Increased LV mass linked to discordant stress CMR/ICA results via microvascular resistance
Why do heart tests sometimes disagree? A thicker heart muscle might be the surprising reason
In patients with suspected obstructive CAD, left ventricular mass (LVM) was higher in those with abnormal stress CMR vs.
A thicker heart muscle can sometimes confuse heart tests, making a normal angiogram look falsely normal even when a problem exists.
Meta-analysis: Colchicine reduces MACE by 17%, eMACE by 23% in ASCVD
Can an old anti-inflammatory drug help prevent heart attacks? A review of 11 trials suggests it might
A meta-analysis of 11 trials (n=30,808) found low-dose colchicine was associated with a 17% reduction in MACE (RR 0.83, 95% CI 0.73-0.95; P=…
Adding a low-dose anti-inflammatory drug called colchicine to heart disease treatment lowers the risk of heart attacks and strokes by 17%.
Surgical ablation reduces POAF but increases pacemaker risk in non-mitral valve surgery
For heart surgery patients with AFib, does adding a procedure to fix the rhythm help?
In a meta-analysis of 39,348 AF patients undergoing non-mitral valve surgery, concomitant surgical ablation was associated with a 27% reduct…
Adding a rhythm-fixing procedure during heart surgery significantly lowers AFib return rates but increases the chance of needing a permanent…
Accelerated stress CMR non-inferior to standard protocol, saves 24 minutes per scan
Can a faster heart scan find blocked arteries just as well as the standard test?
In a prospective RCT of 150 patients with suspected angina, an accelerated stress-only CMR protocol was non-inferior to a standard stress-re…
A faster heart scan takes 24 minutes less than the standard test and finds blocked arteries just as accurately for patients with chest pain.
Immediate revascularization tied to higher 1-year risk in STEMI with multivessel disease and heart failure
For heart attack patients with heart failure, does fixing all blockages right away help or hurt?
In the OPTION-STEMI trial, immediate complete revascularization was not non-inferior to staged revascularization.
For heart attack patients with heart failure, fixing all blockages immediately raises the risk of death or another heart attack within a yea…
EXCEL: Spontaneous MI 2x Higher After PCI vs CABG for Left Main Disease, Strongly Linked to Mortality
After heart surgery for a major blockage, which procedure leads to fewer future heart attacks?
In the EXCEL trial, spontaneous MI within 5 years occurred in 6.8% of PCI patients vs 3.4% of CABG patients (adjHR 2.01; 95% CI, 1.29-3.15; …
After heart surgery for a major blockage, patients with a stent had nearly twice the rate of future heart attacks compared to those with byp…
MAPSE Predicts Adverse Events in Acute Myocarditis; Lateral MAPSE Shows Superior Performance
Could a simple heart measurement predict serious risks in myocarditis patients?
In a cohort of 46 acute myocarditis patients, reduced MAPSE was linked to major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Lateral MAPSE had a hi…
A simple heart measurement called MAPSE predicts serious risks and death in patients with acute myocarditis, helping doctors identify those …
UC-MSC Infusions Safe in HFrEF, Improve RV Volumes, No LVEF Change
Could Stem Cells Offer New Hope for Heart Failure Patients?
The PRIME-HFrEF trial found that multi-dose UC-MSC infusions in HFrEF patients were safe, with no significant difference in SAEs between gro…
Heart failure patients receiving umbilical cord stem cells showed safer outcomes but no overall improvement in heart pumping ability.
Angiography-derived FFR reduces perioperative events in CABG for valve surgery patients
Could a New Heart Surgery Approach Save Lives for Patients with Valve Issues?
In a multicentre RCT with 793 patients, physiologically guided CABG using angiography-derived FFR significantly reduced the composite periop…
A new heart surgery approach using blood flow tests reduced serious complications by 5% for patients with both valve issues and blocked arte…
Early Aspirin Withdrawal Post-PCI Reduces Bleeding, No MI Increase with P2Y12 Monotherapy
Could Stopping Aspirin Early Help Heart Patients Avoid Bleeding Risks?
Meta-analysis shows early aspirin withdrawal (≤3 months) post-PCI with ticagrelor/prasugrel reduces bleeding (HR=0.55, 95% CI [0.42, 0.71]; …
Stopping aspirin within three months after a heart procedure reduces bleeding risk without increasing heart attack chances for many patients…
Inflammation Linked to Recurrence After AF-Related Stroke: Meta-Analysis
Could Inflammation Be the Key to Preventing Strokes After Atrial Fibrillation?
This meta-analysis of 10,080 patients reveals that elevated hsCRP is associated with recurrent MACEs in AF patients (aRR 1.14, 95% CI 1.04-1…
High inflammation levels in atrial fibrillation patients predict future strokes and heart events, suggesting that managing this hidden risk …
Microvascular Resistance Reserve Predicts CAD Outcomes: HR 0.75 per Unit Increase
Could Understanding Microvascular Resistance Save Lives in Heart Disease?
A meta-analysis (n=3,186) found that higher microvascular resistance reserve (MRR) is linked to reduced adverse cardiovascular events in CAD…
Higher levels of a new heart vessel measure lower your risk of heart attacks, while low levels more than double the danger of serious events…