Cardiac News Round-Up April 17

Posted on by Kurt Jensen

Stroke

Thrombolysis Safe in Mild Stroke

Jose G. Romano, MD and colleagues reported in the April issue of JAMA Neurology that few treatment complications were seen when treating patients who experienced mild strokes with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). Mild strokes are defined by an NIHSS score of 5 or less. The study did not address long-term outcomes in the mild-stroke population.

Monitoring Improves NOAC Adherence

Mintu P. Turakhia, MD reported in April issue of JAMA that adherence to new oral anticoagulant (NOAC) dabigatran was highest when pharmacists assisted in monitoring compliance. Dabigatran is one of four fixed-dose NOACs that have been approved as alternatives to warfarin for reducing stroke risk in patients with Afib.

Heart Failure

Ivabradine for Heart Failure Gets FDA Nod

The FDA approved the first new drug for heart failure since 2005---invabradine---approved to "reduce hospitalization from worsening heart failure."

Acute MI

New Strategy can Help Determine Heart Attack in Patients Within One Hour

Results are in from a larger-scale clinical trial for an high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T algorithm (hs-cTnT) which accelerates treatment for patients suspected of having acute MI. The test allows for safe rule-out and 75 percent accurate rule-in. ACVP blog discussed a similar, gender-specific test in January, which found that high-sensitivity is necessary for more accurate diagnosis of heart attacks in women.

Cardiac Trend: Push for Routine EKG/ECG Screenings for Athletes

Posted on by Kurt Jensen

While media in the past few years might suggest a backlash against the rising use of EKG testing, an emerging trend shows many groups pushing for routine EKG/ECG screening of high-functioning athletes.

Continue reading Cardiac Trend: Push for Routine EKG/ECG Screenings for Athletes

One simple procedural change reduces mortality in the cath lab

Posted on by Kurt Jensen

An international study published mid-March in the Lancet showed that using the wrist as an access point for heart catheterization reduced bleeding and lowered mortality rates as opposed to using the groin as an access point.

While previous studies have demonstrated that wrist access reduces incidents of bleeding, this is the first to demonstrate the connection with incidents of mortality.

The change lowers mortality at no additional cost beyond necessary additional training and expertise---insertion through the wrist is more technically demanding than insertion through the groin, as the artery is smaller.

Special Report (4): Robotics improve efficiency and reduce radiation exposure

Posted on by Kurt Jensen

In 2011, the Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions published new guidelines for a Radiation Safety Program for the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory.

With regards to procedures, they recommended limiting exposure duration, reducing dosage, limiting high-dose high contrast use, reducing magnification, and increasing distance from the x-ray beam to name a few.

Mayo Clinic reduced doses by 40 percent over a 3-year period in a case study released in 2012, where researchers noted that "the physician's expectations [had to] change from a desire for excellent image quality to a desire for low radiation dose and acceptance of clinically adequate image quality."

Technology itself might not be able to change culture, but it can significantly improve many relevant factors, as demonstrated by trials and testimonials of Corindus's CorPath system.

Continue reading Special Report (4): Robotics improve efficiency and reduce radiation exposure