A history of acute myocardial Infarction, cardiac failure or hyperlipidemia has been associated with increased mortality of COVID-19. Observational studies have suggested statins might reduce death risk from COVID-19, in addition to lowering cholesterol. Statins have anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic effects that could play a role in the course of the infection. Other studies have arrived...
Ticagrelor or Prasugrel for Acute Patients Who Undergo Angioplasty
We are still asking the same question: ticagrelor or prasugrel? With narrow margins between these drugs in terms of efficacy and bleeding, it is difficult to decide which to prescribe. While it has certain methodological limitations, this research published in JAMA seems to clarify the picture at least for patients with acute coronary syndromes who...
Bifurcations: A Long Return Journey
When it looked like the simplest techniques reach the best outcomes, along came the DK Crush studies. Indeed, after the COVIS III results in bifurcations, it appeared we had started to retrace our steps back to the foundation. The purpose of this study was to compare long term outcomes of the remarkably simple 1-stent strategy...
SOL SOLACI Program Took Part in the Venezuela Sessions 2021 with a New Charitable Case
SOLACI’s SOLidario Program took part in the XLII Regional SOLACI Sessions in Venezuela, where a charitable intervention was performed in collaboration with the Venezuelan Society of Interventional Cardiology (SOVECI) and Caracas University Hospital. In this opportunity, physicians treated a 60-year-old patient with significant heart disease under study for acute myocardial infarction after thrombolysis. Coronary angiography identified...
DAPT vs. Monotherapy: The Dilemma Remains After Surgery
Patients who undergo myocardial revascularization surgery and are discharged on dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT)—aspirin plus clopidogrel—have a lower risk of major cardiovascular and cerebral events than patients on aspirin monotherapy. Furthermore, the risk of bleeding is not increased for those receiving DAPT. This information comes from a registry of over 18,000 patients recently published in the...
ACC 2021 | ADAPTABLE: Low Doses of Aspirin Are Equally Effective and Present Lower Bleeding Risk
Patients diagnosed with cardiovascular disease taking aspirin as secondary prevention can take lower doses and achieve the same efficacy level as those taking 325 mg. According to the ADAPTABLE study, presented at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2021 Congress and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), both schemes were associated with...
ACC 2021 | TALOS-AMI: De-escalating from Ticagrelor to Clopidogrel after One Month
After one-month dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with aspirin and ticagrelor, a net clinical benefit was observed when de-escalating to clopidogrel in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients treated with PCI. We have discussed the pros and cons of de-escalating from a potent antiplatelets Such as ticagrelor to clopidogrel since the TOPIC presented at EuroPCR in 2017. What...
ACC 2021 | Sacubitril/Valsartan not Superior to Ramipril after AMI
The combination sacubitril/valsartan following high-risk AMI did not reduce the risk of cardiac failure or cardiovascular risk in patients compared against ramipril. These data were provided by the PARADISE-MI presented today during the scientific sessions at ACC 2021. The combination sacubitril/valsartan had gathered prior evidence (basically from the PARADIGM-HF) for its superiority in terms of total...
ACC 2021 | Emergent CABG for acute MI: Benefits Despite Risk
The latest figures show a lower number of emergency CABG for acute MI, and in turn increased primary PCI. The combination of surgeons not willing to take risks and interventional cardiologists empowered to treat practically any lesion has resulted in fewer patients receiving emergency CABG. Only a few years ago, interventional cardiologists at least had...
ACC 2021 | Stress Increases Events in Young Patients with Prior MI
Young or middle-aged patients who have already suffered a heart attack have almost twice as many adverse events when they continue to be under emotional stress after the initial suffering. The association between psychological factors and events is attenuated after making adjustments that include markers of inflammation such as interleukin-6. It follows that inflammation plays...