theheart.org: Imaging news and education

Imaging

Imaging study shows plaque regression with niacin vs placebo

19 COMMENTS - Oct 30, 2009 16:00 EDT

Just weeks before ARBITER-HALTS 6 results come out at AHA 2009, an MRI study suggests that niacin is better than placebo in statin-treated patients with low HDL, at least for reducing carotid wall area. Experts say they'd also like to see insights into niacin effects on lipid-rich plaque volumes—the more commonly seen end point with MRI.

Oxford, UK - A new imaging study is providing a first hint at the potential for niacin to help with plaque regression when used on top of optimized statin therapy [1]. Writing in the November 3, 2009 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), Dr Justin MS Lee (University of Oxford, UK) and colleagues report that 2 g of modified-release nicotinic acid (Niaspan, Abbott Laboratories) daily, on top of statins, resulted in a 1.64 mm² reduction in carotid wall area on MRI, compared with placebo, in patients with vascular disease and low HDL. Read full article »

Inside: Imaging

Accredited educational programs, supported by industry, developed by theheart.org

Imaging

Risk Stratification in Heart Failure: Imaging Update From ESC 2009

Aug 28, 2009 11:34 EDT

Drs. Yancy, Bax, and O′Connor ponder the implications of new data related to imaging risk stratification in special patient populations.

Imaging

Imaging and Risk Stratification in Heart Failure: An Expert Interview With Jeroen Bax, MD, PhD

1 COMMENT - Jul 14, 2009 11:30 EDT

Dr. Jeroen Bax, on the cusp of publishing a landmark paper to validate the role of MIBG imaging in risk stratifying patients with heart failure, provides a snapshot of his study in this interview from Europace 2009.

Interventional/Surgery

Variable Rate Contrast Injection in the Cath Lab

7 COMMENTS - May 11, 2009 10:00 EDT

Variable rate contrast delivery systems have the potential to improve workflow and patient outcomes by providing a more precise flow of contrast. Watch Dr. Jeffrey Moses and his team as they demonstrate the use of the device in the cath lab in a patient with complex lesions.

Interventional/Surgery

Optimal Acute Myocardial Infarction Management Redefined

11 COMMENTS - Dec 1, 2008 10:30 EST

Can drug-eluting stents now be considered the standard of care in patients with STEMI undergoing PCI? Can target lesion revascularization be reduced further? What about bleeding? Please join Drs Stone, White, and Harrington as they tackle these and other pressing questions in the treatment of AMI.

heartbriefs

Sen Grassley questions top medical schools about ghostwriting

Nov 20, 2009 13:15 EST

As part of his mission to see more financial transparency in medicine, Sen Grassley has asked eight top US medical schools about their policies on ghostwriting.

News

EFFECT: Public reporting of hospital performance improves quality of care?

Nov 19, 2009 10:00 EST

Publicly released report cards based on hospital performance did not result in a measurably greater systemwide improvement in two composite AMI or CHF process-of-care indicators in a Canadian study. But they did appear to stimulate some important changes in delivery of care that could have led to some better outcomes.

Imaging

CT-STAT: CT angiography rules out CAD faster and cheaper than standard care

4 COMMENTS - Nov 18, 2009 13:45 EST

The use of coronary CT angiography in the emergency room can successfully triage at-risk chest-pain patients and can do so faster and less expensively than standard diagnostic testing.

Interventional/Surgery

PEPCAD-3: Paclitaxel-coated-balloon/stent system misses mark in de novo coronary lesions

Nov 15, 2009 10:30 EST

Inflation of the paclitaxel-delivering balloon followed by a bare-metal stent failed a randomized noninferiority test against the Cypher sirolimus-eluting stent in previously untreated coronary lesions.

Prevention

Canadian confusion: Primary-care docs lack knowledge of CVD risk factors, prevention

8 COMMENTS - Nov 15, 2009 09:00 EST

Family doctors and general practitioners in Canada are confused about cardiovascular risk assessment in primary prevention, a new survey reveals.

Medscape Medical News

SGR repair bill failure could cool physician support for healthcare reform

Nov 12, 2009 15:00 EST

Now that the US House of Representatives has passed a healthcare reform bill, organized medicine anticipates another vote—possibly next week—on a second bill that would rewrite Medicare's controversial sustainable-growth-rate formula for physician reimbursement.

Interventional/Surgery

DES fractures occur more often than thought

4 COMMENTS - Nov 12, 2009 13:15 EST

A new postmortem study using high-resolution imaging has found that fractures in drug-eluting stents may be more common than thought. However, the majority of such fractures appear to be low-grade and silent, with likely few clinical implications, say the researchers.

News

What's going to be hot at AHA 2009?

2 COMMENTS - Nov 11, 2009 09:00 EST

Anticipation is building for full trial results from ARBITER 6-HALTS, plus a better understanding of what went wrong with cangrelor in the CHAMPION trials. Also in the lineup are updates from PLATO, RE-LY, ALLHAT, BARI 2D, STICH, CASCADE, POPULAR, HEARTMATE II, and many more. Indeed, this year's "late-breaking" sessions include more than 30 trials over five days.

heartbriefs

CT angiography shows coronary plaque progression

Nov 9, 2009 17:00 EST

Coronary plaque burden in patients with acute chest pain increases significantly over two years. A new Harvard study evaluates CTA as a tool to follow the progression.

Arrhythmia/EP

Obesity may top hypertension as risk factor for LA enlargement

Nov 9, 2009 17:00 EST

Obesity and hypertension were major independent risk factors for left atrial enlargement (itself a risk factor for atrial fibrillation) in an observational, population-based study, but obesity was the strongest predictor.

Imaging

DE-MRI shows which myocardial injury is irreversible

Nov 9, 2009 16:00 EST

Distinguishing myocardial scarring with MRI may help predict LV functional recovery.

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Editorial Programs

The Cardiology Show

The AHA 2009 Roundup: ARBITER 6-HALTS, PLATO, the two CHAMPIONs, and CASCADE

1 COMMENT - Nov 18, 2009 16:30 EST

Join Drs Valentin Fuster, Roger Blumenthal, Bob Harrington, Judith Hochman, Sanjay Kaul, Suzanne Oparil, Gregg Stone, Lynne Warner Stevenson, and Bruce Wilkoff as they discuss the results of ARBITER 6-HALTS, the PLATO STEMI subanalysis, the two CHAMPIONs, and CASCADE and tackle the issue of too little, too soon in clinical trials today.

Editorial series

New directions for management of patients with atrial fibrillation

Nov 11, 2009 09:50 EST

New agents and interventions are paving the way for revised modalities in the management of patients with atrial fibrillation. Join Drs Alpert and Delascio Lopes for a review of the latest findings and options.

Editorial series

Clinical research: Comparing regulatory pathways in US and UK

Oct 30, 2009 12:35 EDT

How do regulatory pathways differ in the US and UK? Drs Harrington, Bhatt, and Cleland share their experiences and offer insight on how to support innovative research.

Radio: The Bob Harrington Show

Episode #6: CORE 64 with Dr Julie Miller

Jan 9, 2008 16:31 EST