Clinical Cardiology Alert – October 1, 2017
October 1, 2017
View Issues
-
RE-DUAL Deals Another Blow to Triple Therapy
In this trial of post-percutaneous coronary intervention patients with atrial fibrillation, dual antithrombotic therapy with dabigatran and a P2Y12 inhibitor showed lower rates of bleeding but similar ischemic and thrombotic outcomes compared to a triple therapy regimen with warfarin.
-
Is a Dabigatran Reversal Agent Effective?
A pragmatic clinical study of idarucizumab for counteracting the effects of the oral anticoagulant dabigatran showed rapid and complete reversal of its effects in patients with major bleeding or urgent surgery, without any adverse safety concerns.
-
Rate-controlled Atrial Fibrillation as a Reversible Cause of Cardiomyopathy
In patients with persistent but rate-controlled atrial fibrillation and left ventricular systolic dysfunction of otherwise uncertain etiology, catheter ablation to restore sinus rhythm can result in significant improvement or normalization of ejection fraction.
-
Natriuretic Peptide-guided Therapy Does Not Improve Systolic Heart Failure Outcomes
Among high-risk patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction, a strategy of titrating medical therapy to a target natriuretic peptide level was not associated with improvements in hospitalization or survival.
-
Anomalous Coronary Arteries Discovered in Middle-aged Individuals
Anomalous origin of coronary arteries from the opposite sinus are encountered more frequently in middle-aged subjects evaluated for coronary artery disease using CT angiography.