Patients who suffer from ventricular tachycardia following myocardial infarction are at a high risk of sudden death. This risk can be reduced by implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) insertion, however patients with an ICD who receive ICD shocks have a decreased quality of life and increased mortality compared with patients who do not receive shocks, even […]
Latest articles
Everolimus proves superior in real-world analysis
Although drug-eluting stents (DES) are known to reduce the risk of restenosis, and hence the need for reintervention, in patients at high risk of restenosis enrolled in randomised clinical trials, there is little ‘real-life’ data currently available. The COMPARE study (second-generation everolimus-eluting and paclitaxel-eluting stents in real-life practice) aimed to compare the safety and efficacy […]
The maze procedure and type of mitral valve surgery.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is found in 40 to 60% of patients who require mitral valve surgery, with the treatment of choice being the maze procedure accompanied by mitral valve repair where it is technically feasible. The efficacy of the maze operation in patients undergoing MV replacement is unclear, in that anticoagulation after MV replacement may […]
PLATO-Invasive: further evidence for benefit from ticagrelor
Ticagrelor is a reversible, direct-acting, oral P2Y12-receptor antagonist that provides greater and more consistent platelet inhibition than clopidogrel. In the PLATO (PLATelet inhibition and patient Outcomes) trial, ticagrelor was found to be superior to clopidogrel for the treatment of a broad spectrum of patients admitted to hospital with an acute coronary syndrome. In this paper, […]
Coronary calcium scoring – Not a suitable endpoint for clinical trials
Coronary calification is viewed as the endpoint of the atherosclerotic disease process. As such, whether it can be used to monitor changes in response to novel and existing pharmaceutical therapies remains unknown. To address this question, McCullough and Chinnaiyan performed a meta-analysis of the only ten trials in which coronary artery calcium (CAC) was measured […]
PLATO-Invasive: further evidence for benefit from ticagrelor
Ticagrelor is a reversible, direct-acting, oral P2Y12-receptor antagonist that provides greater and more consistent platelet inhibition than clopidogrel. In the PLATO (PLATelet inhibition and patient Outcomes) trial, ticagrelor was found to be superior to clopidogrel for the treatment of a broad spectrum of patients admitted to hospital with an acute coronary syndrome. In this paper, […]
FAIR-HF shows benefits of treating iron depletion in heart failure
Patients with heart failure may be prone to the development of iron deficiency either as a consequence of depletion of iron stores, defective iron absorption, or the reduced availability of iron recycled in the reticuloendothelial system. Iron plays a key role in oxygen uptake, transport, and storage, and oxidative metabolism in the skeletal muscle, as […]
Cangrelor fails to show benefit in Phase III trials
Cangrelor fails to show benefit in Phase III trialsCangrelor, a novel anti-platelet agent, is an intravenously administered P2Y12 antagonist with an almost instantaneous onset of action that produces profound and stable platelet inhibition in over 95% of individuals. Furthermore, the effect of the drug is quickly reversible and platelet responses approach baseline within 60 minutes […]
High dose ARBs maximise benefits in heart failure
Several studies have determined the efficacy of angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) for treating heart failure. However, the relationship between high and low doses and clinical outcomes has been poorly studied to date. […]
Ventilation strategies in cardiac arrest
Long-term survival for adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims remains dismal and is typically less than 10%. Historically, many resuscitation guidelines have had little evidence to support their recommendations but research in this field has been burgeoning, with advanced life support guidelines undergoing substantial recent changes to reflect new findings. One of these changes has been […]