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.

A TAVR procedure being performed at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago. These structural heart procedures require a team approach.

TAVR safe and effective for severe AS patients with a very low gradient

Yes, all-cause cause mortality is higher among TAVR patients with a very low baseline gradient, but the difference is almost entirely due to those patients presenting with more comorbidities. 

Video of ASE President Stephen Little, MD, discussing trends in interventional echo at the ASE 2023 annual meeting.

Interventional echocardiography expected to grow thanks to new structural heart procedures

American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) President Stephen Little, MD, says there will be an increasing need for interventional echocardiographers in the near future.

device implantation during left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) procedures

Mitigating risk: How the depth of device implantation impacts LAAO outcomes

Researchers examined data from more than 1,300 procedures, presenting their findings in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions.

A complete list of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 2023 Congress late-breaking Hot Line sessions. #ESCCongress

ESC Congress 2023 to feature 30 late-breaking clinical trials

The European Society of Cardiology's annual meeting is scheduled for Aug. 25-28, 2023, in Amsterdam.

Video of Rebecca Hahn, MD, explains the roles and economics of interventional echocardiographers. #ASE #ASE23 #Structuralheart #echofirst

Interventional echocardiographers play a key role in the treatment of structural heart disease

Rebecca Hahn, MD, examines the growing role of the dedicated interventional echocardiographer and how these imagers are paid.

Vienna Aortic Self-Expandable Transcatheter Valve premounted on the delivery system

New TAVR valve, premounted to save cardiologists time, linked to promising 30-day outcomes

The new valve arrives fully premounted on a delivery system and was designed to allow resheathing or complete recapture/redeployment if necessary. 

money business cash flow dollar

Shockwave Medical, the subject of recent acquisition rumors, announces $650M private offering

A majority of the proceeds raised would go toward "general corporate purposes," which could mean anything from research and development to investments in other healthcare companies.  

alternative approaches for transcatheter aortic valve replacement procedures

Alternative TAVR techniques: How to proceed when transfemoral access is not recommended

A team of researchers from the United States and Sweden explored data from nearly 12,000 TAVR patients for a new systematic review and meta-analysis. 

Around the web

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

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