Interventional Cardiology

This cardiac subspecialty uses minimally invasive, catheter-based technologies in a cath lab to diagnose and treat coronary artery disease (CAD). The main focus in on percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) to revascularize patients with CAD that is causing blockages resulting in ischemia or myocardial infarction. PCI mainly consists of angioplasty and implanting stents. Interventional cardiology has greatly expanded in scope over recent years to include a number of transcatheter structural heart interventions.

SCAI: To improve cardiogenic shock outcomes, reduce lactate levels
SCAI feels this is the best way forward to try lowering mortality rates, but the group is asking cardiologists to help by gathering more data.
Siemens Healthineers and Boston Scientific partner on next-generation intracardiac echo for LAAO
The agreement also will make Boston Scientific the exclusive distributor for the new ICE catheter optimized for left atrial appendage occlusion workflows.
$64M raised for new cardiogenic shock drug—research already underway
Procizumab was developed to change the trajectory of shock by addressing an underlying molecular driver rather than just managing symptoms.
Prosthesis-patient mismatch after TAVR may not negatively impact quality of life
Researchers warned that “aggressive procedural modifications” should not be necessary during TAVR to mitigate the risk of prosthesis-patient mismatch. This appears to be true for patients receiving both self-expanding and balloon-expandable TAVR valves.
SCAI fighting for interventional cardiologists amid challenging payment policies
SCAI President Srihari Naidu, MD, detailed some of the challenges interventional cardiologists face as reimbursements keep declining. The group has been building new partnerships with other medical societies to strengthen its influence in Washington.

Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) President Srihari S. Naidu, MD, professor of medicine at New York Medical College, explains the SCAI initiative to improve outcomes in cardiogenic shock by monitoring and lowering patient lactate levels.

SCAI: To improve cardiogenic shock outcomes, reduce lactate levels

SCAI feels this is the best way forward to try lowering mortality rates, but the group is asking cardiologists to help by gathering more data.

Siemens Healthineers and Boston Scientific partner on next-generation intracardiac echo for LAAO

The agreement also will make Boston Scientific the exclusive distributor for the new ICE catheter optimized for left atrial appendage occlusion workflows.

Illustration showing how procizumab captures circulating dipeptidyl peptidase 3 (cDPP3) to block this key molecular driver of shock. Illustrations courtesy of 4TEEN4

$64M raised for new cardiogenic shock drug—research already underway

Procizumab was developed to change the trajectory of shock by addressing an underlying molecular driver rather than just managing symptoms.

Prosthesis-patient mismatch after TAVR may not negatively impact quality of life

Researchers warned that “aggressive procedural modifications” should not be necessary during TAVR to mitigate the risk of prosthesis-patient mismatch. This appears to be true for patients receiving both self-expanding and balloon-expandable TAVR valves.

SCAI President Srihari S. Naidu, MD, professor of medicine at New York Medical College, explained some of the key payment issues interventional cardiologists are facing amid declining Medicare reimbursements.

SCAI fighting for interventional cardiologists amid challenging payment policies

SCAI President Srihari Naidu, MD, detailed some of the challenges interventional cardiologists face as reimbursements keep declining. The group has been building new partnerships with other medical societies to strengthen its influence in Washington.

Sahil Parikh, MD, director of endovascular services, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, associate professor of medicine at Columbia University, and a program director for the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) meeting, explains the growing focus in interventional cardiology on endovascular procedures for stroke, pulmonary embolism, peripheral artery disease and renal denervation.

Interventional cardiology showing more interest in endovascular procedures

Sahil Parikh, MD, said it was clear at TCT 2025 that the specialty is getting more and more involved with endovascular procedures for stroke, pulmonary embolism and peripheral artery disease.

Carlos Collet, MD, PhD, director, cardiovascular imaging, physiology and translational therapeutics, Cardiovascular Research Foundation, explains how noninvasive coronary CT angiography (CCTA) assessments will play a major role to eliminate invasive diagnostic angiography and to pre-plan percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedures.

CCTA will play an essential role in the cath labs of the future

Noninvasive coronary CT angiography is growing more and more important as time goes on, helping cardiologists make critical treatment decisions. Carlos Collet, MD, PhD, discussed the technique's potential to be a real game-changer for patient care in a new interview.

Impella Heart Pump Abiomed RECOVER IV RCT cardiogenic shock

Transcaval access a safe, effective alternative during Impella implants

In some cases, researchers noted, cardiologists may need to rely on transcaval access during the treatment of a high-risk heart failure patient.