Colorado became the second state to pass legislation requiring surgical smoke evacuation systems at hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers on March 28, when Gov. Jared Polis signed the bill into law. Rhode Island passed a similar law in June 2018.

Around the web

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

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