While the benefits of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with aspirin and a P2Y12 inhibitor are recognized, its primary complication is the occurrence of bleeding events, which negatively impact patient morbidity and mortality. Additionally, about 10% of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are on oral anticoagulant therapy, which significantly increases the risk of bleeding when...
CAPTIS, a Novel Cerebral Embolic Protection System in TAVR
The incidence of stroke after TAVR ranges between 2 and 5%, depending on the series, which has been associated with higher morbimortality, affecting patient quality of life and their psycho-social environment. Many cerebral embolic protection systems have been developed in response, and even though they have been shown beneficial in many studies, their role in...
Treatment and Gender-Based Outcomes for Coronary Bifurcation Stent Placement: Report from the e-ULTIMASTER Registry
Approximately 20% of all percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) are performed on bifurcation lesions, which continue to pose a challenge in terms of strategy: how many stents to use, what is the most suitable strategy, and when to transition from a single stent to two during the procedure. Additionally, the use of two stents in these...
OCT-Guided PCTA: Does It Offer any Benefits?
For many years, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PCTA) has expanded significantly worldwide. However, despite the demonstrated advantages of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) in terms of minimal luminal area, reduced cardiovascular events, and restenosis, its use is not very common due to various reasons. On the other hand, optical coherence tomography (OCT) offers even higher resolution than...
Predictors and Evolution of Permanent Pacemaker After TAVR with Self-Expanding Valves
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has shown remarkable benefits and continues to advance towards lower-risk patients and younger ages. However, one of its limitations lies in the demand for a permanent pacemaker (PPM), which during TAVR early stages with self-expanding valves reached 30%. Uncertainty persists regarding the evolution of patients undergoing PPM implantation after TAVR,...
Aortic Stenosis and Cardiogenic Shock: Is TAVR an Option?
Cardiogenic shock (CS) in a setting of aortic stenosis is associated with high mortality rates. In consequence, surgery is generally not a possibility for this patient group, and they usually undergo aortic valvuloplasty, resulting in a mortality rate of 33%-50% at 30 days, 70% at one year, and 90% at two years. While transcatheter aortic...
We Should Revascularize Patients with Stable Coronary Syndromes and Ischemia Assessed by iFR
Chronic stable angina has shown a good response to medical treatment, and the Ischemia study has recently demonstrated the safety of such treatment in stable chronic angina with moderate to severe ischemia. However, this study excluded left main coronary artery (LMCA) lesions. The FAME Study has shown the safety and efficacy of fractional flow reserve...
Frequency and Causes of Mortality in Chronic Total Occlusion
In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) performed to treat chronic total occlusion (CTO). This increase is due to the availability of more advanced technology and greater experience of both operators and specialized centers. However, it is important to note that this technique is not free...
TAVR: Does HALT Affect Follow-Up?
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in low-risk patients has been shown to be superior or noninferior in randomized studies, but the presence of valvular thrombosis, in its different forms, has not been well analyzed, nor is there much information on its impact on evolution. Researchers conducted an analysis of the LTR study that included 200...
Latest Developments in Tricuspid Regurgitation
The natural history of tricuspid regurgitation is associated to hospitalization for cardiac failure and mortality. This is why the AHA/ACC guidelines recommend surgery when the tricuspid fails during left valve surgical repair, because its slow progression is associated with high mortality (35%). Many of these patients are high risk and percutaneous intervention has surged as...