Original title: Impact of the Stent Length on Long-Term Clinical Outcomes Following Newer-Generation Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation. Reference: Ik Jun Choi et al. Am J Cardiol 2014;113:457-464. Completely cover the lesion with a sufficiently long stent has been the preferred strategy that emerged from drug-eluting stents (DES). However, for the first-generation DES stent length has been a predictor of…
Currently a patient receiving angioplasty is more likely to die from non-cardiac causes
Original title: Trends in cause of death after percutaneous coronary intervention. Reference: Spoon DB et al. Circulation. 2014; Epub ahead of print. This retrospective study evaluated the specific cause of death in 19077patients who received angioplasty in a center between 1991 and 2008. To perform the analysis, the track was divided into three time periods: 1991-1996, 1997-2002,…
Hybrid revascularization versus conventional surgery. Advantages and disadvantages for choosing ideal patients.
Original title: Clinical Outcomes after Hybrid Coronary Revascularization versus Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: A Meta-Analysis of 1,190 Patients. Reference: Ralf E. Harskamp et al. American Heart Journal (2014), epub ahead of print. Hybrid revascularization combines long-term patency of the mammary artery connected to the left anterior descending with minimally invasive drug-eluting stents to other injuries. This in…
Endovascular treatment in critical limb ischemia, better permeability with similar mortality and amputation than surgery.
Original title: Comparative effectiveness of endovascular and surgical revascularization for patients with peripheral artery disease and critical limb ischemia. Reference: W. Schuyler Jones et al. American Heart Journal 2014. Epub ahead of print. Critical limb ischemia is the most severe condition affecting patients with peripheral vascular disease. Mortality, morbidity, and costs associated with this condition are…
Percutaneous closure versus surgical of the perimembranous interventricular communication
Original title: Transcatheter versus Surgical Closure of Perimembranous Ventricular Septal Defects in Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Reference: Jian Yang et al. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014; Epub ahead of print. The ventricular septal defect (VSD) is the most common congenital heart disease, and perimembranous being the most common variant. In countries like USA surgery is considered…
3rd generation zotarolimus-eluting stent non- inferior to everolimus
Original title: Third-generation zotarolimus-eluting and everolimus-eluting stents in all-comer patients requiring a percutaneous coronary intervention (DUTCH PEERS): a randomized, single-blind, multicentre, non-inferiority trial. Reference: Von Birgelen C et al. The Lancet. 2014; Epub ahead of print. In the 3rd generation zotarolimus-eluting stent, platform was modified to increase flexibility and make implant easier in complex lesions. This study was…
Almost 40 % of those who initially receive clopidogrel then switch to prasugrel or ticagrelor in clinical practice.
Original title: In-hospital switching of oral P2Y12 inhibitor treatment in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: Prevalence, predictors and short-term outcome. Reference: Dimitrios Alexopoulos et al. Am Heart J 2014;167:68-76.e2. Given the availability of 3 Oral P2Y12 receptor inhibitors (clopidogrel, prasugrel, and ticagrelor) with different safety and efficacy profiles, the change from one to another…
Results of aortic valvuloplasty in the era of TAVI
Original title: Balloon aortic valvuloplasty in the era of transcatheter aortic valve replacement: Acute and long-term outcomes. Reference: Hélène Eltchaninoff et al. Am Heart J 2014;167:235-40. Late 80s initial enthusiasm in aortic valvuloplasty was quickly tempered with the publication of several studies showing a high rate of complications, poor durability and little or no impact on survival. Since…
The ball drug is effective in the femoropopliteal area
Original title: Drug-Eluting Balloon in Peripheral Intervention for the Superficial Femoral Artery. The DEBATE-SFA Randomized Trial (Drug Eluting Balloon in Peripheral Intervention for Superficial Femoral Artery). Reference: Liistro, F, el tal. J Am Coll Cardiol Intv 2013;6(12):1295-1302 The current treatment of choice in the femoropopliteal area is angioplasty, however, this procedure has a high rate of restenosis…
Decreased bleeding with radial access leaves little to bivalirudin for additional benefit
Original title: Bivalirudin or heparin in primary angioplasty performed through the transradial approach: results from a multicentre registry. Reference: Sciahbasi A et al. Eur Heart J: Acute Cardiovasc Care. Epub ahead of print. Bivalirudin benefit has been demonstrated in terms of bleeding; however when primary angioplasty is performed by radial access this information is not clear. To get…