May 16, 2021
Compared with valsartan alone, the angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) sacubitril/valsartan (Entresto; Novartis) reduces triglycerides among patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), according to results from a PARAGON-HF subanalysis. The effect was particularly marked in patients with higher triglycerides at baseline.
“Our research adds to the growing literature of the favorable metabolic effects of sacubitril/valsartan,” Senthil Selvaraj, MD (Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia), who presented the findings today at the American College of Cardiology 2021 Scientific Session, told TCTMD in an email. “Sacubitril/valsartan may be part of the therapeutic armamentarium is reducing triglycerides as adjunct therapy. However, outcomes studies looking at related cardiovascular endpoints in high-risk populations are needed.”
April 30, 2021
A second-generation robotic PCI system improves both clinical and technical success over its predecessor and shows the potential to positively impact operators’ health and quality of life, according to data from the PRECISION GRX study.
“[I]f you work in the cath lab for more than 15 years, you have significant occupational hazards, both orthopedic related, as well as associated with radiation,” said Ehtisham Mahmud, MD (University of California, San Diego), in his presentation yesterday at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 2021 Scientific Sessions. Mahmud said data from the PRECISE and RAPID studies indicate that operators who sit at a cockpit without their lead and conduct PCI robotically for either coronary or peripheral interventions can reduce their radiation exposure by as much as 95%. However, while first-generation systems were demonstrated to
April 29, 2021
Since the approval of TAVI for the treatment of symptomatic severe aortic stenosis more than a decade ago, the overwhelming number of new TAVI programs have been launched in metropolitan areas, according to a new study presented today. Moreover, more than half of these programs were launched in cities where TAVI was already available at another nearby center.
The findings, said lead investigator Ashwin Nathan, MD (Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia), highlight the disparities in access to new advances in cardiovascular medicine.
“The increased number of TAVR programs over the last 10 years has not necessarily translated to increased access,” said Nathan. “TAVR sites are predominantly located in metropolitan areas, and the majority of TAVR sites, when they open, open in areas with a preexisting program. This increase numerically does not necessarily translate into increased geographic access.”