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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FDA approves more lengths of Medtronic’s drug-coated balloon for PAD

The 200 and 250 millimeter lengths of Medtronic’s IN.PACT Admiral drug-coated balloon gained FDA approval to treat long superficial artery (SFA) lesions in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD), the company announced June 15.

Invasive procedures—including cardiovascular—boost risk of endocarditis

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgeries, in particular, were strongly linked to the life-threatening condition—carrying a 14-fold increase in relative risk, among the top five of all inpatient procedures analyzed.

HeartMate3: Next generation LVAD improves outcomes, decreases cost of care

Researchers have found the HeartMate 3 (HM3) left-ventricular assist device (LVAD) improves long-term outcomes and may also decrease the cost of care overtime for heart failure patients compared to the HeartMate II (HMII).

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AKI following LAAC ‘relatively frequent,’ tied to worse midterm outcomes

Acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs in about 9 percent of patients undergoing left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) and is associated with greater odds of downstream mortality and embolic events, according to a study published June 4 in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions.

Getinge announces results from SEMPER FI pilot study of intra-aortic balloon pump showing numerical trend toward reduced mortality in patients with extensive myocardial infarction and persistent ischemia

WAYNE, N.J., May 25, 2018 — Getinge, a leading global provider of innovative medical technology, today announced results from the Survival Improvement in Extensive Myocardial Infarction with PERsistent Ischemia Following IABP Implantation (SEMPER FI) pilot study.

Baby born with 'half a heart' overcomes 2 open-heart surgeries

At just 5-months-old, Luke Pilkinton has survived what most would hope never to experience in a lifetime. He was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome—a rare and deadly congenital defect, that affects 960 babies born in the U.S. every year.

Independent Stent Imaging Study Shows Excellent Healing Profile with Resolute Onyx DES in Complex Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

DUBLIN and PARIS — May 24, 2018 — Investigators today unveiled clinical data from the independently run Onyx 1-Month OCT Study, which showed strong early vessel healing in a patient population that contained a high percentage of patients with complex coronary artery disease who were implanted with the Resolute Onyx(TM) DES at one-month follow-up.

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Many operators don’t use FFR, iFR because they think angiography is good enough

Assessment of coronary physiology to guide revascularization decisions has been linked to lower adverse event rates than using angiography alone, but the adoption of techniques such as fractional flow reserve (FFR) and instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) continues to lag behind guideline recommendations.

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.