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.

Coordinated follow-up program reduces readmissions, deaths for heart attack patients

A systematic approach to transitioning heart attack patients from the hospital to outpatient care helped the Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina, drop its 30-day readmission and death rates while increasing the likelihood of patients making and keeping follow-up appointments.

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Hormone therapy could elevate CVD risk in transgender individuals

Transgender men and women might face an increased risk of cardiovascular ills like MI, stroke and venous thromboembolic events (VTEs) as a result of hormone replacement therapy—an often key aspect of the transitioning process for trans individuals.

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Discharge heart rate shows promise for predicting post-AMI mortality

An elevated heart rate upon hospital admission has been repeatedly linked to an increased risk of mortality for acute MI patients (AMI), making admission heart rate a key component of risk-stratification equations. But researchers recently found a patient’s heart rate at discharge was an even more powerful predictor of death over three years of follow-up.

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High-risk HPV raises women’s risk for heart disease

High-risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV)—ones that have been linked to anogenital and oral cancers—might also increase a woman’s risk for developing cardiovascular disease, research out of Seoul, South Korea, suggests.

Half of Americans can’t identify the major symptoms of heart attack

Just half of Americans know the five common heart attack symptoms—even when presented with the symptoms as “yes” or “no” answers—based on 2017 results from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS).

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Modifiable risk factors growing more common in young AMI patients

A new study of young heart attack sufferers revealed a sobering, albeit unsurprising, finding: More than 90 percent had at least one modifiable risk factor. What’s equally concerning, according to the authors, is the prevalence of most of these risk factors increased over the decade-long study.

Psoriasis drugs may prevent atherosclerosis progression

Biologic treatment favorably modifies coronary plaque characteristics for patients with severe psoriasis, suggests a study published Feb. 5 in Cardiovascular Research. The findings raise the possibility that the anti-inflammatory drugs can both treat psoriasis and reduce cardiovascular risk.

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Acute MI during pregnancy more common in recent years

The incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in pregnant women increased between 2005 and 2014, according to research published in the American Journal of Cardiology Jan. 25, but that hike was accompanied by decreases in mortality, cost of care and length of stay among expectant mothers.