TCTMD Articles

In patients with stable CAD who are experiencing symptoms, very low levels of cardiac troponin I measured with a high-sensitivity assay do not reliably exclude the presence of inducible myocardial ischemia on stress testing, new Swiss data show.

A less invasive alternative to surgical reconstruction improves symptoms and reduces left ventricular volume in patients with heart failure (HF) caused by MI, new data suggest.

PHILADELPHIA, PA—Immediate angiography among comatose cardiac arrest patients who lack signs of STEMI and are successfully resuscitated does not offer any long-term benefit compared with a delayed strategy, 1-year follow-up data from the COACT trial confirm.

PHILADELPHIA, PA—The first phase III study of a novel drug that inhibits the bromodomain extra-terminal (BET) protein pathway through epigenetic modification failed to meet its primary endpoint in a population of post-ACS patients with diabetes and low HDL cholesterol. But experts agreed that the agent still holds promise for other patient groups.

The phase III VICTORIA trial of vericiguat, an investigational drug for patients worsening chronic heart failure and reduced ejection fraction, met its primary endpoint, drugmakers Merck and Bayer AG announced on Monday.

LONDON, England—Follow-up data from the PORTICO I study testing the self-expanding Portico transcatheter heart valve (Abbott) show a low rate of cardiovascular mortality and disabling stroke at 2 years, as well as continued low transvalvular gradients and large valve areas.

PHILADELPHIA, PA—Physicians shouldn’t be too hasty about dropping aspirin in all A-fib patients after PCI, as it appears those with a particularly high risk of stent thrombosis might benefit from up to 1 month of additional coverage, an analysis of the AUGUSTUS trial suggests.

Women are more likely than men to experience stroke while hospitalized for PCI, 14 years’ worth of US registry data confirm.

Compared with other types of complex PCI, chronic total occlusion (CTO) PCI is less often associated with procedural success and carries a higher risk of complications such as coronary perfusion and tamponade, according to a single-center analysis. However, the rates of other in-hospital and long-term adverse events are similar.

I had a funny dream the other night. I was somehow supposed to be the lead discussant at the upcoming American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions on the ISCHEMIA trial results, except there was a problem.