Patients with structural heart disease are at higher risk in the face of the new coronavirus infection due to both advanced age and numerous comorbidities. All variables must be taken into account when deciding whether a patient can wait (so as to minimize the risk of exposure to the virus) or their pathology must be…
Net Benefit of Left Atrial Appendage Closure vs. Anticoagulation in Atrial Fibrillation
This analysis shows that the long-term clinical benefit of left atrial appendage closure with Watchman is superior to warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The initial peri-procedural risks of device implantation are counterbalanced over time, with reduced risk of bleeding and death. The PROTECT-AF (Watchman Left Atrial Appendage Closure Technology for Embolic Protection in…
5-Year Experience of Appendage Closure: More Evidence that Does Not Translate into Clinical Practice
The use of percutaneous left appendage closure increased 3.6-fold from 2011 to 2015, but this volume increase did not entail a significant uptrend of in-hospital events in this “real-world” population in Germany. However, can Germany be considered a real-world setting for Latin America? This question is warranted by the fact that there is no apparent…
Long-Term Foramen Ovale Closure after Cryptogenic Stroke
Patent foramen ovale closure is the standard treatment for cryptogenic stroke patients. However, there are is little information on its long-term evolution. The aim of this study was to determine clinical outcomes (death, ischemic or bleeding events) after foramen ovale closure over a 10-year evolution. The study included 201 consecutive patients (mean age 47…
ACC 2019 | POET: Oral Antibiotics with Good Long-Term Results for Endocarditis
This work found better survival rates with oral treatment, an outcome that may be credited to shorter hospital stays and the subsequent reduction of complications related to them. A strategy of switching to oral treatment after a short intravenous (IV) regimen confers long-term safety and efficacy. These data are derived from an exploratory analysis of…
Contemporary Results for Septal Embolization in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
This work showed that percutaneous septal ablation in patients with symptomatic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is safe (and improves patient symptoms) and results in excellent long-term survival. Alcohol-induced infarction for treatment of symptomatic hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy is controversial because, while it may relieve acute symptoms, it might also increase long-term mortality. This study sought to report…
AHA 2018 | Endocarditis Prophylaxis More Limited after AHA 2007 Guidelines
The incidence of infective endocarditis had decreased after AHA 2007 recommendations. At present, some patients are not receiving antibiotic prophylaxis as they should. After AHA restricted the use of antibiotic prophylaxis in 2007, high-risk patients undergoing dental procedures were prescribed less antibiotics. These patients had always been prescribed antibiotic prophylaxis, regardless they had less restrictive…
SOLACI-SOCIME 2018 | When Not to Use a Device: Characteristics of Atrial Septal Defects that Do Not Lead to Percutaneous Closure
Read articles on the main presentations of the first day of SOLACI-SOCIME 2018 Congress. In this case see the presentation of Dr. Lee Benson, entitled “When Not to Use a Device: Characteristics of Atrial Septal Defects that Do Not Lead to Percutaneous Closure”. We are interested in your opinion. Please, leave your comments, thoughts, questions, etc.,…
DEFENSE-PFO: High Risk PFO Closure Reduces Combined Events and Stroke Risk
High risk patent foramen ovale closure PFO resulted in reduced stroke, vascular death and bleeding risk. Recent reports have shown a favorable role of PFO in patients with cryptogenic stroke, though with some unclear results, which immediately raised the questions: Who are the optimal candidates for this procedure, and who will see no benefit? …
Stroke, Migraine and Patent Foramen Ovale Not Necessarily Temporary Associated
Cryptogenic stroke patients with migraine have high prevalence (79%) of patent foramen ovale (PFO) with right to left shunt. However, the timing of stroke in migraineurs is not usually associated to a migraine attack. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that the most likely mechanism of stroke in these patients with migraine is a…
ACC 2018 | Flu Vaccination Reduces Mortality in Heart Failure Hospitalizations
Heart failure patients vaccinated against influenza are at a significantly lower risk of dying, both during flu season and outside of it. Patients with heart failure vaccinated had a 48% lower risk of death during influenza season and a 21% lower risk during the rest of the year. Dr. Fukuta, lead investigator in this study,…