| Expert Insights &
Feature Articles |
| NORSTENT: Drug-Eluting Stents – Doing What They’re Supposed To |
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At this week’s annual European Society of Cardiology Congress in Rome, an important randomized clinical trial on stents was presented by Professor Kaare H. Bønaa, MD, PhD. Called NORSTENT, short for the “Norwegian Coronary Stent Trial,” this was the largest stent trial ever conducted, with 9,013 patients followed for six years. That’s serious! |
| AimRADIAL Masterclass V + FFR Workshop in Budapest |
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On September 22-23, 2016, the 5th Advanced International Masterclass on the Transradial Approach will be held in Budapest, Hungary. And this year, AimRADIAL will be preceded on September 21 by a one-day comprehensive workshop covering all aspects of Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) from the basic principles and set-up in the cath lab, to the differences between FFR, iFR, and CFR, a comprehensive review of the clinical study data so far, and finally a look at future modalities, like FFR-CT. |
| CoreValve Evolut R First TAVR to Receive CE Mark for Intermediate Risk Patients |
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Medtronic's recapturable and repositionable CoreValve Evolut R System has received the CE Mark to treat patients with severe aortic stenosis who are at intermediate risk for open-heart surgery, making this the first TAVR device to obtain approval for this patient population. Previously TAVR devices were indicated for use only in patients at high risk for surgery. |
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Patient Education About Aortic Stenosis? There's an App for That! |
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An easy-to-use iPad app, explaining aortic stenosis, its treatment options and what happens after discharge from the hospital, has been developed by Medtronic. Dubbed the "Aortic Stenosis Patient Journey iPad App," nursing staff, as well as patients and their family, can download this tool from the iTunes store for free. |
| COURAGE: Does 15-Year Data Have Any Clinical Relevance? |
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From the Editor: "I think that this 15-year analysis has so many statistical weaknesses, and is looking at a snapshot in time that has long been surpassed by advances in technology and practice, that the conclusion of this “extended survival analysis” is basically irrelevant to current practice." |
| European Guidelines Say "Radial First" |
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Today the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) gave the highest recommendation to the radial (wrist) approach for catheter-based interventions in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). The "ACS without persistent ST-segment elevation (NSTE-ACS) guidelines," drafted by an international multidisciplinary Task Force, were introduced as part of this year's annual ESC meeting, and are now published online. |
| "A Type of Interventional Radiology": A Quaint Memory from the New York Times |
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I recently was rifling through some old files of news clippings (you remember those pesky things, don't you?) and came across a major New York Times Magazine feature from 1983. It was titled, "Toward the Conquest of Heart Disease." Near the end of the article, the author briefly mentions something he calls "a type of interventional radiology" which has "great potential advantages but remains experimental." |
| Medtronic Begins Trial for Next-Generation Drug-Eluting Stent in Small Arteries |
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Medtronic is beginning the U.S. pivotal trial for its new drug-eluting stent, the Resolute Onyx™. The Onyx received the European CE Mark in November and has been available in countries that recognize the CE Mark. The first phase of this trial will be studying one of the most challenging clinical scenarios: blockages in arteries that measure as small as 2.0mm. |
| Consumer Reports Overstates Cardiac CT Radiation Dose |
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Consumer Reports regularly publishes health information to aid the consumer/patient in making decisions. That's good, but also important is having the most current information, which their recent article about CT scans does not. The article states that a Cardiac CT Angiogram (CTA) exposes the patient to 12 mSv of ionizing radiation, or 120 times that of a chest X-ray. This was true years ago, when CTA was first being used to diagnose coronary artery disease. But it is not true today. |
| Medtronic Launches Drug-Coated Balloon for Peripheral Artery Disease in U.S. |
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The IN.PACT Admiral is the second such device approved by the FDA, the first being Bard's Lutonix back in October. The approval was supported by a body of clinical evidence of 21 studies involving more than 3,500 patients worldwide, demonstrating the best clinical outcomes of any medical technology for the treatment of PAD in the SFA and popliteal arteries. |
| Who's Sorry Now? The ABIM, That's Who |
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The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) has apologized to the medical community saying they "had gotten it wrong." What the ABIM had gotten "wrong" was the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) changes passed a year ago. Many physicians had objected to what they felt were onerous, time-consuming, worthless and expensive requirements. |
| Philips Buys Volcano: It's About Money, Technology, and History |
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The acquisition of Volcano by Philips is a landmark event in the world of imaging. For years, Volcano's mantra was "angiography alone is not enough." Well now, angiography agrees and one of the largest manufacturers of cath labs will be offering IVUS, FFR and iFR modalities as part of its total imaging package. The potential spread of these technologies can only benefit patients, with better outcomes and more targeted procedures, and also save hospitals and healthcare systems money. |
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| FDA Approves HeartFlow FFR-CT: Non-Invasive Method for Determining Coronary Ischemia |
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The FDA has approved HeartFlow's FFR-CT software for measuring coronary blockages non-invasively. While the accuracy of FFR-CT to correctly differentiate significant blockages from those not needing revascularization is only in the mid-80% range, the fact that a CT scan can be performed quickly, non-invasively, and with relatively low radiation doses, makes this procedure a significant contender to the extremely common nuclear stress test, and a potential game-changer in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. |
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| DAPT Study: Extended Treatment After Stenting Lowers Stent Thrombosis and Heart Attacks |
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"Longer is better." That's what Dr. Dean Kereiakis told Angioplasty.Org when characterizing the results of the long-awaited Dual Antiplatelet Therapy (DAPT) study, which were presented today at the annual American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Chicago. Dr. Kereiakes is the co-principal investigator for this five year study of 10,000 patients, which adds to the knowledge base of whether long-term treatment with aspirin and a thienopyridine, such as Plavix, after stent implantation is beneficial to patients. |
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| FFR and iFR: Roadmapping Your Heart, With Traffic |
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What has become clearer in the past few years is that seeing is not believing. The angiogram may show a narrowing, but that narrowing may not be causing a reduced flow of blood to the heart, a.k.a. "ischemia." Stenting or bypassing such a "non-ischemic" narrowing may not be of much benefit to the patient, but it will add a small risk factor of stent restenosis or perhaps a surgical complication. |
| FDA Approves Volcano's iFR® Pressure Measurement Modality for Use in Coronary Stent Guidance |
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The FDA has granted approval to Volcano's proprietary coronary pressure measurement modality, iFR (Instant wave-Free Ratio). iFR represents a significant advance in the field of functional measurement (FM), in which the actual flow pressures inside the coronary artery can be measured and the deficit caused by a coronary blockage or lesion can be accurately assessed. |
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| Patients Are Talking About... |
- I had radial angiography 2 days ago...it was a fascinating experience and was able to watch part of the procedure. I feel fantastic, have no "heart ache" or any problems with my arm.
- I can't afford my post-stenting meds, where can I find help paying for Plavix or Effient?
- I'm 64. After 4 stents and 2 heart attacks since Dec. 2008, I'm as physically active or more so than ever. I plan to hit 4,000 miles on my bike this year. I've hiked/climbed at 13,000 feet.
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| Patients
Are Reading About... |
Radial Hospital Locator
A list of physicians and hospitals offering the transradial (wrist) approach to angiograms, angioplasty and stent procedures. |
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| Read patient stories and Learn about medications after stenting, symptoms and complications, care giving, taking charge of your health, communicating with your cardiologist and much more in our Patient Center. |
 see
video clip:
" The 1st Angioplasty" |
ANGIOPLASTY
AT 35: 2012
marked the 35th anniversary of coronary angioplasty. In
1977 in Zurich, Switzerland, a young physician named Andreas
Gruentzig inserted a catheter into a patient's
coronary artery and inflated a tiny balloon, successfully
opening a blockage and restoring blood flow to a human
heart. |
| Today over
two million coronary angioplasties are
performed worldwide each year and angioplasty has become the gold standard for emergency heart attack treament. |
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