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 cardiology, heart failure, electrophysiology, hypertension, structural heart disease, use of pharmaceuticals, and COVID-19.

At a crossroads: Surgical heart valve innovation slows as transcatheter treatments keep evolving
Has the success of TAVR and other interventional techniques had a negative impact on surgical valve innovation? Two surgeons shared their concerns in a new commentary.
What can federal health agencies do to revive the fading trust of the public?
Confidence in public health entities is spiraling downward in the U.S., and once-revered Washington institutions like the CDC and NIH are among the casualties in serious condition. How to break the negative momentum?
Polymer heart valve, the first of its kind to gain commercial approval, linked to positive 1-year data
The new-look mitral valve is built using LifePolymer, a proprietary material that does not include any animal tissue. Both the frame and its leaflets are robotically generated to match each patient’s anatomy.
AAP, other physician societies double down on Kennedy-crossing vaccination stance
5 high-profile physician leaders: ‘Misinformation, politicization of commonsense public health efforts and sudden changes to federal vaccine guidance are creating mass confusion and diminishing trust in public health.’
Female heart surgeons take home much lower salaries
Both base salaries and total compensation are consistently lower for women than men, according to new survey data. The disparities in cardiac surgery are often worse than those found in other healthcare specialties.

Medtronic’s diabetes spin-off gets a name, kicking off ‘new and exciting chapter’

The new name will be familiar to anyone who knows the history of Medtronic's diabetes business.

Imagers reviewing flurpiridaz F-18 (Flyrcado) myocardial perfusion PET images. Image from GE Healthcare

FDA-cleared software increases throughput for flurpiridaz back-to-back rest-stress imaging

The new F-18 flurpiridaz radiotracer is expected to help drive cardiac PET growth, but it requires waiting between rest and stress scans. Software from MultiFunctional Imaging can help care teams combat that problem.

RFK’s CDC vaccine panel includes controversial COVID policy skeptics

One of the picks for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, Robert Malone, MD, is known for his outspoken criticism of mRNA vaccines, particularly for COVID-19. Malone believes the technology is unsafe and has been accused by public health officials of spreading medical misinformation.

Extended CTA exams more than triple stroke detection

New research reveals that expanding CT angiography scans of the head and neck to capture the area at least 6 cm below the carina can significantly increase the detection of cardioaortic thrombi.

Severe COVID causes long-lasting coronary microvascular dysfunction, new data show

New MRI data demonstrate that patients who weathered severe cases of COVID-19 may sustain long-lasting heart damage.

Medicare Advantage Part C clipboard payment

OIG audit points to $7M in overpayments by CVS Medicare Advantage plan

The insurer, Coventry Health, rejects the agency's methodology and has said it will not repay the alleged upcoding overpayments.

Meditation linked to ‘real, lasting benefits’ for high-risk heart patients

A popular meditation technique may help high-risk patients protect their hearts for up to 10 years, according to a new randomized controlled trial published in Frontiers in Medicine.

SCAI AMA HOD delegates Jeff Marshall, MD, and And Edward Tuohy, MD, explain how the resolution will have AMA advocate for Medicare payment policy that removes high-ticket supplies from OBL physician payments and will enable these to be billed separately.

AMA to advocate for improved Medicare payments for office-based labs

SCAI and other healthcare groups want changes made to how healthcare providers are paid after performing office-based lab procedures. "As much as we love delivering care as doctors, if we are losing money doing something, we cannot sustain it," one cardiologist explained.

Clinical

At a crossroads: Surgical heart valve innovation slows as transcatheter treatments keep evolving

What can federal health agencies do to revive the fading trust of the public?

Polymer heart valve, the first of its kind to gain commercial approval, linked to positive 1-year data

AAP, other physician societies double down on Kennedy-crossing vaccination stance

Female heart surgeons take home much lower salaries