Clinical Cardiology Alert – April 1, 2020
April 1, 2020
View Issues
-
What Device-Detected Atrial Fibrillation Burden Reveals About Stroke Risk
In a retrospective analysis of electronic health record data matched with remote pacemaker and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator recordings of atrial fibrillation episodes, a threshold daily arrhythmia burden portending higher stroke risk was determined over a range of CHA2DS2-VASc scores.
-
Warfarin or DOACs for Atrial Fibrillation in Chronic Kidney Disease?
A large outpatient observational study of patients with atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease who were anticoagulated revealed that, compared to warfarin, direct oral anticoagulants exhibited less all-cause mortality and major bleeding with at least equivalent efficacy at preventing stroke.
-
Anatomic vs. Functional Testing in Older Coronary Artery Disease Patients
An analysis of the PROMISE trial by age showed that cardiovascular death or myocardial infarction was predicted by a positive stress test in patients with symptoms suggesting myocardial ischemia who were >age 65 years, but only CT angiography or a calcium score was predictive in symptomatic patients < age 65 years.
-
Role of Cardiac MRI in Recurrent Pericarditis
This multicenter study revealed cardiac MRI may be useful in the diagnosis of difficult pericarditis cases, especially if pericardial edema and late gadolinium enhancement are found. Pericardial thickening and elevated C-reactive protein were found to be predictive of recurrent pericarditis and other complications.
-
Heart Failure Confers Increased Risk of Venous Thromboembolic Events
In the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) cohort, incident heart failure hospitalization with either preserved or reduced ejection fraction was associated with long-term increased risk of venous thromboembolic events.