Clinical Cardiology Alert – June 1, 2014
June 1, 2014
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Should Asymptomatic Patients with Severe Mitral Regurgitation be Referred for Valve Repair?
In patients with severe degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR), surgery is clearly recommended in the presence of any symptoms. -
Long-Term Benefits of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Patients with Left Bundle Branch Block
The Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial with Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (MADIT-CRT) showed that implantation of a cardiac-resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator (CRT-D) in patients with left bundle-branch block (LBBB), Class I or II congestive heart failure (CHF), and an ejection fraction < 30% was associated with a significant reduction in heart-failure events over 2.4 years. -
Antiplatelet Agents Plus Oral Anticoagulants in Atrial Fibrillation
In patients with stable coronary artery disease and atrial fibrillation (AF) on oral anticoagulants, adding antiplatelet agents is common and recommended in guidelines, especially during the first year after an acute coronary event or revascularization. -
Door-to-Balloon Time Isn’t Everything: Transradial Access in Primary PCI May be Worth the Delay
The mortality benefit to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is unquestioned when it comes to ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). -
Current Utility of Exercise ECG Testing
Most current guidelines recommend exercise electrocardiographic (ECG) testing for suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients who can exercise and have a normal resting ECG.