Structural Heart Disease

Structural heart diseases include any issues preventing normal cardiovascular function due to damage or alteration to the anatomical components of the heart. This is caused by aging, advanced atherosclerosis, calcification, tissue degeneration, congenital heart defects and heart failure. The most commonly treated areas are the heart valves, in particular the mitral and aortic valves. These can be replaced through open heart surgery or using cath lab-based transcatheter valves or repairs to eliminate regurgitation due to faulty valve leaflets. This includes transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Other common procedures include left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion and closing congenital holes in the heart, such as PFO and ASD. A growing area includes transcatheter mitral repair or replacement and transcatheter tricuspid valve repair and replacement.

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Individualizing TAVR to Avoid Adverse Events

Researchers evaluate how patient characteristics, procedural approach and devices impact transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) outcomes.

In-hospital Cardiac Arrest: No Longer ‘Unsalvageable’

Decreasing in-hospital cardiac morbidity and mortality is attainable and should be part of quality improvement efforts, researchers say.

Food for thought: Mediterranean diet cuts CV risk

People at high risk of MI, stroke and death from cardiovascular (CV) causes may have a recipe for avoiding these events, according to a study published online Feb. 25 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers reported that a Mediterranean diet augmented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts reduced risk by 30 percent.

Modified crossover approach may reduce TAVR complications

A modified crossover technique for vascular access closure in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is safe, according to a study published in the March issue of Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions.

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Heart disease awareness doubles in women; ethnic disparities persist

Heart disease awareness among women has doubled over the past 15 years, but only approximately one-third of black and Hispanic women are aware of the dangers of heart disease.

Patients with AS+CAD may need earlier AVR intervention

Early evaluation of coronary artery disease (CAD) in asymptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) and risk factors for CAD should be incorporated into practice and guidelines to ensure that timely aortic valve replacement (AVR) and CABG is performed before ischemic myocardial damage occurs, recommended authors of a study in the Feb. 26 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Diabetes control: Big gains but far from optimal

The proportion of diabetics in the U.S. who met measures for controlling microvascular and cardiovascular risk factors rose dramatically between 1988 and 2010, but despite those gains, only 18.8 percent achieved all three goals.

Merck shells out $688M to settle Vytorin suits

Merck has agreed to pay $688 million to resolve two class-action lawsuits over the company’s cholesterol drug ezetimibe/simvastatin (Vytorin).

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