Cardiologists J.P. Reilly, MD, and Larry S. Dean, MD, offer insight on the two-year results of the ABSORB III trial that evaluated Abbott’s Absorb bioresorbable vascular scaffold. They also talk about the March 18th FDA advisory letter alerting healthcare professionals of an increase in major adverse cardiac events with the Absorb compared with the Xience drug-eluting stent. As they note, physicians need to be careful about selecting the right patients who may benefit from bioresorbable stents, using them in right-sized vessels and making sure to properly deploy the devices.

SAN FRANCISCO—ORBIT-AF is a prospective, longitudinal, observational study that evaluated treatment patterns and the subsequent outcomes of 10,000 patients in the U.S. As part of the analysis, Jonathan P. Piccini, MD, and his colleagues looked at potential gender disparities in the treatment and clinical outcomes of these patients. The results were presented at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) scientific session.

SAN FRANCISCO—Heart disease is a serial killer that’s been stalking mankind for 4,000 years, according to research presented March 10 at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) scientific session and published concurrently online in The Lancet. CT imaging showed evidence of atherosclerosis in 35 percent of mummies from four ancient civilizations. The myth-busting Horus study suggests atherosclerosis may not be linked to modern lifestyles and diet.