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 Rebel bare-metal stent

The FDA approved Boston Scientific’s Rebel stent system for treating patients with coronary artery disease. The bare-metal stent consists of a platinum chromium alloy and uses the same design as the company’s Promus Premier stent.

ACE broadens its accreditation and quality review services to include all invasive cardiovascular specialties

Due to rapidly increasing demand for its cardiac cath lab PCI, Diagnostic and Carotid Stenting accreditation and quality review services, ACE is proud to lead the way in offering four new accreditation and external review services for catheter based cardiovascular procedures to include: Congenital Heart Disease, Electrophysiology including Implants & Devices, Transcatheter Valve Therapies and Peripheral Vascular Procedures.

Low-dose heparin in radial PCI rivals bivalirudin at a fraction of its cost

Findings published July 5 in Lancet show low-dose heparin alone to be at least as effective and safe as bivalirudin alone when used in radial PCI in acute MI patients presenting with STEMI, if not more so.

At 2 years, zotarolimus-eluting stents safe, effective in patients with diabetes

Resolute zotarolimus-eluting stents were found to be as safe and effective after two years in small vessels and in patients with diabetes as those with larger diameters or patients without diabetes. In diabetic patients, outcomes were not significantly different between larger and smaller vessel diameters.

Everolimus-eluting stents safe, effective in complex patients at 1 year

In patients with small-vessel coronary artery disease, stenting creates a special set of concerns for providers. A study with XIENCE V everolimus-eluting stents has demonstrated that they are safe and effective in patients with small-vessel disease at one-year follow-up.

Some prasugrel prescribing runs counter to labeling

Prescribing patterns for the anticoagulant prasugrel suggest that there is ample room for improvement.

PCI volume-outcome link holds but threshold is unclear

Volume appears to be key in quality outcomes for PCI, however, the threshold number a provider must perform per year to stay in top form remains elusive, a study published June 17 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes stated.

Patient radiation dose drops 61% with imaging changes

Interventional cardiologists reduced the radiation dose in patients with congenital heart disease by 61 percent using a combination of practice and technical changes, according to a study published online June 20 in Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions. Most pediatric and adult patients benefited from the revised protocol.

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