The unrestricted use of drug-eluting stents (DES) is associated with similar long-term safety and efficacy among women and men with coronary artery disease, according to a study in the March issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Interventions. However, the accompanying editorialists wrote that we are only at our infancy in our understanding of sex differences in cardiovascular disease.

Bisphosphonates did not have a significant impact on the hemodynamic or clinical progression of aortic stenosis in a retrospective analysis of older female patients, published April 17 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The study also illustrates that the rate of progression of aortic stenosis in this population is not linear but tends to lessen over time, the study authors wrote.

After patients are diagnosed with stable coronary artery disease (CAD), what treatment strategies do they, and should they, undergo? A new study found that a majority of New Yorkers undergo PCI post-CAD diagnoses, and those who do see better outcomes. Researchers questioned results of the COURAGE trial, which showed that optimal medical therapy (OMT) plus PCI showed no benefit over OMT alone, saying that it may be difficult to achieve OMT in routine practice.

CHICAGOWhile appropriate use criteria (AUC) documents were created with the intent to help deliver high-quality care, there is much room for improvement, said Fredrick A. Masoudi, MD, associate professor of medicine in the division of cardiology at the University of Colorado in Denver, March 26 during a presentation at the 61st annual American College of Cardiology (ACC) scientific session.

CHICAGOThe outcomes reported at 12 months comparing the safety and effectiveness of the Promus Element everolimus-eluting platinum chromium stent to Xience V, or Promus original, everolimus-eluting stent, remained comparable at two years, based on the prospective, multicenter, randomized PLATINUM Workhorse trial, presented March 25 at the 61st annual American College of Cardiology (ACC) scientific session. However, an additional landmark analysis of outcomes from year one to year two demonstrated superior efficacy of Promus Element compared with Xience V during this 12-month follow-up period.

CHICAGOSix weeks after an acute MI hospital discharge, 27 percent of PCI patients disregarded doctors' orders for medication, according to a poster presented March 26 at the 61st annual American College of Cardiology (ACC) scientific session. Medication adherence is a multifaceted problem leaving much room for improvement in patient follow-up after discharge.

CHICAGOIn older patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD) who did not require emergency treatment, there was a long-term survival advantage among those who underwent CABG as compared with those who underwent PCI following the procedure, according to a large registry analysis presented March 27 at the 61st annual American College of Cardiologys (ACC) scientific session.

CHICAGOA study looking to outline whether patients enrolled in clinical trials after acute MI found that two out of three MI patients were estimated to be eligible  but did not participate in a clinical trial, according to a poster presentation March 26 at the 61st annual American College of Cardiology (ACC) scientific session. The researchers questioned whether clinical trial participants represent the broader U.S. MI population.