Clinical Cardiology
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Preventing Strokes After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement
Researchers continue testing cerebral embolic protection devices as a solution — but are they effective?
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Whole Grains vs. Refined Grains: Preventing Early-Onset Heart Disease
Researchers found eating too many refined grains is like consuming an excess of sugar.
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Top Heart Medication Could Help Alcohol Use Disorder Patients
Spironolactone is known to block mineralocorticoid receptors, an action believed to reduce alcohol cravings.
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Importance of Discordant Grading of Moderate Aortic Stenosis
A study of patients with moderate aortic stenosis by Doppler echocardiographic calculated valve area revealed 40% exhibit discordant measures, where pressure gradient is lower than expected. These patients died more often than those with concordant measurements, especially those where the discrepancy was caused by low flow.
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Statins Plus Ezetimibe vs. Statins Alone
A comparison of rosuvastatin 10 mg/day plus ezetimibe (10 mg/day) to 20 mg/day of rosuvastatin alone showed non-inferiority in three-year major cardiovascular outcomes, with lower LDL cholesterol levels and fewer episodes of drug discontinuation or dose reductions in the combination therapy group.
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REVIVED Shows No PCI Benefit for Patients with Coronary Disease, Reduced EF
Researchers randomly assigned patients with an ejection fraction ≤ 35% and severe coronary disease to percutaneous coronary intervention or optimal medical therapy alone. After 3.4 years median follow-up, researchers noted no significant differences between groups in terms of all-cause death or heart failure hospitalization.
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Hot Trials from the European Society of Cardiology Annual Congress
Below are some highlights from four key studies presented in Barcelona, Spain, between Aug. 26 and Aug. 29, 2022, along with Dr. Crawford’s personal commentary on each.
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COVID-19 Infection More Likely to Inflame Heart Than Vaccine
Researchers noted patients were much more likely to be afflicted with myocarditis after a SARS-CoV-2 infection than after receiving a vaccine.
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Appropriate Management of Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms
Among patients with arch and descending thoracic aorta aneurysms followed over a mean 20 months, aneurysm-related mortality was predicted by the size and growth rate of the aneurysms, along with age and sex.
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Clinical Significance of Mitral Annular Calcification
Researchers found mitral annular calcification to be uncommon, and few experience associated moderate to severe mitral stenosis or regurgitation. However, the latter group recorded a high mortality rate over three years follow-up, which was significantly lower in those who underwent valve interventions, even when corrected for younger age, fewer comorbidities.