Category Archives: Cardiology

April 6, 2024 Use of the sodium glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor empagliflozin following a heart attack did not show a significant benefit in reducing overall heart failure hospitalizations or death from any cause, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiologys Annual Scientific Session. However, researchers said the drug may be helpful in reducing heart failure risks, including hospitalization, following a heart attack.

Javed Butler, MD

Despite falling short of its primary endpoint, results from the EMPACT-MI trial found that people who took empagliflozin had a significantly lower risk of certain outcomes directly related to heart failure, including first hospitalization for heart failure, total hospitalization for heart failure and a composite of heart failure hospitalization and death from heart failure, without any increased risk of adverse events.

We found that empagliflozin did not reduce mortality after a heart attack but did reduce the risk of heart failure after heart attack, said Javed Butler, MD, president of the Baylor Scott and White Research Institute in Dallas, distinguished professor of medicine at the University of Mississippi in Jackson, Mississippi, and the studys lead author. To have a 25% to 30% reduction in heart failure hospitalizations is pretty clinically meaningful, but if you put it together with all-cause mortality, it was not a positive study for our primary endpoint.

SGLT-2 inhibitors were initially approved to treat Type 2 diabetes by lowering blood sugar. As evidence has mounted pointing to their benefits in reducing heart failure and other forms of heart disease, researchers have sought to determine whether these drugs could help to prevent heart failure even in people without diabetes or chronic kidney disease.

A heart attack can damage the heart muscle in ways that sometimes lead to heart failure, a condition in which the heart becomes too weak or too stiff to effectively pump blood throughout the body. The EMPACT-MI trial was designed to determine whether SGLT-2 inhibitors could safely help to prevent heart failure and reduce mortality in people with a high risk of heart failure following a heart attack.

The study enrolled 6,522 people treated for acute myocardial infarction at 451 centers in 22 countries. Participants had no history of heart failure but had at least one heart failure risk factor in addition to signs of potential heart dysfunction as indicated by a newly lowered left ventricle ejection fraction to below45% and/or signs or symptoms of congestion requiring treatment. About 32% had Type 2 diabetes. On average, participants were 64 years old and approximately 25% were women and 84% were White. Within 14 days of being admitted to the hospital for a heart attack, half of the participants were randomly assigned to receive empagliflozin at a dose of 10 mg daily, while the other half received a placebo. Researchers tracked outcomes for a median of just under 18 months.

The studys primary composite endpoint occurred in 8.2% of those who received empagliflozin and 9.1% of those receiving a placebo, a difference that was not statistically significant. There was also no difference in the rate of death from any cause, which occurred in 5.2% of those receiving empagliflozin and 5.5% of the control group.

All secondary endpoints related specifically to heart failure outcomes were significantly reduced among patients who received empagliflozin. For example, those receiving empagliflozin were 23% less likely to experience a first heart failure hospitalization and 33% less likely to experience any heart failure hospitalizationincluding recurrent hospitalizationscompared with those taking a placebo. The composite rate of total heart failure hospitalizations and death from heart failure was also 31% lower among those receiving empagliflozin.

Among patients who were not taking common heart failure therapies such as diuretics, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor/neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) at the time of their initial hospital discharge, those taking empagliflozin were significantly less likely to start such therapies within six months compared with those taking a placebo.

In terms of heart failure outcomes, the data is not only strong, but its consistent with what weve found over the past 10 years in yet another population, Butler said. This finding is completely consistent in both direction and magnitude with other studies of SGLT-2 inhibitors in populations with diabetes and chronic kidney disease.

While as a pragmatic trial design to simplify trial procedures and make it easier on both the participants and the sites, the study had limitations that may have influenced the findings, researchers said. For example, because outcomes were not adjudicated by independent reviewers, outpatient heart failure events were not formally captured as part of the primary endpoint. However, researchers said data on outpatient heart failure visits were collected as part of the study protocols for assessing adverse events. An analysis of these events showed outpatient visits for heart failure were substantially lower in participants who received empagliflozin compared with placebo.

Another limitation was the use of all-cause mortality as part of the primary endpoint, which meant that deaths unrelated to heart failure were included in the endpoint even though the study drug was unlikely to influence them. There were also some unusual circumstances that may have influenced rates of both hospitalization and death, including the COVID-19 pandemic and conflicts involving Russia, Ukraine and Israel, all countries that participated in the trial.

Finally, researchers said that the follow-up period may have been too short to fully capture any difference in mortality related to heart failure. Since people who developed heart failure following their heart attack typically did not begin to show heart failure symptoms until a few months later, any reductions in mortality would not be expected to emerge until after that.

We just did not have long enough follow-up to see whether that heart failure prevention would lead to a benefit in mortality, but its a reasonable clinical thing to say that if youre preventing heart failure, its a good thing, Butler said.

The study was funded by Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly.

This study was simultaneously published online in the New England Journal of Medicine at the time of presentation.

Butler presented the study, Empagliflozin After Acute Myocardial Infarction: Results of the EMPACTMI Trial, on day one of the 3-day ACC.24 conference.

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SGLT-2 Inhibitors Show Mixed Results After Heart Attack - Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology

Cardiology

No Reduction in 90-Day Deaths, Heart Attacks With Human Apo/A1, A Building Block of HDL Cholesterol – Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology

April 7, 2024 medical

April 6, 2024 The first trial of a novel strategy for removing cholesterol from patients arteries did not reduce the risk of death, heart attack or stroke within three months of a prior heart attack, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiologys Annual Scientific Session. However, the findings suggest that the strategy may be beneficial with longer follow-up.

C. Michael Gibson, MD

We did not see a statistically significant reduction in the primary endpoint of risk for death, a heart attack or a stroke at 90 days, or a reduction in risk for stroke at any time, said C. Michael Gibson, MD, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and the studys lead author. However, in an exploratory analysis of outcomes, treated patients had fewer heart attacks and heart-attack deaths than patients in the control group at six months, he said.

Although we missed our primary endpoint, our data support the hypothesis that HDL cholesterol plays a role in reducing subsequent coronary plaque disruption events like heart attack via enhanced cholesterol efflux attacks, Gibson said.

People who have had a heart attack are at high risk for another one, especially during the next 90 days, Gibson said. This study was the first in which patients received an infusion of ApoA-I, a component of HDL (good) cholesterol, shortly after a heart attack, with the aim of stabilizing coronary plaque and reducing adverse cardiovascular events. The investigational drug CSL112 used in the study is a form of ApoA-I thats extracted from human plasma, the liquid component of blood.

High levels of LDL cholesterol create a build-up of plaque in the arteries that carry blood to the heart, increasing risk for an arterial blockage that causes a heart attack. HDL cholesterol removes cholesterol from the arteries and carries it to the liver, which then excretes it. ApoA-I, the main component of HDL cholesterol, helps initiate the process of removing cholesterol from the body. A previous study showed that a single infusion of CSL112 reduced the amount of LDL cholesterol in arterial plaque by as much as 50%.

Other studies have shown that high levels of HDL cholesterol are associated with reduced heart attack risk. Recent research, however, suggests that the level of HDL cholesterol number may be less important for reducing heart attack risk than how well it performs at removing cholesterol, Gibson said.

We know that in the setting of a heart attack, when the HDL cholesterol is good at getting a lot of cholesterol out of the arteries, that results in better outcomes for patients, he said.

Gibson and his colleagues hypothesized that infusions of CSL112 given shortly after a heart attack mightby boosting the bodys ability to dispose of cholesterolreduce patients risk for a repeat heart attack during the next crucial 90 days. The international AEGIS-II trial, conducted in 49 countries, was designed to test this hypothesis.

The study enrolled 18,219 patients (median age 65.5 years, 74% men and 84.5% White) who had been hospitalized for a heart attack and had multiple blockages in arteries carrying blood to the heart that elevated their risk for another heart attack. They also had other risk factors, including having had a previous heart attack, receiving drug treatment for diabetes or being 65 or older. Patients were randomly assigned to receive infusions of either CSL112 or a placebo for four weeks, with the first infusion given within five days of hospitalization.

The studys primary endpoint was the time to the first occurrence of a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE; i.e., heart attack, stroke or death due to heart disease or a stroke) at 90 days. Secondary endpoints included the time to the first occurrence of a MACE within six months and one year and of each specific event within 90 days, six months and one year.

At 90 days, patients treated with CSL112 had a 4.8% reduction in risk for death, heart attack or stroke compared with 5.2% for those treated with a placebo, a difference that was not statistically significant. In an exploratory analysis, however, patients treated with CSL112 were 14% less likely to have or die from a heart attack at 180 days. In addition, patients treated with CSL112 were 32% less likely to have a heart attack caused by a blood clot in a stent (a tiny mesh tube inserted into an artery to prevent it from becoming blocked) at 90 days and 29% less likely at 180 days.

Another potentially important finding, Gibson said, is that patients whose LDL cholesterol level was 100 mg/dL or higher at study entry experienced a 30% decrease in the primary endpoint, a statistically significant finding, whereas patients whose LDL cholesterol at study entry was less than 100 mg/dL saw no decrease in the primary endpoint.

Baseline LDL modulated the treatment effect, Gibson said.

Overall, our findings are consistent with ApoA-I having a role in stabilizing heart blockages and reducing the risk of a blockage that ruptures and causing a heart attack further out than 90 days, Gibson said. Its plausible that by giving ApoA-1 to clear the cholesterol out of the body and then treating the patient with cholesterol-lowering medications to keep LDL cholesterol levels low, we could see reductions in deaths and heart attacks that continue over time.

Future research will focus on identifying high-risk patients who might benefit from this approach, he said. An antiplatelet effect of CSL112 or a reduction of cholesterol in the arteries resulting from treatment with CSL112 could also explain the significant reduction in the number of heart attacks caused by a blood clot in a stent, he said. The reason strokes were not reduced may be that strokes can be caused by mechanisms other than the rupture of arterial blockages, he said.

A limitation of the study is that women, Black people and people of Asian heritage were underrepresented, which could reduce the findings generalizability, Gibson said.

The study was funded by CSL Behring, the manufacturer of CSL112

This study was simultaneously published online in the New England Journal of Medicine at the time of presentation. The findings of the exploratory analysis were/will be published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, JACC.

Gibson presented the study, Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction (ApoA-I Event Reducing In Ischemic Syndromes II (AEGIS-II) Trial): Primary Trial Results, on Saturday, April 6, the first day of the ACC Scientific Session being held thru April 8 in Atlanta, GA.

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No Reduction in 90-Day Deaths, Heart Attacks With Human Apo/A1, A Building Block of HDL Cholesterol - Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology

Cardiology

Association of Black Cardiologists’ "We Are The Faces" Campaign Unveils New Videos for Black Maternal Health Week – PR Newswire

April 7, 2024 medical

WASHINGTON, April 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of Black Maternal Health Week (April 11-17, 2024) and April's Minority Health Month, the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) is proud to unveil a new slate of videos as part of its third year of the "We Are The Faces of Black Maternal Health" awareness and advocacy campaign.

This new collection of videos features excerpts from powerful patient narratives interwoven with insights from leading ABC member clinicians across diverse specialties. This series amplifies the intergenerational impact of the Black maternal health crisis and underscores the critical role of healthcare professionals in addressing racial disparities in maternal health outcomes.

Recent findings continue to show that Black women are disproportionately impacted by maternal morbidity and mortality. These disparities extend to other women of color as well, highlighting the need for comprehensive action to ensure equitable access to quality care for all.

"Decades of headlines emphasize the urgent need for a multi-faceted approach that addresses the systemic and institutional factors exacerbating the disparity gap in Black maternal and cardiovascular health," states ABC President Dr. Anekwe Onwuanyi. "ABC remains committed to raising awareness, fostering collaboration and finding solutions to advance the health and wellbeing of Black women and their families."

ABC members are uniquely positioned to address the maternal health crisis, given the intersection of maternal health and cardiovascular well-being. Standing at the "crossroads" of being patients, relatives of patients, healthcare professionals treating these patients, or all of the aforementioned, gives them a distinct perspective and opportunity to drive meaningful change on this issue.

"It is so important to recognize that we all have a role to play in mitigating this epidemic that negatively affects the Black family," said Rachel M. Bond, MD, Co-chair of the Cardiovascular Disease in Women and Children Committee for ABC. "An essential aspect of the campaign draws attention to the vital role Black men play - whether as spouses or relatives - in their support of Black women by advocating to ensure the mother's concerns are heard and addressed, but this support also includes prioritizing their own cardiovascular health before, during, and after the pregnancy."

"As a pediatric cardiologist, I recognize the profound impact of maternal health on the well-being of families, especially Black families" states Annette K. Ansong, MD, Co-Chair of the Cardiovascular Disease in Women and Children Committee for ABC. "We must work collaboratively with our colleagues in primary care, obstetrics, and cardiology to advocate for integrated strategies that prioritize the health of mothers and babies. After all, Black women are first Black girlsTM, and by promoting heart-healthy habits from childhood, we can help pave the way for healthier pregnancies."

Individuals are invited to visit WeAreTheFaces.ABCardio.org to watch the videos, download patient and clinician infographic resources, share their stories, and learn more about maternal health disparities. Together, we can effect tangible change and rewrite the narrative on Black maternal health.

About ABC

Founded in 1974, the Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc. (ABC) is a nonprofit with a global membership exceeding 2,000 individuals, including health professionals, community health advocates, and corporate and institutional members. The ABC remains dedicated to its mission of promoting heart health and wellness in minority communities. Today, by fostering public and private partnerships and advocating for equitable access to care, ABC continues to make strides in improving cardiovascular outcomes for all. Connect with us atwww.abcardio.org and join our efforts on Twitter,Facebook,Instagram, andLinkedIn.

SOURCE Association of Black Cardiologists, Inc.

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Association of Black Cardiologists' "We Are The Faces" Campaign Unveils New Videos for Black Maternal Health Week - PR Newswire

Cardiology

UNC Hospitals Performs First Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Replacement in North Carolina | Newsroom – UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine

April 7, 2024 medical

John P. Vavalle, MD, MHS, FACC, and Matthew A. Cavender, MD, MPH, FACC, interventional cardiologists and their collaborative team in the Structural Heart Disease Program at UNC, have performed their first transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement in the clinical setting, a revolutionary treatment for patients living with a common type of heart valve disease.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. For the first time in the state of North Carolina,thestructural heart teamatUNC Hospitalshasperformedatranscatheter tricuspid valve replacementin the clinical setting.Theimplant, whichwas only the 12th in the UnitedStates,is arevolutionarytreatmentfor patientslivingwithtricuspid valve regurgitation (TR), acommontype of heartvalve disease.

We now have apercutaneous,minimally invasive way to fix tricuspid valve regurgitation and offer valve replacement withoutthe need foropen heart surgery, saidJohn Vavalle, MD, MHS, FACC, medical director of theStructural Heart Disease Program at UNC Hospitals and associate professor of medicine at the UNC School of Medicine. Its only at a place like UNC, where there is this spirit of collaboration and this desire to push the technology forward, that you can do this kind of work.

About 5 in 1,000 people in the United States have severe tricuspid valve regurgitation.The condition occurs when thetricuspid valve,the valve that separates the right atrium and the right ventricleof the heart, does not close properly. As a result, blood cannot be ejected to the lungs to be oxygenated and instead flows back into the body.

Without treatment,the condition can become life threatening.It can cause fluid buildup in the abdomen and legs and weakening of theheart muscle, resulting infatigue, low energy, breathlessness, andevenkidney failure.Medicines like diuretics can help improve swelling from the fluid buildup, but fixing a leaky valve previously required open heart surgery.

Many of these patients are too sickto have major open-heart surgery, including our very first patient, said Vavalle. This procedure is much more minimally invasive.Its done through catheters and over wires inserted through the blood vessels in the groin,allowingus to implantanewtricuspidvalve in place of the old one.

The EVOQUE tricuspid valve replacement system, created by the Edwards Lifesciences Corporation, is the first transcatheter therapy to receive U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the treatment of tricuspid regurgitation.

The EVOQUE system is indicated for the improvement of health status in patients with symptomatic severe TRdespite optimal medical therapy, for whom tricuspid valve replacement is deemed appropriate by a heart team.

TheUNC Heart Valve Clinic, which is an American College of Cardiology certified Transcatheter ValveCenter of Excellence, was one of20centers in the United Statesselected for implanting thevalvebecause of UNCshigh level of expertise.It is the only center in the state of North Carolina currently performing this procedure.

The same team, led by Vavalle and Thomas Caranasos, MD, as co-principal investigatorsparticipated intheTRISCEND II clinical trialthat determined the safety and effectiveness of the EVOQUE valve,eventually leadingto FDA approval.

The surgery requires a diverse team of cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, cardiac anesthesiologists, and advanced imagers. John Vavalle worked with fellow interventional cardiologistMatthew Cavender, MD, MPH, chief of cardiac surgeryJohnIkonomidis, MD, PhD, anesthesiologistEmily Teeter, MD, FASE, and imaging specialistThelsa Thomas Weickert, MD, on the case.

Media contact:Kendall Daniels, Communications Specialist, UNC Health | UNC School of Medicine

Cardiawave is Presenting the 30-day Follow-up Results from its Valvosoft Pivotal Study on the Teatment of Severe … – Diagnostic and Interventional…

April 7, 2024 medical

April 5, 2024 Cardiawave SA, a French medtech company that has developed an innovativeNon-Invasive focused Ultrasound Therapy(NIUT) device for the treatment of severe symptomatic calcific aortic stenosis, will present the 30-day follow-up results for 60 patients enrolled in its European pivotal study to the 73rdannual conference of the American College of Cardiology in Atlanta, Georgia. This is a leading event in the cardiovascular medicine calendar, which brings together specialists from around the world to discuss the latest advances, research results and clinical innovations in the field of cardiology.

Prof. Eric Van Belle, cardiologist at Lille University Hospital, one of the principal investigators for the European pivotal study, commented: Im very proud to present the excellent results obtained using Cardiawaves NIUT device to treat patients with severe symptomatic aortic valve stenosis, leading to a significant improvement in their condition and a better quality of life.This ACC.24 presentation represents a major contribution to the advance of science and will open up innovative therapeutic strategies for cardiology patients.

A summary of the poster session will be published on theJournal of the American College of Cardiologys website.

Presentation title:QUALITY OF LIFE ASSESSMENT AT 30-DAYS FOLLOW-UP OF THEVALVOSOFTPIVOTAL STUDY ON SEVERE AORTIC VALVE STENOSE PATIENTS" (control number 16930)

Time and date: April 8, 2024 -9:32 a.m.9:42 a.m. EDT

The results of the Cardiawave First-in-Human Valvosoft FIM Study were published in The Lancetin November 2023: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)01518-0/fulltext

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Cardiology

Real-world Evidence at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Session ACC.24 to Demonstrate Positive Impact … – Diagnostic and Interventional…

April 7, 2024 medical

April 4, 2024 Viz.ai, a leader inAI-powereddisease detection and intelligent care coordination, announced new clinical data supporting advancements in cardiology care. Three studies, to be presented at theAmerican College of Cardiologys (ACC) Annual Scientific Session & Expo 2024, have shown positive outcomes with real-world impact ofViz.aiin clinical practice for patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a commonly inherited heart disease that often goes undetected. TheViz HCMmodule is the first and only AI algorithm cleared by the FDA for HCM.

AtViz.ai, we invest in our algorithms to ensure the technology reliably detects suspected conditions, including HCM, and improves patient care and outcomes, said Molly Madziva Taitt, Ph.D., VP of Global Clinical Affairs atViz.ai. We are pleased that the clinical evidence accepted at the ACC shows the Viz HCM modules consistent performance across different phenotypes and patient backgrounds, demonstrating its potential to be used as an effective, pragmatic method to triage patients for clinical review.

The first study, titled Detection of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy on Electrocardiogram using Artificial Intelligence, evaluated the performance of the Viz HCM algorithm across racial backgrounds at Mass General Hospital, Brigham and Womens Hospital and Salem Hospital. The study found that Viz HCM performance in suspected HCM detection was consistent across various racial backgrounds with a sensitivity of 68.4% and specificity of 99.1%.

These findings demonstrate that the Viz HCM algorithm can help to identify patients with HCM using easily accessible ECG equipment, said Carolyn Ho, MD, Medical Director of the Cardiovascular Genetics Center at Brigham and Womens Hospital and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. The Viz HCM performance was consistent across different racial backgrounds, so use is likely to be generalizable to different settings.

The second study, Racial and Phenotypic Variations in Detection of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy using an Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Electrocardiogram: Real World Experience, assessed the performance of Viz HCM across specific phenotypes, including obstructive and apical HCM, and various racial backgrounds at Morristown. The retrospective analysis found that across 1,463 patients, the model performed well in Caucasian and African American races with 66.8% and 72.5% sensitivity, respectively, suggesting its potential for early detection. Notably, in patients with apical HCM, the model performed particularly well with 89.3% sensitivity.

This study further demonstrates the screening capabilities of AI with a common, non-invasive electrocardiogram, and in particular the Viz HCM algorithm, to detect HCM, especially for certain phenotypes such as apical HCM, said Matthew Martinez, MD, Director of Sports Cardiology and HCM at Atlantic Health System.

The third study, Probability Score Sorting from an ECG Deep Learning HCM Algorithm: Insights from the Prospective HCM Pilot Trial evaluated the efficacy of a sorting feature in enhancing positive predictive value (PPV) for disease detection compared to chronological sorting at Mt. Sinai. Results showed that sorting by probability scores increased PPV from 20% to 70% for the top 10 results and from 20% to 80% for the top five results of HCM-suspected cases. This validates the effectiveness of relevance score sorting for prioritizing higher probability HCM-positive patients identified by deep-learning algorithms analyzing ECG data.

These data suggest that a sorting mechanism using probabilistic model outputs is an effective and pragmatic method to triage patients for clinical review who are deemed to have suspected HCM by deep learning algorithms applied to the electrocardiogram, said Joshua Lampert, MD, FACC, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Medical Director of Machine Learning for Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital, We also demonstrated prospectively that well-calibrated model probabilistic outputs reflect the actual likelihood of disease in clinical practice. This information can be valuable for clinicians particularly when it comes to counseling patients, though clinicians should make clinical decisions based on prespecified binary classification thresholds.

For more information:www.viz.ai

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Real-world Evidence at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Session ACC.24 to Demonstrate Positive Impact ... - Diagnostic and Interventional...

Cardiology

American College of Cardiology Sets Full Range of Education Sessions and Meetings ACC Scientific Session, ACC.24 – Diagnostic and Interventional…

April 7, 2024 medical

April 3, 2024 In gearing up for its Annual Scientific Session, ACC.24, amidst the 75th anniversary of the organization, the American College of Cardiology (ACC)has planned a full range ofeducational programming, special events and peer networking scheduled throughout the April 6-8 eventin Atlanta, GA.Here is an overview of sessions, events and meetings coordinated to help members in particular specialties, sections and areas of interest learn and engage with peers and expert cardiology professionals to advance their practice, patient care and careers.

Symposiums at ACC

The Symposiums at ACC.24 offer consecutive sessions which provide attendees with the opportunity to focus on a specific area of interest. Cardiovascular Update for the Clinician: A Symposium by Valentin Fuster will offer the latest advances in the treatment of cardiovascular disease and ways to integrate them into daily practice. The Pharmacology Program will cover hot topics in cardiovascular medicine that are key issues that pharmacists, as well as other health care team members, face in managing complex patients.

Intensive Sessions

Offering what ACC refers to as an opportunity for attendees to deep dive into specific areas of concentration, the Intensive Sessions focus on new and growing areas in cardiovascular practice, and use gaps in competencies and knowledge to develop sessions that will expand an attendee's understanding of the selected topic. ACC reports that this year's Intensive Session is a four-part series on the Business of Cardiology led by co-chairs Alison Bailey, MD, FACC and Tyler J. Gluckman, MD, FACC. With 18 presentations led by business and cardiology experts in four key sessions with multiple expert presenters:

Core Knowledge in Action

The Core Knowledge in Action Series at ACC.24 is guided by prominent clinicians and leaders, and focuses on important fundamentals in managing and treating heart conditions. This includes a review of updated clinical guidelines and best practices. Featured topics will include in-depth sessions covering non-statin lipid lowering therapies, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, viability, imaging modalities for the assessment of coronary artery disease, and antiplatelet therapy after coronary stenting. Each session is interactive and includes knowledge check-ins and dedicated time for discussion.

When Statins Are Not Enough Non-statin Lipid Lowering Therapies (Session 801): this session will examine non-statin pharmacologic therapies (ezetimibe, PCSK9 inhibitors, inclisiran and bempedoic acid) to lower LDL and cardiovascular risk; and will offer practical knowledge on integrating non-statin therapies, including when and how to use them for optimal patient outcomes.

Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction: How to Find and Treat It (Session 802): ACCs planning team notes that this insightful session will delve into HFpEF covering topics such as diagnosis, evidence-based therapies, and the nuances of medical intervention. Learn practical insights in diagnosing HFpEF, when exercise hemodynamics play a crucial role and the cath lab may not be readily available, and gain a better understanding of effective treatment strategies.

Is Viability Still Viable and How Should We Assess It? (Session 803): The session will feature case-based examples showcasing the use of viability studies, offering real-world insights into their application and experts will navigate attendees through the spectrum of imaging modalities, from Q waves to MRI, and explore the nuances of echocardiography, SPECT, PET, and cardiac MRI for viability assessment.

Too Many Choices? When to Use What Modality for the Assessment of Coronary Artery Disease (Session 804): participants will be guided through the options in the assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD), providing a detailed exploration of CT, Echo, nuclear, and MRI in a comprehensive discussion with experts which will wrap up with an interactive Q&A session.

Antiplatelet Therapy After Coronary Stenting What You Need to Know (Session 805): Here, expert faculty will navigate the complex landscape of antiplatelet therapies with a specialized focus on post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)

Additionally, ACC will be offering these Education Sessions:

The Personalized Skills & Simulation Center at ACC.24 offers a blended learning space where participants are immersed in a dynamic educational experience that offers asynchronous hands-on simulation stations across variety of CV disease states. In addition, a small stage seamlessly combines interactive lectures with hands-on learning stations.

ACC Guidelines Sessions allow participants to learn how to implement, optimize, and translate guidelines into clinical practice from key members of the guideline committees and experienced colleagues. Notably, 2024 marks the 40th Anniversary of ACC/AHA Guidelines.

In addition to its expansiveprogram, ACC reports that many meetings and events will be taking place throughout ACC.24 in and around the Georgia World Congress Center.

One special program note involves ACCs plans to encourage members to participate in its Annual Giving Day, Saturday, April 6, in support of the ACC Foundation. Members can visit the Bridge to the Future in Lounge & Learn to take a commemorative walk across the bridge, learn more and place your name on our donor wall. Donations (text ACC75 to 41444 to contribute) over $75 will receive a commemorative 75th anniversary gift, according to the organization, which noted that contributions of any size will support ACCs work to:

ACC has planned the following meetings and events throughout ACC.24, which include:

Friday, April 5

Program Directors & Graduate Medical Educators Symposium

ACPC Community Day

Diversity and Inclusion Town Hall and Reception

LGBTQ+ Networking Reception

Saturday, April 6

New CV Team Members Meet & Greet Breakfast

Women in Cardiology Section Meeting

Critical Care Cardiology Section Meet & Greet

Meet Your Fit Council

Early Career Section Networking

Geriatric Cardiology Section Meeting

Vascular Disease Section Meet & Greet

CV Team Hands-On Echo Training

Healthcare Innovation Section Reception

Fit Mix & Mingle

Women in Cardiology Networking Reception with Sandra J. Lews, MD, FACC, and Women as One

ACPC Section Meeting

CV Imaging Section Meeting & Reception

CV Team Section Meeting & Reception

Future of Cardiology Reception

Sunday, April 7

Meditation Session

Career Fair

Federal Section Lunch

Resident and Student Mentoring Event

Emerging Leaders Mentorship Program

Cardio-Oncology Section Meeting

Reproductive Health & Cardio-Obstetrics Section Meeting and Reception

Monday, April 8

Medical Resident Breakfast

Women in Cardiology Breakfast with The Council

Annual Convocation & 75th Anniversary Celebration

More information: http://www.acc.org

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ACC.24: Smidt Heart Institute Experts to Share Research Findings, Clinical Knowledge – Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology

April 7, 2024 medical

April 6, 2024 Experts from theSmidt Heart Instituteat Cedars-Sinai will share new research and participate in more than 70 discussions during theAmerican College of Cardiology (ACC) Annual Scientific SessionApril 6-8 in Atlanta.

Throughout the conference, Smidt Heart Institute experts will be available for media interviews.

Smidt Heart Institute experts look forward to contributing their clinical and research expertise and learning from colleagues at this important meeting,saidEduardo Marbn, MD, PhD, executive director of the Smidt Heart Institute and the Mark S. Siegel Family Foundation Distinguished Professor.

During the awards ceremony at the Convocation and Reception, Monday, April 8, 4-6 p.m. EDT, the ACC will presentSumeet Chugh, MD, associate director of theSmidt Heart Institute, with this yearsDistinguished Scientist Award-Clinical Domain.

Chugh,the Pauline and Harold Price Chair in Cardiac Electrophysiology Research at Cedars-Sinai, investigates the causes of and potential treatments for abnormal heart rhythms, including sudden cardiac arrest.Chugh leadstwo ongoing studiesthat are collecting data from people who suffer sudden cardiac arrest in order to understand how to prevent this usually fatal condition.

The following experts also are available for interviews throughout ACC.24:

Christine M. Albert, MD, MPH, professor, chair of the Department of Cardiology and the Lee and Harold Kapelovitz Distinguished Chair in Cardiology, will present several sessions, including Risk Stratifying ACM-Detected Ventricular Arrhythmias From PVCs to Sustained VT, Sunday, April 7, 3:30-4:30 p.m. EDT. She also will serve as a panelist on the Eugene Braunwald Keynote, Monday, April 8, 1:30-2 p.m. EDT, and she will co-chair electrophysiology research presentations.

C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD, director oftheBarbra Streisand Women's Heart Center, will participate in a cardiovascular health for women session, Where Are We Now: From WISE to CHEST PAIN Guidelines, Sunday, April 7, 12:45-12:52 p.m. EDT.

Natalie Bello, MD, MPH, director of Hypertension Research, will present Whats Sex Got to Do With It? Addressing Hypertension in Women, Monday, April 8, 12:45-1 p.m. EDT.

Joseph Ebinger, MD, associate professor of Cardiology, will present Bringing Hypertension Care to the People: Strategies to Address Disparities Among Racial/Ethnic Populations, Monday, April 8, 1:15-1:30 p.m. EDT.

Martha Gulati, MD, director of Preventive Cardiology and the Anita Dann Friedman Chair in Women's Cardiovascular Medicine and Research, will co-chair the session Don't Stop Me Now: Achieving Cardiovascular Health for Women, Sunday, April 7, 12:15-1:30 p.m. EDT.

Aakriti Gupta, MD, assistant professor of Cardiology, will participate in anetworking reception at ACC.24 that will bring together participants in the2025 Clinical Trials Research (CTR) program. Gupta is one of 28 structural heart cardiologists and surgeons selected for CTRs new Project REACH.

Raj Makkar, MD, associate director of the Smidt Heart Institute and vice president of Cardiovascular Innovation and Intervention at Cedars-Sinai,will co-chair the session Flipping the Script: Aortic Stenosis Management in the Modern Era, Saturday, April 6, 12-1:15 p.m. EDT. Makkar also will participate in the symposium Valve Repair and Replacement in Younger AdultsPercutaneous Versus Surgical Options, Saturday, April 6, 2:05-2:11 p.m. EDT.

David Ouyang, MD,assistant professor of Cardiology, will lead several discussions about the clinical applications of artificial intelligence, including Controversies in Medical AI, Saturday, April 6, 11:20 a.m.-12 p.m. EDT; Picturing the Future: Exploring the Use of AI in Cardiac Imaging, Saturday, April 6, 1:45-1:55 p.m. EDT; and Implementing AI Tools in Clinical Practice, Sunday, April 7, 2:10-2:20 p.m. EDT.

For more information: https://www.cedars-sinai.org/programs/heart.html

Find more ACC24 conference coverage here

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ACC.24: Smidt Heart Institute Experts to Share Research Findings, Clinical Knowledge - Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology

Cardiology

Cardiovascular Research Foundation, CRF, Introduces New York Valves: The Structural Heart Summit – Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology

April 7, 2024 medical

April 5, 2024 TheCardiovascular Research Foundation(CRF) has announcedNew York Valves: The Structural Heart Summit, the expanded next iteration of our renowned annual Transcatheter Valve Therapy (TVT) conference. Taking place June 5-7, 2024, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, North in New York City, the new summit will be a world-class educational experience in the field of structural heart interventions.

New York Valves 2024 signifies an important milestone for our organization, saidJuan F. Granada, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of CRFand New York Valves Program Director. For the first time, this meeting will provide a unique interactive environment for networking, collaboration, and education, including all members of the heart team. It offers practitioners an unprecedented opportunity to learn about the latest developments in each specific area of our field. Through real multi-specialty collaboration, this summit will not only advance our knowledge but also directly impact patient care worldwide."

For nearly two decades, CRFhas led the way in pioneering transcatheter therapies for structural heart disease at TVT. New York Valves marks the next iteration of this legacy, featuring three days of transformative research and techniques that will redefine the landscape of structural heart interventions. Its the premier gathering uniting interventional cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, clinical cardiologists, cardiac imagers, heart failure experts, and other members of the heart team under one roof. With a renewed emphasis on multidisciplinary collaboration, New York Valves offers attendees the opportunity to harness the collective expertise of all specialties to develop the most effective and personalized treatment strategies for patients with valvular and structural heart disease.

New York Valves 2024 is more than just a meeting; it's a multidisciplinary movement reshaping the landscape of cardiovascular care in patients with valvular and structural heart disease, saidMartin B. Leon, MD, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of CRFand New York Valves Program Director. From novel therapies to best clinical practices, this summit embodies the evolution of transcatheter and surgical interventions. Our goal is to unite specialists from every corner of cardiovascular care to extend the heart team, redefine innovations, and develop new standards for managing valve patients."

Transcatheter valve therapy has evolved from a novel treatment for the sickest patients to become the standard of care for many with aortic stenosis. The rapid adoption of transcatheter mitral and tricuspid therapies has also transformed the treatment landscape, expanding options for patients with structural heart disease.

New York Valves 2024 will showcase advanced techniques and evidence-based medicine through live-case demonstrations, hands-on training, lively debate, and the latest updates that contribute knowledge to the field. With a distinguished lineup of world-renowned experts, this comprehensive program is designed as a practical, case-based course that will delve into best practices, clinical decision-making, patient selection, and strategies for devices, imaging, procedures, and complications management. The summit will also feature the latest breakthroughs and research in the field providing attendees with an unparalleled opportunity to explore the newest techniques and technologies in structural heart interventions.

For more information:www.crf.org

Medicare drops AUC requirement for advanced imaging, ASNC celebrates – Cardiovascular Business

April 7, 2024 medical

Dave Fornell has covered healthcare for more than 17 years, with a focus in cardiology and radiology. Fornell is a 5-time winner of a Jesse H. Neal Award, the most prestigious editorial honors in the field of specialized journalism. The wins included best technical content, best use of social media and best COVID-19 coverage. Fornell was also a three-time Neal finalist for best range of work by a single author. He produces more than 100 editorial videos each year, most of them interviews with key opinion leaders in medicine. He also writes technical articles, covers key trends, conducts video hospital site visits, and is very involved with social media. E-mail: dfornell@innovatehealthcare.com

Originally posted here:

Medicare drops AUC requirement for advanced imaging, ASNC celebrates - Cardiovascular Business