Research found that blood flow in fetuses of diabetic mothers is redirected to the placenta, diverting away from the brain. The study used foetal Doppler echocardiography and a computerized model to analyze blood circulation.
A study presented at EuroEcho-Imaging 2016 found that chemotherapy caused heart damage in cancer patients with diabetes, leading to a higher risk of heart failure. The researchers also discovered that patients with diabetes experienced a significant decrease in global longitudinal strain, an early predictor of heart failure.
A study of over 16,000 patients found air pollution reduces pulmonary vascular function and increases risk of decompensated heart failure. Limiting physical activity in heavily polluted areas is recommended.
A study found that yoga significantly decreased diastolic blood pressure and night diastolic blood pressure in patients with prehypertension. Practicing hatha yoga for one hour daily may prevent hypertension development and improve overall health.
The largest study to investigate the effects of air pollution and traffic noise found that long-term exposure is linked to a greater incidence of high blood pressure. For every 5 μg/m3 of PM2.5, the risk of hypertension increased by 22% in people living in the most polluted areas.
The European Society of Cardiology is hosting its annual congress in Paris at the end of August 2019. The event is expected to be highly successful, building on the success of the 2011 edition, which was also held in Paris and received positive reviews.
A study of 34,444 patients found that 21.9% had ambulatory care-sensitive conditions, with 52% having cardiovascular disease. In-patient mortality rates were significantly lower for those with cardiovascular ACSCs compared to non-cardiovascular.
A prospective, randomised clinical trial found that an ultraviolet air steriliser significantly reduced sepsis and mortality in cardiac surgery patients. The study included 1097 patients and showed a lower rate of sepsis (3.4% vs 6.7%) and 30-day in-hospital mortality (3.8% vs 6.4%) in patients with the steriliser.
A new avatar-based application has been shown to improve symptom recognition in heart attack survivors, with a 24% increase in ability to recognize symptoms and a 15% increase in knowledge about what to do. The app is designed to be user-friendly and accessible for patients of all ages and languages.
Nearly one in three Myanmar citizens have hypertension, while half have high cholesterol. Experts warn that poor lifestyle choices are contributing to a surge in heart disease.
A study presented at the Argentine Congress of Cardiology found that smoking rates increased from 42% to 69% in heart attack patients between 2011 and 2015, coinciding with a 100% increase in cigarette affordability. Despite improved treatment for heart attacks, mortality rates remained unchanged.
A novel TAVI device has been developed to replace heart valves in patients with rheumatic heart disease, offering a simplified approach that does not require advanced cardiac surgical facilities or sophisticated cardiovascular imaging. The procedure can be performed without rapid ventricular pacing, making it more tolerable for patients.
The European Society of Cardiology has published new standards to prevent repeat heart attacks, highlighting the importance of a healthy lifestyle, regular physical activity, and prescribed medication. The guidelines also emphasize the need for patients to take responsibility for their own health after a first heart attack.
A new clinical decision rule, HERDOO2, has been validated in the REVERSE II trial, enabling the identification of women at low risk for recurrent venous thromboembolism who can safely discontinue anticoagulants. The study found that over half of these women could stop taking anticoagulants without increasing their risk.
A new antidote, andexanet alfa, has been shown to rapidly reverse anticoagulant effects in patients with acute major bleeding. In the ANNEXA-4 study, andexanet reduced anti-fXa activity by up to 90% within half an hour, resulting in 'excellent or good' hemostasis at 12 hours in most subjects.
The PRAGUE-18 trial found prasugrel and ticagrelor to be equally safe and effective for treating ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) patients. The study randomized 1,230 STEMI patients to receive either prasugrel or ticagrelor prior to primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI).
The BASKET-SAVAGE trial found that drug-eluting stents (DES) are more effective than bare metal stents (BMS) in treating saphenous vein grafts. DES reduced major adverse cardiac events by 67% compared to BMS.
A first-of-its-kind randomized trial comparing two stenting techniques for coronary bifurcation lesions has found that culotte stenting is associated with lower rates of restenosis and revascularization. Culotte stenting demonstrated a statistically significant advantage over TAP stenting in terms of clinical outcomes.
A new diagnostic algorithm, YEARS, suggests a simple approach to rule out pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients, eliminating the need for computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA). The study found that using this algorithm reduced CTPA imaging by 14% while maintaining safety and efficacy.
The Norwegian Coronary Stent Trial found that new-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) do not outlive or improve outcomes for patients compared to traditional bare metal stents (BMS). Despite the recommendation of DES over BMS in guidelines, the study suggests that both stent types may be suitable alternatives.
A large study of over 22,000 patients with coronary artery disease found that too low blood pressure was associated with worse outcomes. The optimal blood pressure target continues to be debated, and caution is urged when using blood pressure lowering treatment in these patients.
A pilot study suggests that some heart attack patients with plaque erosion may benefit from anti-thrombotic medications only, potentially replacing stent placement. The conservative approach shows promise in reducing stent-related complications, offering a new treatment paradigm for over a quarter of patients.
The ENSURE-AF trial shows edoxaban as an effective and safe alternative to standard therapy, with comparable rates of stroke and bleeding events. Patients can start edoxaban 2 hours prior to cardioversion if they have access to transoesophageal echocardiography.
The PACIFIC trial compared the accuracy of non-invasive imaging modalities, finding that positron emission tomography (PET) was significantly more accurate than single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) or coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). PET's diagnostic accuracy was 85% for diagnosing coronary ischemia, outpe...
The new standards, developed by the Acute Cardiovascular Care Association (ACCA), assess quality of care provided to patients admitted with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and cover seven domains. Implementing these QIs could lead to a decrease in mortality and improvement in patient outcomes.
The CONSERVE trial found that non-invasive computed tomography (CT) can safely reduce costs by guiding more selective use of invasive coronary angiography. The study associated lower rates of invasive procedures and cost savings in stable symptomatic patients with suspected coronary artery disease.
The phase 3 ODYSSEY-ESCAPE trial found that alirocumab-treated patients had a 75% greater reduction in apheresis compared to placebo, with 63.4% eliminating apheresis altogether. This could mark a new era for HeFH patients struggling with weekly apheresis treatments.
Researchers have found that lipoprotein apheresis improves myocardial blood flow, exercise capacity, and symptoms in patients with refractory angina and high lipoprotein(a) levels. The treatment approach could provide a novel solution for these patients, who often face limited treatment options.
The DOCTORS trial found that optical coherence tomography (OCT) provides useful additional information beyond standard angiography, leading to better functional outcomes and more frequent antiplatelet use. OCT also revealed stent underexpansion, incomplete lesion coverage, and edge dissection, resulting in improved procedure strategies.
A new study demonstrates that lowering LDL cholesterol and systolic blood pressure can have independent, multiplicative, and cumulative causal effects on cardiovascular disease risk. By reducing both by modest amounts, individuals may see a significant reduction in their lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease.
The CE-MARC 2 trial found that cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) and myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) significantly reduced rates of unnecessary angiography compared to guideline-directed care. These findings suggest that functional imaging should be adopted on a wider basis, even in high-risk patient subgroups.
A new study published by the European Society of Cardiology found that an active strategy of detecting and treating asymptomatic multisite artery disease did not improve 2-year outcomes compared to a traditional approach. The study enrolled 521 CAD patients and found no significant difference in all-cause mortality, rehospitalization f...
Patients with high levels of cholesterol absorption derive significant benefit from intensive treatment, while those without show no improvement. A new direction for personalized cholesterol treatment strategies is suggested.
The OPTICARE trial found that patients who stuck with a year-long enhanced cardiac rehabilitation program were happier, healthier, and more active than those in the regular program. Motivated patients showed significant improvements in smoking cessation and total cholesterol levels, as well as higher health-related quality of life.
The Sleep Apnea Cardiovascular Endpoints (SAVE) study found that nightly CPAP treatment did not reduce cardiovascular risk in patients with OSA. However, treatment improved well-being and quality of life for the participants.
A new study predicts that heart failure will more than double by 2040 and triple by 2060, with the majority of patients being elderly individuals. The study, which analyzed data from 5706 randomly selected elderly participants, found that the prevalence of heart failure increases with age and is higher in men than women.
The CHART-1 trial, a large-scale cardiovascular study, investigated the use of bone-marrow stem cells to treat congestive heart failure. Although findings were neutral in the overall patient population, an exploratory analysis identified a sub-group that may benefit from cardiopoietic cell therapy.
Research presented at ESC Congress 2016 found that sudden cardiac death in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy occurs relatively rarely during sport activity, but more often at rest and sometimes during sleep. Better strategies aimed at detecting the disease are needed to prevent deaths.
A Mediterranean diet is associated with a reduced risk of death in patients with a history of cardiovascular disease. The study found that higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet was linked to a 37% lower risk of death from any cause.
The NIPPON study found that shorter dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is comparable to longer DAPT in terms of net adverse clinical and cerebrovascular events. A combination of short DAPT and a newer DES with bioabsorbable coating may minimize thrombotic events and bleeding complications.
Research found significant disparities in public access defibrillation program implementation across France, leading to uneven survival rates. Basic life support education was strongly correlated with improved outcomes.
The DANISH trial suggests that ICDs should not be routinely implanted in all patients with systolic heart failure, particularly those with non-ischemic aetiology. However, younger patients may have a survival benefit with ICD implantation.
The ANTARCTIC trial found that elderly patients who underwent coronary stenting did not experience improved outcomes with platelet function testing compared to standard, unmonitored approach. Monitoring led to treatment adjustments in nearly half of the patients, yet it didn't improve ischemic or safety outcomes.
A phase II-a randomized trial showed that intravenously administered mesenchymal stem cells resulted in improved health status and functional capacity in patients with chronic non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, but no significant cardiac structural or functional improvements were observed.
A new trial found that remote monitoring of implantable cardiac devices did not reduce mortality or hospitalizations in heart failure patients. Despite widespread adoption, the study suggests that routine use of remote monitoring may not be necessary.
A study of nearly 15,000 heart failure patients in the UK found that up to 80% were not receiving recommended treatments, leading to high rates of hospitalizations and deaths. Patients who received treatment were more likely to be prescribed at target doses, highlighting the need for improved adherence to guideline-recommended therapies.
A recent study published at ESC Congress 2016 found that heart failure patients have a 2% increased risk of dying with each hospital admission. The research, which included over 450,000 patients from the UK, also showed that hospital admissions for patients with heart failure are projected to rise by 50% over the next 25 years.
A study presented at ESC Congress 2016 found that nebivolol treatment prevented anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity in breast cancer patients. New echocardiographic techniques revealed significant alterations in heart function after chemotherapy, but no changes were noted in the nebivolol-treated group.
A nationwide Danish registry study has found that patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) are at a higher risk of motor vehicle accidents compared to age- and gender-matched controls. The study included 4874 ICD patients and a control group of 9748 subjects, and found a 51% increased risk of motor vehicle accident...
The MORE-CARE trial found that remote monitoring of cardiac devices did not improve hard clinical outcomes, but showed cost savings and reduced in-office visits, with a 41% reduction in healthcare resource utilization