Compared against coronary artery disease (CAD) or cerebrovascular disease patients, peripheral artery disease (PAD) patients have lower chances of receiving medication proved to be clinically effective such as statins (despite running the same risk, perhaps even higher risk). The message is we should be more active both in finding risk factors in PAD patients, and<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2020/08/03/peripheral-artery-disease-underestimated-and-undertreated/" title="Read more" >...</a>
Drug-Coated Balloons in Infrapopliteal Disease: Much Ado About Nothing
The revascularization of tibial arteries in patients with critical lower limb ischemia using drug-coated balloons vs. conventional angioplasty resulted in comparable long-term outcomes in terms of both safety and efficacy. Paclitaxel exposure was not related to a higher risk of amputation or all-cause mortality at 5 years (which is the good news for much questioned drug-coated<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2020/03/16/drug-coated-balloons-in-infrapopliteal-disease-much-ado-about-nothing/" title="Read more" >...</a>
The Most Read Scientific Articles of February
01- Alternatives for Patients Allergic to Aspirin The new guidelines of chronic coronary syndromes make class IIb recommendations to use prasugrel or ticagrelor in aspirin-intolerant patients. This is not meant to replace dual antiaggregation therapy in aspirin intolerant patients, when needed; it is just a recommendation to use monotherapy with the most potent antiaggregant we<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2020/03/11/most-read-scientific-articles-of-february/" title="Read more" >...</a>
Consensus on How to Conduct Follow-Up in Peripheral Vascular Disease
Peripheral vascular disease involves multiple areas and, therefore, can have very different presentations (from complete lack of symptoms to disabling symptoms). Depending on clinical presentation, general condition, anatomical localization, and lesion extension, revascularization can be indicated alongside optimal medical treatment. In 2017, guidelines with indications for revascularization were published; however, maintaining long-term patency can be<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2019/12/27/consensus-on-how-to-conduct-follow-up-in-peripheral-vascular-disease/" title="Read more" >...</a>
Drug Coated Balloons vs. Drug Eluting Stents in Primary PCI
There might come the time when we are finally able to leave nothing behind, at least in the context of primary PCI. The REVELATION study, soon to be published in J Am Coll Cardiol Intv, has shown that paclitaxel coated balloons resulted non inferior to drug eluting stents (DES) in terms of FFR (fractional flow<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2019/09/19/drug-coated-balloons-vs-drug-eluting-stents-in-primary-pci/" title="Read more" >...</a>
FFR to Predict CABG Result: All Benefits in a Population Much Too Pure?
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) anastomosed to one vessel with normal or nearly normal fractional flow reserve (FFR) have poorer graft patency at one year compared against anastomosed grafts to vessels with functionally significant lesions shown by FFR. However, the recent study FARGO (Fractional Flow Reserve Versus Angiography Randomization for Graft Optimization) did not show<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2019/08/16/ffr-to-predict-cabg-result-all-benefits-in-a-population-much-too-pure/" title="Read more" >...</a>
Heart and Brain: Risk Factors, Atrial Fibrillation and Dementia
For decades, physiologists have known what cardiologists often forget: heart and brain communicate intensely in a healthy person, and in a wide range of cardiovascular diseases they could damage one another. Multiple actions and immediate reactions in the brain adequately adapt heart function to bodily needs, such as anxiety and frustration, which might impair adequate<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2019/08/15/heart-and-brain-risk-factors-atrial-fibrillation-and-dementia/" title="Read more" >...</a>
PCI and Anticoagulation: What is the best strategy?
Most patients with atrial fibrillation require anticoagulation to reduce the risk of stroke or systemic embolization. Today, this is achieved with the new direct oral anticoagulants, which present lower intracranial bleeding risk compared against the old vitamin K antagonists. On the other hand, approximately between 5% to 10% of patients receiving PCI also present atrial<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2019/08/14/pci-and-anticoagulation-what-is-the-best-strategy/" title="Read more" >...</a>
The Most Read Articles in Interventional Cardiology in SOLACI
1- What to Do with Blood Pressure Levels Between 130/80 and 139/89 mmHg The decision to be made with a treatment-free patient with systolic blood pressure over 160 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure over 100 mmHg is an easy one. All guidelines agree: treatment should be started immediately alongside lifestyle changes. Read also HERE 2- Low-Risk<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2019/07/02/the-most-read-articles-in-interventional-cardiology-in-solaci/" title="Read more" >...</a>
Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis and TAVR: though Rare, Devastating
On the bright side, the incidence of prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) post TAVR is not higher than post SAVR, according to this study recently presented at EuroPCR 2019, held in Paris. There is plenty of evidence describing PVE incidence, prognosis, risk factors, etc. after surgical valve replacement surgery (SAVR). However, we know little about the<a href="https://solaci.org/en/2019/06/23/prosthetic-valve-endocarditis-and-tavr-though-rare-devastating/" title="Read more" >...</a>