2024 has been a banner year for structural heart treatments, especially those focused on the tricuspid valve. In February, for example, Edwards Lifesciences made history when its Evoque transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (TTVR) system became the first device of its kind to gain U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for treating tricuspid regurgitation (TR). Two months later, Abbott’s TriClip transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) system also gained FDA approval for the treatment of TR.

Q&A: Interventional cardiologist details key breakthroughs in tricuspid valve replacement and repair

How have recent FDA approvals for Edwards Lifesciences and Abbott changed patient care? Andrew Rassi, MD, answered that question—and many more—in a new interview. 

April 18, 2024
Video interview with ACC President Cathie Biga on goals for college over the next year and trends she saw at ACC 2024.

New ACC President Cathie Biga wants to improve quality reporting in cardiology

Biga, who originally trained as a nurse, specializes in the business side of cardiology. She also emphasized the increasing importance of AI and other new technologies. 

April 17, 2024
A study that analyzed patient outcomes in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in veterans showed outcomes for on-pump and off-pump procedures over 10 years to be similar. Photo by Jim Lennon

Anemia may help explain why women are more likely to die during heart bypass surgery

Finding new ways to avoid intraoperative anemia could go a long way toward improving outcomes for female CABG patients. The full analysis, based on more than 1.4 million patients, was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

April 16, 2024
The V-Wave intra-atrial shunt to treat heart failure on display on the expo floor at ACC.24. The device was used in one of the late breaking trials at ACC. DF 3

PHOTO GALLERY: Highlights from ACC.24 in Atlanta

ACC.24, the American College of Cardiology's annual meeting in Atlanta, featured the latest in cardiovascular research and technologies. Representatives from Cardiovascular Business were there in person to take in the excitement. 

April 16, 2024
Video of Gregg Stone, MD, explaining the late-breaking RELIEVE-HF trial he presented at ACC.24 this week. #ACC24 #ACC2024

Inter-atrial shunt in RELIEVE-HF improves symptoms in HFrEF, but not HFpEF

Gregg Stone, MD, explains the details of the late-breaking RELIEVE-HF trial at ACC.24, where an inter-atrial shunt improved symptoms in HFrEF, but not in HFpEF patients.

April 12, 2024
Healthcare systems set up at the ACC.24 career fair in hopes of filling open positions, including a large and growing number of general cardiologist positions. Photo by Dave Fornell #ACC24 #ACC2024

The growing shortage or general cardiologists and recruiting crisis in rural America

There is a rapidly growing shortage in general cardiologists and for positions in rural areas, numerous healthcare system recruiters set up at the ACC reported.

April 12, 2024
Medicare money payment physician. The CardioVascular Coalition and Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions have both issued new statements highlighting their issues with the 2024 MPFS proposed rule. 

Critics call out ‘woefully inadequate’ CMS proposal for inpatient Medicare payments

CMS has issued its proposed rule for the 2025 Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment system, suggesting a payment increase of 2.6%. According to the American Hospital Association, this update would not be enough at a time when hospitals are already struggling to stay open. 

April 11, 2024
Video of Howard Herrmann, MD, explaining the details of the SMART trial that looked at TAVR in small annulus and found self-expanding TAVR valves work better in these patients than balloon-expanding TAVR at ACC.24. #ACC24 #ACC2024

Cardiologist highlights key takeaways from SMART trial, which looked at TAVR in small annulus patients

Howard C. Herrmann, MD, principal investigator of the SMART trial, discussed his team's research on self-expanding vs. balloon-expandable TAVR valves in patients with small annuli. 

April 11, 2024

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