Acute Coronary Syndromes

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is most commonly caused by a heart attack (myocardial infarction) where blood flow to the heart is suddenly blocked. This is usually caused by a blood clot from a ruptured coronary artery atherosclerotic plaque. Other causes include spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), which most commonly occurs in women. ACS is usually treated in a cath lab with angioplasty and the placement of a stent to prop the vessel open.

PAD patients face greater risk of death, complications after a heart attack
PAD and CLI patients who show signs of coronary heart disease may benefit from early treatment, according to a new study of nearly 4 million hospitalizations.
ChatGPT struggles to evaluate heart risk—but it could still help cardiologists
Relying on the AI-powered chatbot for heart assessments could be "dangerous," researchers warn, but the technology may still be helpful in certain situations.
Statin therapy may help HFpEF patients lower their risk of death, heart attack or stroke
All participants were free of ASCVD and had no history of statin use at the start of the study.
$Performing CT-derived fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) before transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) improves the accuracy of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) and helps limit unneeded invasive coronary angiography (ICA), according to a new study published in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions. Heartflow$
New cardiac imaging strategy could reduce ICA, PCI rates
Radiologists with Massachusetts General Hospital found that the selective use of cardiac CT and AI-based CAD evaluations could make a significant impact on patient care.
Critics call out ‘woefully inadequate’ CMS proposal for inpatient Medicare payments
CMS has issued its proposed rule for the 2025 Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment system, suggesting a payment increase of 2.6%. According to the American Hospital Association, this update would not be enough at a time when hospitals are already struggling to stay open.

Cancer survivors face a 42% higher risk of CVD

More aggressive CVD prevention tactics may make sense for people who have had certain types of cancer.

June 29, 2022

Sex-linked variation in RAP1GAP2 could help explain poor outcomes for women with heart disease.

Why does heart disease look different in women? This gene may provide the key

Sex-linked variations in the RAP1GAP2 gene could help explain poor outcomes for women with heart disease.

June 28, 2022

Concerns about overuse of stress testing after PCI may be unwarranted

The majority of patients undergoing stress tests have symptoms consistent with obstructive coronary artery disease.

June 23, 2022

. Plaque erosion detection by the proposed AI algorithm in four cases, with each column showing one case. From top to bottom are the original images, ground truth, and predicted plaque erosion by our proposed method respectively.

New AI model detects plaque erosion in arteries

Detecting plaque erosion can offer an early warning sign of restricted blood flow to the heart, which can cause heart attacks.

June 23, 2022

University of Sydney biomedical engineer Dr Arnold Lining Ju is developing a biomedical micro-device to detect these subtle platelet changes before a heart attack or stroke takes place.

New blood test could help predict upcoming heart attacks or strokes

The test works by picking up on subtle blood flow changes that are often a precursor to major medical events.

June 22, 2022

Apixaban may be a more effective treatment option than rivaroxaban for patients presenting with atrial fibrillation (AFib) and valvular heart disease (VHD), according to a new analysis published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Vitamins for CVD prevention? Not so fast, says USPSTF

According to new recommendations from the USPSTF, there are two specific vitamins—vitamin E and beta-carotene—that should not be taken to prevent CVD. When it comes to other vitamins, however, more evidence is still needed.

June 21, 2022

Predicting the impact of new heart attack medications

The study's authors hope their equations can make a significant impact on patient care in the years ahead.

June 17, 2022

Seeing the future: How routine eye exams could predict heart attacks

Researchers presented their findings at the 2022 European Human Genetics Conference in Vienna.

June 13, 2022

Acute Coronary Syndromes

PAD patients face greater risk of death, complications after a heart attack

ChatGPT struggles to evaluate heart risk—but it could still help cardiologists

Statin therapy may help HFpEF patients lower their risk of death, heart attack or stroke

New cardiac imaging strategy could reduce ICA, PCI rates

Critics call out ‘woefully inadequate’ CMS proposal for inpatient Medicare payments