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.

Cardiac Care Team Spotlight I: Patient Centered Care in the Cath Lab

Saturday, March 13, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM If you intend to be in town on Saturday, this session is a must. It will outline how you can help your patients better understand their treatment and careand potentially lead to improved compliance.

March 10, 2010

Cardiva president steps down

Glenn Foy will give up his post as Cardiva Medical's president to become the new CEO of Innovative Energy.

March 5, 2010

Second-Generation Stents & New Frontiers

As clinical trial data have shifted toward favoring second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES), the market has trended in a similar direction. In addition, the overall positive results with most DES have emboldened physicians to use them for more complex disease states, including left main diseaseto the dismay and excitement of many.

March 1, 2010

High on Volume, Low on Error: Mount Sinais Secret

Practice-based protocols and teamwork combine to provide a recipe for top-notch patient care at Mount Sinai Medical Center, located in Upper Manhattan.

March 1, 2010

Patches: The Middle Ground in Hemostasis Management

In todays healthcare environment, its imperative to keep an eye on cost effectiveness while providing evidence-based care. In the cath lab, hemostasis patches are emerging as a low-cost alternative to closure devices and a complement to manual pressure.

March 1, 2010

CREST: Stenting, endarterectomy fairly equal in safety, efficacy for carotid stenosis

The safety and efficacy results of treating carotid stenosis with either endarterectomy or stenting are roughly equivalent, based on the much-anticipated CREST trial, presented at the 2010 International Stroke Conference in San Antonio on Feb. 26. However, questions remain about stenting elderly patients with carotid stenosis.

February 28, 2010

CRT: In-hospital death rates decline for PCI, CABG

Washington, D.C.The age-adjusted in-hospital mortality rate from both PCI and CABG has declined to its lowest level in 2004, according to two separate studies presented at the Cardiovascular Research Technologies (CRT) meeting last week.

February 27, 2010

CRT: The time has come for universal bleeding definitions!

Washington, D.C.Due to the variety of bleeding definitions used in clinical trials and the potential various outcomes on patients and clinical practice from different bleeding thresholds, Sunil V. Rao, MD, from Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., argued that the time has come to arrive at a consensus definition of bleeding, at the Cardiovascular Research Technologies conference on Feb. 21.

February 27, 2010

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