Clinical

This channel newsfeed includes clinical content on treating patients or the clinical implications in a variety of cardiac subspecialties and disease states. The channel includes news on cardiac surgery, interventional cardiologyheart failure, electrophysiologyhypertension, structural heart disease, use of pharmaceuticals, and COVID-19.   

Emile A. Bacha, MD, became the 106th President of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS). He officially succeeded David R. Jones, MD, in a presentation during the AATS 105th Annual Meeting in May. He is an internationally recognized leader in both pediatric and adult congenital cardiac surgery.

Congenital heart surgeon named president of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery

Emile Bacha, MD, is an internationally recognized leader in both pediatric and adult congenital cardiac surgery.

milli-spinner thrombectomy designed to target blood clots by engineers with Stanford University

Tiny clot-busting robots could transform care for stroke and heart attack patients

The robots are capable of swimming through a patient’s vascular system and removing blood clots. “It’s unbelievable," one Stanford researcher said. "This is a sea-change technology that will drastically improve our ability to help people.”

cardiologist viewing heart data

Real-world data favor SAVR over TAVR when younger patients need aortic valve replacement

Researchers in Italy tracked data from more than 7,000 patients who underwent AVR between the ages of 65 and 80. TAVR was associated with a significantly higher long-term risk of mortality.

Dean Kereiakes, a nationally renowned interventional cardiologist and president of The Christ Hospital Heart and Vascular Institute, has long been recognized for his groundbreaking work in cardiovascular research and intervention. But in 2024, his career and his life were permanently altered when decades of wearing heavy lead protection in the cath lab left him paralyzed.

Cardiologist became paralyzed after wearing heavy aprons in the cath lab for decades—but he fought back

Dean J. Kereiakes, MD, was left paralyzed after battling severe orthopedic issues for his entire career. Back in the cath lab after a long recovery, he is now stressing the importance of workplace safety among interventional cardiologists.

Medical malpractice gavel diagnostic error mistake stethoscope

Landmark COVID malpractice trial begins over death of 19-year-old with Down syndrome

The family of Grace Schara claims Ascension Health’s St. Elizabeth Hospital gave their unvaccinated daughter a cocktail of drugs that ultimately caused her death. The case has earned the attention of Children’s Health Defense, a controversial nonprofit formed by HHS Secretary Robery F. Kennedy Jr. 

nurse burnout stock image

Hospitals spend $18.3B a year thwarting violence

The American Hospital Association released a new report quantifying the financial toll of violence in hospitals, including incidents that spill over into emergency rooms and care wards. The group is calling for stronger cooperation between healthcare facilities and law enforcement.

Calcified carotid plaques more likely to rupture than previously believed

Calcified carotid plaques more likely to rupture than previously believed, MRI findings suggest

Ruptured plaques can lead to the formation of blood clots that significantly increase the risk of stroke.

Paul Ridker, MD, MPH, Eugene Braunwald Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, explains the role of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in detecting coronary inflammation and the opportunities to improve outcomes with targeted therapies.

Inflammation playing a much bigger role in heart disease evaluations

From new drug therapies and imaging technologies to updated prevention strategies, nearly every aspect of cardiovascular care is starting to embrace the value of coronary inflammation evaluations. Paul Ridker, MD, MPH, discussed the trend in a new interview.