Ticagrelor seems as safe as clopidogrel in patients undergoing ST elevation MI treated with fibrinolytics, at least in terms of TIMI major bleeding at 30 days. Longer follow up will help determine whether there are differences in efficacy or safety issues, as stated by the presenter Otavio Berwanger. This study was presented at ACC 2018 scientific sessions<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2018/04/08/acc-2018-treat-ticagrelor-fibrinolytics-effect-on-bleeding/" title="Read more" >...</a>
What’s New in the European Guidelines on Peripheral Arterial Disease
Since the last version of the European guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of peripheral arterial disease in 2011, there have been many trials and registries that warrant guideline adjustments in many aspects. The first novelty is the teamwork that gave way to these guidelines, which were written in collaboration with the European Society of<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2018/04/04/whats-new-in-the-european-guidelines-on-peripheral-arterial-disease/" title="Read more" >...</a>
The 10 Commandments of ESC’s New STEMI Guidelines
The authors have given an entertaining account of the most relevant points and differences between the new STEMI guidelines and the prior ones, from 2014. The article features 10 points resembling the ten commandments, which makes it easy to read, compared to the tedious task of reading the complete guidelines. 1) The emergency systems should help<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2018/01/30/the-10-commandments-of-escs-new-stemi-guidelines/" title="Read more" >...</a>
OCT Follow-Up of Plaque Erosion with Medical Therapy and Without Stenting
Most acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are caused by the following three different pathologies: Plaque rupture Plaque erosion Calcified nodule In daily clinical practice, all patients who experience them are treated with angioplasty, regardless of which of these physiopathologies led to the ACS in each case. Some early reports indicate that patients with plaque erosion might<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2018/01/25/oct-follow-up-of-plaque-erosion-with-medical-therapy-and-without-stenting/" title="Read more" >...</a>
The 9 most read scientific articles of 2017 in interventional cardiology
1) New High Blood Pressure Guidelines The wait is finally over: the high blood pressure guidelines that have been in the works for the past 3 years saw the light of day at the American Heart Association (AHA) 2017 Scientific Sessions. Read more 2) Nearly half of interventional cardiologists may have pre-cataract lesions This statement is based on eye<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2018/01/23/the-9-most-read-scientific-articles-of-2017-in-interventional-cardiology/" title="Read more" >...</a>
Clinical and Economic Costs Compete in the De-Escalation of Antiplatelet Therapy
Patients undergoing primary angioplasty for ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction have similar clinical outcomes at 1 year regardless of whether they are treated with ticagrelor or prasugrel, according the PRAGUE-18 study. This new substudy adds an interesting detail: patients who switched from prasugrel and ticagrelor to clopidogrel, citing economic reasons for the “de-escalation” of therapy, were<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2018/01/03/clinical-and-economic-costs-compete-in-the-de-escalation-of-antiplatelet-therapy/" title="Read more" >...</a>
Clopidogrel or Ticagrelor in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome Treated with New-Generation DES: CHANGE DAPT
Courtesy of Dr. Pablo Baglioni. This is a prospective observational study with a 1-year follow-up analyzing 2062 patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who have been treated with coronary angioplasty using new-generation drug-eluting stents (DES). Patients were included between December 21, 2012 and August 25, 2015. On May, 2014, due to changes in international guidelines, clopidogrel<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2017/12/15/clopidogrel-or-ticagrelor-in-patients-with-acute-coronary-syndrome-treated-with-new-generation-des-change-dapt/" title="Read more" >...</a>
7 articles on angioplasty that can draw your attention
1) Balloon Angioplasty: A Reasonable Plan B for Chronic Thromboembolic Hypertension Thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension is caused by pulmonary artery stenosis caused by organized thrombi. The only treatment potentially healing for this disease is surgical thrombectomy. However, patients with lesions in very peripheral branches or high surgical risk patients with comorbidities might benefit from a plan B,<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2017/11/27/7-articles-on-angioplasty-that-can-draw-your-attention/" title="Read more" >...</a>
When and How to Switch Dual Antiplatelet Therapies
Dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and a P2Y12 inhibitor is the treatment of choice for patients with acute coronary syndrome who undergo coronary angioplasty. Different oral P2Y12 inhibitors (clopidogrel, prasugrel, ticagrelor) present different characteristics as regards efficacy, risk for bleeding, cost, and timing of administration. In this sense, physicians frequently switch among drugs according to<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2017/11/27/when-and-how-to-switch-dual-antiplatelet-therapies/" title="Read more" >...</a>
Ischemic and Bleeding Risk After Primary Angioplasty
Patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction who undergo primary angioplasty are at high risk for both ischemic and bleeding events, which affect significantly both morbidity and mortality. An optimal selection of antithrombotic therapies in terms of strength and duration must take into account the timing for the procedure, since the risk for these complications may<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2017/11/22/ischemic-and-bleeding-risk-after-primary-angioplasty/" title="Read more" >...</a>