By Dr Sarah Hudson (@sarahhudsonUK) On January 9th 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) released a statement regarding a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China caused by a novel coronavirus (1). Under 9 weeks later there were more than 118,000 cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by this novel coronavirus, in 114 countries (2). […]
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British Heart Foundation’s £30 million Big Beat Challenge
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has recently launched a new single £30 million research award: ‘The Big Beat Challenge’. This challenge aims to fund “the world’s greatest minds tackling the world’s biggest killers”. The BHF is already the largest independent charity funder of cardiovascular research in the U.K, and is hoping with this substantial award […]
Association of Postoperative High-Sensitivity Troponin Levels With Myocardial Injury and 30-Day Mortality Among Patients Undergoing Noncardiac Surgery
The use of high-sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT) assays is growing. However, the increased sensitivity of this assay has created uncertainty about the clinical relevance of positive values in a variety of clinical scenarios. This prospective cohort study aimed to elucidate the relationship between hsTnT levels and mortality and myocardial ischemia in 21,842 patients over age […]
Rivaroxaban plus aspirin for secondary prevention in stable cardiovascular disease
Five to 10% of patients with cardiovascular disease have recurrent events each year. Despite evidence in support of adding warfarin to antiplatelet agents for secondary prevention among at-risk patients, the countervailing bleeding risks have limited adoption in clinical practice. Given the potentially favorable risk profile of direct oral anticoagulants compared to warfarin, these agents have […]
Use of Genotype-Guided Warfarin for Anticoagulation Control in Patients Undergoing Hip or Knee Arthroplasty
Dosing of warfarin can be inconsistent for a variety of clinical reasons and may also be influenced by patient genotype. Significant interest exists in finding more effective ways to dose warfarin but previous studies of genotype dosing have shown varied results. The Genetic Informatics Trial (GIFT) of Warfarin to Prevent DVT seeks to determine whether […]
Subclinical leaflet thrombosis in surgical and transcatheter bioprosthetic aortic valves: an observational study
Use of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for severe aortic stenosis (AS) has grown rapidly over the last decade and the technology has correspondingly matured. Nevertheless, recent data suggest that subclinical thrombosis may form on some leaflets of the TAVR prostheses following implant. The frequency, implications, and required treatment of this process are largely unknown, […]
Idarucizumab for Dabigatran Reversal
The first direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) was approved nearly a decade ago, yet there remains apprehension in transitioning to wide-spread use despite demonstrated efficacy and ease of use. One limitation is the absence of a reversal agent for patients on DOACs who develop significant bleeding or require emergent surgery. Idarucizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody […]
Levosimendan for Hemodynamic Support after Cardiac Surgery
Left ventricular dysfunction following cardiac surgery remains a significant perioperative challenge, one often treated with inotropic support, however practice patterns vary widely and there are few outcome data to support a standardized practice. Levosimendan represents a newer class of “inodilators”, calcium sensitizers, thought to improve cardiac output without increasing myocardial oxygen consumption. […]
Surgical or Transcatheter Aortic-Valve Replacement in Intermediate-Risk Patients (SURTAVI Investigators)
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is superior to medical therapy in inoperable patients with severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS), and may be the preferred option in high-risk surgical patients. The comparative efficacy of TAVR and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in intermediate risk AS patients has been less well studied. The PARTNER 2 randomized trial […]
Association Between Achieved Low-Density Lipoprotein Levels and Major Adverse Cardiac Events in Patients With Stable Ischemic Heart Disease Taking Statin Treatment
Current societal guidelines advise differing dosing strategies when it comes to statin usage. The European Society of Cardiology/European Atherosclerosis Society recommends targeting a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level less than 70 mg/dL or a 50% LDL-C reduction in very high risk patients while the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association task force advises high intensity […]