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.

What clinicians need to know about PCI, other revascularization techniques among women

The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions has shared a new expert consensus statement that highlights sex-specific considerations associated with revascularization

John H. Calhoon, MD

Society of Thoracic Surgeons names its next president

John H. Calhoon, MD, a cardiothoracic surgeon in Texas, has been an STS member since 1992. 

Performing TAVR and TMVR during the same hospitalization may provide value

Patients undergoing both procedures at once tended to be sicker, but their risk of poor outcomes did not significantly increase. 

pain pills opioids

12% of patients prescribed opioids after a CIED procedure take them much longer than necessary

"All physicians who perform CIED procedures and care for these patients should be aware of the risk of persistent opioid use,” one specialist said. 

Heart transplants from adult donors after circulatory death yield positive outcomes

Researchers examined heart transplant outcomes associated with donation after circulatory death donors and donation after brain death donors.

Catheter ablation 'significantly superior' to drug therapy when treating AFib

Researchers evaluated data from 13 different studies, sharing their findings in Annals of Palliative Medicine.

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FDA announces Class I recall of percutaneous thrombolytic device after multiple complaints

The device is breaking during use, an issue that may require a catheter-based intervention or even surgery. 

How a high bleeding risk impacts outcomes for left main PCI patients

The study, published in JACC: Vascular Interventions, examined 619 patients who underwent PCI for LM CAD.

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.