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.

Cardiologists reflect on developing primary PCI in face of criticism and pushback
SCAI celebrated cardiologists William W. O'Neill, MD, and Cindy L. Grines, MD, for the important roles they played in the development of primary PCI. “It was challenging,” Grines explained. “We had the pharmaceutical industry that was anti-primary angioplasty and we had a lot of our own colleagues that were anti-primary angioplasty."
How TAVR valve choice impacts outcomes when treating type 1 bicuspid AS
Self-expanding and balloon-expandable TAVR valves are associated with comparable success rates and one-year outcomes when treating type 1 bicuspid aortic stenosis. However, each valve type comes with its own advantages and disadvantages.
IVUS-guided PCI reduces risks in patients with diabetes
PCI can be more challenging in high-risk patients presenting with diabetes and ACS. IVUS guidance was associated with improved outcomes among these patients compared to angiography guidance alone.
Medtronic using AI to identify more TAVR patients in need
Medtronic has launched new research into AI's potential to identify patients with severe aortic stenosis and other worrying symptoms. The company hopes to overcome longstanding health disparities and reach individuals who may otherwise go untreated.
SAVR linked to higher 10-year survival rate than TAVR for low-risk patients
TAVR patients in this study were treated with early-generation devices that have since been updated, but researchers still believe their data are relevant to today's care teams.

How the Cleveland Clinic streamlined operations in the cath lab

A team of healthcare professionals from the Cleveland Clinic detailed in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions how they improved efficiency in their cardiac catheterization lab, providing a potential blueprint for other practices.

February 13, 2018

Terumo announces £33m investment in Scottish medical device factory

Tokyo-based Terumo Corporation has today announced an investment of £33 million in one of its subsidiary companies, Vascutek Limited, located near Glasgow.

February 12, 2018

Bivalirudin outperforms heparin for ESRD patients undergoing PCI

Unfractionated heparin (UFH) has overtaken bivalirudin as the anticoagulant of choice for treating end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing PCI, according to a new study, but UFH may be associated with worse in-hospital outcomes.

February 9, 2018

Many OHCA patients don’t benefit from immediate coronary treatment

A simple tool to predict neurological outcomes for sufferers of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) could help clinicians determine when invasive coronary management is futile, a study in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions suggests.

February 6, 2018

Secondary prevention is poor following revascularization—particularly for CABG

Compliance with guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) is low following coronary revascularization—but especially low after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), possibly influencing the common comparisons between CABG and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

February 5, 2018

Long-term study supports CABG over PCI in young patients with severe CAD

Younger patients with three-vessel coronary artery disease benefit more from coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) than percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the long run, suggests a study presented Jan. 30 at the Society of Thoracic Surgeons’ annual meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

February 5, 2018

IN.PACT Admiral Demonstrates Consistent and Durable Outcomes in New Two-Year Japan Data and IN.PACT Global Critical Limb Ischemia Cohort Analysis

DUBLIN and LEIPZIG — January 30, 2018 — Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT) today added to its robust body of clinical evidence supporting the IN.PACT(TM) Admiral(TM) drug-coated balloon (DCB) with new presentations that demonstrated durable and consistent clinical outcomes in peripheral artery disease (PAD).

January 30, 2018

LAA closure cuts risk of thromboembolism in AFib patients

Left atrial appendage (LAA) closure at the time of cardiac surgery may reduce the risk of thromboembolism in older patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib), according to an observational study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

January 24, 2018

Around the web

Health Imaging

Use of AI opportunistic screening in CT for cardiovascular disease

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

Health Imaging

New imaging protocols proposed to curb rise of cardiovascular infections

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

Interventional Cardiology

Cardiologists reflect on developing primary PCI in face of criticism and pushback

How TAVR valve choice impacts outcomes when treating type 1 bicuspid AS

IVUS-guided PCI reduces risks in patients with diabetes

Medtronic using AI to identify more TAVR patients in need

SAVR linked to higher 10-year survival rate than TAVR for low-risk patients

Around the web