Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to the left main coronary artery (LMCA) with drug-eluting stent implantation is currently a major challenge due to the size of the vessel, the compromise of a bifurcation lesion in important branches, and the potential risk of complications. Available information on LMCA PCI comes from studies where DES stents were implanted...
Real-World Revascularization Strategy for Left Main Coronary Artery: Surgery or PCI?
There are many current randomized trials comparing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with myocardial revascularization surgery (MRS) for the treatment of left main coronary artery disease (LMCAD). In the European Society of Cardiology guidelines, PCI is classified as Ia (LMCAD with low-complexity coronary disease) or IIa indication (intermediate complexity), whereas, according to the American Heart Association...
Interventional cardiology: the most read articles of 2022 in solaci.org
Discover the most read scientific articles on interventional cardiology of 2022 in our website. The FDA Approves Intravascular Lithotripsy for Calcified Lesions The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the shockwave lithotripsy system to treat severely calcified plaque lesions. Is Epinephrine Superior to Adenosine in No-REFLOW? In patients with acute coronary syndrome, no-reflow prevalence is 32%. Different drugs—such as adenosine, verapamil,...
Real-World Results of Different Devices for TAVR
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) keeps growing in terms of the development of new devices, more extensive operator experience, and enhanced procedure planning. Nowadays, there are multiple device options, which depend on patient characteristics and operator experience. Two-arm studies compared these devices, analyzing the potential benefits of a certain valve over the others. This multicenter...
One Year Prognosis of Atherosclerotic vs. Non-Atherosclerotic Lesions in MINOCA Patients
The use of intravascular imaging helps improve diagnosis in situations where a conventional coronary angiography might not be conclusive. That is the case of patients with myocardial infarction with non-obstructive coronary artery lesions (MINOCA). The largest MINOCA cohort reported so far has shown 5%-7% prevalence. This pathology, initially considered benign, presents a remote mortality rate...
Is Clopidogrel Monotherapy Safe After a Month of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy in Diabetic Patients?
Currently, many randomized studies have suggested that short-term dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) followed by monotherapy reduces bleeding without increasing major cardiovascular events after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A meta-analysis of six randomized studies has shown this benefit using ticagrelor monotherapy after short DAPT. However, there is no data on the results of clopidogrel monotherapy. Researchers...
Ticagrelor or Prasugrel Post-PCI in Daily Practice Patients
The ISAR-REACT 5 showed a significant reduction in the composite outcome of death, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), or stroke when using prasugrel vs. ticagrelor in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), mainly at the expense of an AMI reduction. While this study changed clinical practice, it has stirred some criticism regarding certain methodological aspects, such...
How Do We Manage Antiaggregation in BARC I Bleeding after AMI?
Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been shown useful to reduce thrombotic events, but one of its downsides is bleeding, especially in elderly patients. BARC bleeding type I, also called nuisance bleeding (NB), is of low frequency, but its evolution and impact remain unclear, as does its management. A subanalysis of...
Valve-in-Valve Shows Good Evolution after 2 Years
The degeneration of bioprostheses in aortic position occurs at approximately after 10 to 15 years. In this scenario, the treatment of choice used to be redo surgery, but with the evolution of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), it became a valid alternative with a level IIa B evidence. While there are currently multiple analyses of...
BEST-CLI: Revascularization of Critical Lower Limb Ischemia, a Pragmatic Study
Critical lower limb ischemia (CLLI) is associated with a major deterioration in quality of life and a significant increase in morbidity and mortality. Its estimated annual incidence is 220 to 3500 cases per million people, with an expected prevalence of 11% of patients with peripheral arterial disease. CLLI is the “terminal” stage of peripheral artery...