Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) may significantly improve quality of life and longevity. As with all therapies, however, these benefits must be weighed against potential risks. Some hypothesize that aortic cross clamping and cardiopulmonary bypass, historically utilized during CABG, increase the potential for certain complications and can be successfully avoided with newer “off-pump” CABG techniques. […]
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Genetic analysis of sudden cardiac death in the young
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a rare but devastating event among children and young adults. SCD in which no obvious cause is apparent despite comprehensive toxicological and histological autopsy analysis is particularly vexing. The role of genetic testing in unexplained SCD is studied in this prospective analysis of Australians and New Zealanders 1 to 35 […]
Repair versus replacement for ischemic mitral regurgitation
Whether repair or replacement is the preferred approach to surgical correction of ischemic mitral regurgitation is debated. The Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network previously reported 1-year results of a randomized study of these two approached and found no differences echocardiographic or clinical outcomes. This paper reports the 2-year echocardiographic and clinical outcome results from this randomized […]
Increased radiation exposure with transradial access for coronary procedures
Compared with the transfemoral approach, coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) performed via transradial access reduces rates of bleeding and vascular complications. However, the potential for increased radiation exposure to patients and operators may be a barrier to the adoption of the transradial approach. In this systematic review and meta-analysis of 24 published studies […]
Lipid Lowering Therapy and Risk of Acute Memory Impairment
Prior data on the use of statin drugs and risk of acute memory impairment has been inconsistent. In this study, Strom and colleagues sought to investigate use of statins in association with acute memory impairment and compare results to non-users and users of non-statin lipid lowering drugs (LLDs). The authors performed a retrospective cohort study […]
Testosterone Therapy: No Impact on Atherosclerosis…and No Improvements in Health
For men with age-related decline in testosterone levels, there is significant controversy over the risks and benefits of testosterone supplementation. Despite a paucity of data, testosterone sales have increased markedly in the past decade. The Testosterone’s Effects on Atherosclerosis Progression in Aging Men (TEAAM) Trial evaluated the impact of increasing testosterone concentrations on progression of […]
Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography Versus Radionuclide Myocardial Perfusion Imaging in Clinical Evaluation of Chest Pain Admissions
Chest pain concerning for a coronary syndrome leads to millions of hospital admissions each year that is often evaluated with diagnostic testing. As a noninvasive diagnostic study, coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) has been shown to have excellent diagnostic capabilities. However, concerns over CCTA remain, including radiation exposure, false-positives, and trials of the diagnostic modality […]
Azithromycin and cardiac death
Macrolide antibiotics are associated with prolongation of the QT interval in susceptible individuals and increase the risk of serious ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Azithromycin has become one of the most widely used macrolides worldwide due to its broad spectrum, excellent tissue penetrance, and long half-life, and has been reported to be minimally cardiotoxic. […]