In recent years, there has been a steady increase in the use of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in younger patients, with an average age of 74 years, as observed in US medical records. This trend goes alongside encouraging durability results, as demonstrated in the 10-year NOTION study, where structural valve degeneration (SVD) with first-generation...
It has been observed that the persistence of an opening in the left atrial appendage after percutaneous closure (LAAC) is associated with a higher risk of embolic events. Among the most commonly used devices for left atrial appendage closure are the Watchman FLX and Amulet devices. This study, known as SwissApero, represents the first randomized...
In the TVT registry, around 40% of the patients eligible for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) had atrial fibrillation, and there were high levels of adverse events after starting anticoagulant treatment, especially with oral anticoagulants (VKAs), primarily due to bleeding. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of combined...
High-risk pulmonary embolism (HR-PE) is characterized by hemodynamic instability and marked deformation of the right ventricular (RV) fiber, which can lead to acute RV failure and hemodynamic collapse, with in-hospital mortality close to 25%. While guidelines recommend anticoagulant treatment followed by thrombolytics, these strategy carries a high risk of bleeding and is not suitable for...
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in elderly adults (individuals aged 75 years or older). In turn, coronary heart disease is one of the main causes of morbidity in this population. In addition to anatomical complexities, there are other factors that may complicate its management, such as polypharmacy, frailty, and procedure-related risks. All of...
Cardiac failure (CF) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) stand out as two of the main causes of death in patients with aortic stenosis. Although transcatheter aortic valve intervention has shown higher survival, these two continue to be the main conditions leading to patient death at followup. In its early days, TAVR also showed benefits, but...
The transcatheter treatment of patent foramen ovale (PFO) has been shown to reduce thromboembolic events in patients with cryptogenic stroke. However, most of large randomized studies have failed to include patients with thrombophilia, either inherited or acquired. For instance, the RESPECT study excluded patients with antiphospholipid antibodies (AFA) or hyperhomocysteinemia, while the REDUCE screened for...
Aortic valve replacement (AVR) is recommended for symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS), while close monitoring is the advised strategy for asymptomatic patients, unless they have elevated aortic gradients, reduced ejection fraction, or abnormal stress tests. However, the optimal timing for AVR remains uncertain, especially in light of recent evidence suggesting that AS patients showing signs of...
Severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is an underestimated condition in healthcare systems. However, it is more common than believed, especially in individuals over 65 years of age. This condition is linked to hospitalizations due to heart failure, mortality rates, and a progressive decline in quality of life. Surgery to treat TR on its own is complicated,...
According to several studies, in patients with high-risk atherosclerotic disease, such as those affected by coronary artery disease, achieving target LDL levels through high-intensity statin therapy has been shown to lead to a significant reduction in long-term cardiovascular events. Therefore, the management of dyslipidemia has become a fundamental pillar of secondary prevention. However, reaching such...