Little is known about combining diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to manage patients with suspected coronary artery disease. To bridge this gap two commonly used clinical management strategies were compared: myocardial-perfusion cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI or CMR) and invasive angiography with measurement of fractional flow research (FFR). An … [Read more...] about Managing coronary artery disease: MRI vs FFR
Cardiology trends
Prognostic value of plaque vulnerability assessment for CAD patients
Treatment of coronary artery disease is often guided by the degree of physiological stenosis, as assessed by measuring the fractional flow reserve (FFR). However, patients with a low degree of stenosis still experience clinical events, suggesting other factors are involved. One such factor is plaque vulnerability, determined by checking the lesion for high-risk plaque … [Read more...] about Prognostic value of plaque vulnerability assessment for CAD patients
Arrhythmic risk stratification of post-MI patients with preserved ejection fraction identifies high risk subgroup
In patients who have experienced myocardial infarction (MI), a moderately reduced level (≤ 35%) of left-ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is indicated as the threshold at which cardiologists should consider an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), to reduce the likelihood of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Nonetheless, recent studies have indicated that patients with … [Read more...] about Arrhythmic risk stratification of post-MI patients with preserved ejection fraction identifies high risk subgroup
Quantitative assessment of secondary mitral regurgitation: The importance of a unifying concept
The lack of a guideline consensus regarding the quantitative assessment of secondary mitral regurgitation (sMR) contributes to the uncertainty, inconsistency, and ongoing debate surrounding sMR. This can cloud medical judgement when weighing the risks of valvular intervention against the potential benefits. In a five-year, observational, non-interventional study of 423 … [Read more...] about Quantitative assessment of secondary mitral regurgitation: The importance of a unifying concept
Improving survival in patients with advanced heart failure using fully magnetically levitated centrifugal-flow left-ventricular assist devices
The use of left-ventricular assist devices in patients with advanced-stage heart failure is often associated with complications that arise as a consequence of adverse interactions between the device and circulating blood elements. Although bioengineering advances have led to the introduction of durable continuous-flow devices, device malfunction remains a concern. The … [Read more...] about Improving survival in patients with advanced heart failure using fully magnetically levitated centrifugal-flow left-ventricular assist devices