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.

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VIDEO: Cardiology getting more involved in pulmonary embolism response teams

Terry Bowers, MD, director of vascular medicine at Beaumont Hospital and national co-chair of the Pulmonary Embolism Research Collaborative (PERC), explains the trend toward creating pulmonary embolism (PE) response teams that include cardiology. 

Renal denervation is associated with improved blood pressure (BP) control and a reduced risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes, according to two late-breaking clinical trials presented at EuroPCR 2022 in Paris. Both clinical trials focused on three-year data related to Medtronic’s Symplicity Spyral Renal Denervation (RDN) System, which was designed to lower BP through the use of a curling catheter that ablates overactive nerves.

Renal denervation improves blood pressure control, lowers risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes

Two late-breaking clinical trials at EuroPCR 2022 in Paris focused on the potential benefits of renal denervation.

Medtronic’s more deliverable drug-eluting stent gains FDA approval

According to Medtronic, the Onyx Frontier DES features improved catheter flexibility and a lower crossing profile.

State of the industry: 7 big takeaways from a new report on salaries and job satisfaction in cardiology

With physician burnout on the rise and a massive physician shortage on the way, it’s more important now than ever to keep a close eye on how the country’s cardiologists—and their colleagues—are being paid. 

The steps involved to gain transcaval access between the inferior vena cava and the aorta to avoid problematic anatomical areas that would have otherwise disqualified a patient for a femoral access TAVR procedure. Illustration of the NIH

Transcaval TAVR outperforms transaxillary TAVR when femoral access is not an option

Transcaval TAVR was linked to a much lower stroke rate and fewer bleeding complications. 

The Shockwave Medical M5+ new peripheral intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) catheter cuts procedures times in half and was showed for the first time at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2022 meeting. It is designed to break up calcium in heavily calcified arteries to avoid the need for vessel trauma caused by high pressure angioplasty.

VIDEO: Shockwave Medical demonstrates faster intravascular lithotripsy at ACC.22

The new Shockwave Medical M5+ peripheral intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) catheter made its debut at ACC.22. 

Regulatory roundup: FDA clears new solutions from Boston Scientific, CathVision, Franklin Mountain Medical

It has been a busy few weeks for the FDA, with plenty of big-name approvals and recalls making the news, but there have also been some other big announcements related to solutions receiving FDA clearance. 

interventional cardiology heart failure cleveland clinic

4 promising heart failure therapies interventional cardiologists should keep an eye on

The devices, currently being investigated by teams of heart specialists, could make a big impact in the years ahead.