Search

Background: Anti-thrombotic regimen in patients on long term anticoagulation requiring coronary intervention remains a clinical challenge.Methods: We performed a meta-analysis of observational studies and randomized controlled trials comparing outcomes of triple therapy (dual antiplatelet therapy and anticoagulant) with dual therapy (P2Y12 inhibitor and anticoagulant) in patients on long-term anticoagulants after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Major bleeding was the primary outcome.Results: Three observational studies and 3 randomized controlled trials with a total of 6654 patients met our selection criteria. At a mean follow up of 12.5 months major bleeding was lower in dual therapy cohort compared to triple therapy (2.2% vs 5.2%, RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.44-0.81, P = 0.001). No difference was observed between the two groups for major adverse cardiac events (11.8% vs 13.0%, RR 1.03, CI 0.79-1.34, P = 0.85), all-cause mortality (3.9% vs 5.6%, RR 0.94, CI 0.65-1.36, P = 0.76), myocardial infarction (3.7% vs 3.9%, RR 1.12, CI 0.83-1.50, P = 0.47), target vessel revascularization (6.8% vs 7.1%, RR 1.12, CI 0.72-1.74, P = 0.60), thromboembolic events (1.3% vs 1.6%, RR 0.95, CI 0.55-1.64, P = 0.85) and stent thrombosis (1.3% vs 1.4%, RR1.36, CI 0.84-2.21, P = 0.21).Conclusion: For patients undergoing PCI and requiring long term anticoagulation, a strategy of P2Y12 inhibitor plus anticoagulant confers a benefit of less major bleeding with no difference in major adverse cardiac events, mortality, myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization, stent thrombosis or thromboembolism compared with triple therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The authors sought to determine the clinical characteristics and in-hospital survival of women presenting with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD). Background The clinical presentation and in-hospital survival of women with AMI and SCAD remains unclear. Methods The National Inpatient Sample (2009 to 2014) was queried for all women with a primary diagnosis of AMI and concomitant SCAD. Iatrogenic coronary dissection was excluded. The main outcome was in-hospital mortality. Propensity score matching and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Results Among 752,352 eligible women with AMI, 7,347 had a SCAD diagnosis. Women with SCAD were younger (61.7 vs. 67.1 years of age) with less comorbidity. SCAD was associated with higher incidence of in-hospital mortality (6.8% vs. 3.4%). In SCAD patients, a decrease in in-hospital mortality was evident with time (11.4% in 2009 vs. 5.0% in 2014) and concurred with less percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) (82.5% vs. 69.1%). Propensity score yielded 7,332 SCAD and 14,352 patients without SCAD. The odds ratio (OR) of in-hospital mortality remained higher with SCAD after propensity matching (OR: 1.87, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.65 to 2.11) and on multivariable regression analyses (OR: 2.41, 95% CI: 2.07 to 2.80). PCI was associated with higher mortality in SCAD patients presenting with non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (OR: 2.01; 95% CI: 1.00 to 4.47), but not with STEMI (OR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.41 to 0.96). Conclusions Women presenting with AMI and SCAD appear to be at higher risk of in-hospital mortality. Lower rates of PCI were associated with improved survival, with evidence of worse outcomes when PCI was performed for SCAD in the setting of non with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a common atherosclerotic disease approximately affecting 8.5 million Americans above age 40 and is associated with significant functional impairment, morbidity and mortality from both cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular causes. PAD has increasing prevalence in females contrary to previous findings. Compared to men, women with PAD are more asymptomatic or have atypical symptoms. Women with PAD have increased quality of life impairment, increased risk of depression and increased cardiovascular mortality. The intent of this review is to provide an update on gender differences in PAD that can help in timely diagnosis and appropriate management through intensive cardiovascular risk factor modification, exercise program and guideline directed therapy to improve cardiovascular outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nearly one-half of patients with cryptogenic stroke have a patent foramen ovale (PFO). The dilemma of whether to close these PFOs percutaneously, in an effort to reduce the risk of recurrent paradoxical embolism, has been a matter of ongoing debate for more than a decade. Early randomized clinical trials failed to demonstrate a significant benefit of percutaneous PFO closure for secondary prevention of cryptogenic stroke in an intention-to-treat analysis. The long-term follow-up data from the RESPECT trial and 2 new randomized trials (CLOSE and REDUCE) have clarified these findings. They showed that with good patient selection, transcatheter PFO closure significantly reduces the risk of recurrent stroke compared with medical therapy in patients with cryptogenic stroke, with no increased risk of serious adverse events or influence on major bleeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]