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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Sleepless in the cath lab? Next-day patients still safe

Operators who pull an all-nighter in the cath lab don’t appear to put the patients they treat the next day at risk, according to one study. The likelihood of bleeding complications increased under the care of chronically sleep-deprived physicians, though.

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Key Antiplatelet Presentations Yield More Questions Than Answers

The Dual Antiplatelet Therapy study presented at the American Heart Association conference shows that knowledge gaps still exist.

Ultrasound beats touch for quick, accurate transradial access

First-pass success for transradial access of cardiac catheterization improved by more than 20 percent when ultrasound was used to guide the puncture, according to a study published online Jan. 14 in Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Interventions.

Morphine may dull antiplatelet loading in STEMI patients

Treating pain with morphine may slow down oral antiplatelet therapy in STEMI patients. The odds of high residual platelet reactivity were nearly three times higher for patients taking morphine two hours after administration of oral antiplatelet therapy.

Bivalirudin holds lead over heparin amid changing practices

Improved PCI procedural methods have not changed bivalirudin’s edge over heparin, according to a study published in the Jan. 6 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

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Ups & downs of revascularization

The price for cardiac revascularization keeps rising while the need for procedures appears to be in decline. Go figure.

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PCI, CABG rates march steadily lower in Mass.

Coronary revascularization rates dipped by 39 percent over a decade in Massachusetts, according to an analysis published online Jan. 5 in JAMA Internal Medicine. Elective PCIs saw the steepest decline.

Bleeding complications may continue first year after TAVR

While periprocedural safety of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures has improved, late bleeding complications may still be an issue. 

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