Category Archives: Cardiology

Cardiology

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

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

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

Cardiology

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

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

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

Cardiology

Yale Faculty Present Groundbreaking Clinical Research at the 2024 American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions – Yale School of Medicine

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) is holding its annual Scientific Meeting on April 6-8, 2024, where Yale faculty and trainees will present their latest clinical research.

Yales commitment to research is on full display at this years American College of Cardiology conference, where dozens of our faculty and trainees will share their contributions to science with our colleagues across the world, said Eric J. Velazquez, MD, Robert W. Berliner Professor of Medicine and chief of Yale Cardiovascular Medicine. Im extremely proud to lead a group of doctors and scientists who come to work each and every day thinking about how to advance the field of cardiovascular medicine all with the goal of providing patients with the best possible care.

Key presentations featuring Yale faculty and trainees include:

9:30 - 11:00 a.m. Session 1007: Outcome Prediction by Multimodality Imaging in Chronic CAD Moderated Poster Theater 07

9:30 - 11:00 a.m. Session 1008: Recognizing and Eliminated Disparities in CVD Moderated Poster Theater 08

9:45 - 10:30 a.m. Session 1201: Critical Care Cardiology 01 Hall B4-5

9:45 - 10:30 a.m. Session 1202: Innovation, Digital Health, and Technology 01 Hall B4-5

9:45 - 10:30 a.m. Session 1203: Vascular Medicine: Clinical Science 01 Hall B4-5

10:45 - 11:30 a.m. Session 1221: Complex Clinical Cases: FIT Valvular Heart Disease 02 Hall B4-5

10:45 - 11:30 a.m. Session 1232: Multimodality Imaging: Clinical Science 02 Hall B4-5

11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Session 1242: Spotlight on Special Topics: Cardio-OB 03 Hall B4-5

12:45 - 1:30 p.m. Session 1261: Innovation, Digital Health, and Technology 04 Hall B4-5

12:45 - 1:30 p.m. Session 1263: Vascular Medicine: Basic and Translational Science 04 Hall B4-5

1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Session 1032: Refining the Art of Implementation Science Moderated Poster Theater 08

1:45 - 2:30 p.m. Session 1282: Global Cardiovascular Health 05 Hall B4-5

1:45 - 2:30 p.m. Session 1283: Pulmonary Vascular Disease: Clinical and Population Science 05 Hall B4-5

1:45 - 2:30 p.m. Session 1288: Interventional and Structural: Endovascular Interventions 05 Hall B4-5

1:45 - 2:30 p.m. Session 1289: Interventional and Structural: Aortic Valve Interventions 05 Hall B4-5

2:45 - 3:30 p.m. Session 1305: Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathies: Clinical Science 06 Hall B4-5

2:45 - 3:30 p.m. Session 1307: Ischemic Heart Disease: Clinical Science 06 Hall B4-5

3:30 - 5:00 p.m. Session 1038: Back to the Future: Application of AI and ML in Heart Failure Moderated Poster Theater 02

3:30 - 5:00 p.m. Session 1045: Simulations and AI-Based Predictions Enhancing CV Care Moderated Poster Theater 09

3:45 - 4:30 p.m. Session 1321: Cardio-oncology 07 Hall B4-5

3:45 - 4:30 p.m. Session 1322: Vascular Medicine: Venous and Thromboembolic Disease 07 Hall B4-5

4:15 - 5:30 p.m. Session 632: Older and Wiser: Improving Health Across the Lifespan For Older Adults With Ischemic Heart Disease B401

8:00 - 9:15 a.m. Session 504: April Adventure: Top Interventional Trials of 2023 Thomas B. Murphy Ballroom 2

8:00 - 9:15 a.m. Session 1050: #GDMT Works: From Heart Failure to Heart Success Moderated Poster Theater 02

9:00 - 10:30 a.m. Session 1052: Peripheral Vascular Disease Moderated Poster Theater 04

9:15 - 10:00 a.m. Session 1340: Complex Clinical Cases: FIT Heart Failure 08 Hall B4-5

9:15 - 10:00 a.m. Session 1342: Vascular Medicine: Special Populations08 Hall B4-5

9:15 - 10:00 a.m. Session 1343: Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathies: Pharmacology 08 Hall B4-5

9:15 - 10:00 a.m. Session 1353: Prevention and Health Promotion: Diabetes and Cardiometabolic Disease 08 Hall B4-5

9:15 - 10:15 a.m. Session 2007: Heart Tank For the Cardiovascular Investigator: The Susan Smyth Memorial Tournament of Champions Engage Stage

9:45 - 11:00 a.m. Session 712: Joint Symposium of the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology B206

9:45 - 11:00 a.m. Session 505: April Adventure: The Great ECG Challenge Thomas B. Murphy Ballroom 2

9:45 - 11:00 a.m. Session 909: Highlighted Original Research: Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathies and the Year in Review B207

10:15 - 11:00 a.m. Session 1362: Training and Lifelong Learning 09 Hall B4-5

10:15 - 11:00 a.m. Session 1366: Ischemic Heart Disease: Clinical Science 09 Hall B4-5

10:15 - 11:00 a.m. Session 1371: Electrophysiology: Population Science 09 Hall B4-5

10:15 - 11:00 a.m. Session 1372: Prevention and Health Promotion: Diabetes and Cardiometabolic Disease 09 Hall B4-5

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Session 1062: Neph Bomb: Decongestion in Heart Failure Moderated Poster Theater 02

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Session 1064: Impact of Age on Interventional Cardiology Care Moderated Poster Theater 04

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Session 1065: Vascular Vistas: Tailored Research For Special Populations Moderated Poster Theater 05

11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Session 1382: Critical Care Cardiology 10 Hall B4-5

11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Session 1384: Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathies: Population Science 10 Hall B4-5

11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Session 1385: Ischemic Heart Disease: Pharmacology 10 Hall B4-5

11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Session 1393: Prevention and Health Promotion: Population Science 10 Hall B4-5

12:15 - 1:00 p.m. Session 1401: Critical Care Cardiology 11 Hall B4-5

12:15 - 1:00 p.m. Session 1403: Vascular Medicine: Clinical Science 11 Hall B4-5

12:15 - 1:00 p.m. Session 1414: Prevention and Health Promotion: Lipids 11 Hall B4-5

1:00 - 2:30 p.m. Session 1075: Bulking Up Advances in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Moderated Poster Theater 03

2:15 - 3:00 p.m. Session 1453: Prevention and Health Promotion: Diabetes and Cardiometabolic Disease 13 Hall B4-5

2:15 - 3:00 p.m. Session 1454: Prevention and Health Promotion: Lipids 13 Hall B4-5

3:15 - 4:00 p.m. Session 1461: Critical Care Cardiology 14 Hall B4-5

4:30 - 5:45 p.m. Session 709: Treating Arrhythmias in Athletes: When, Who and How? B312

8:30 - 9:45 a.m. Session 913: Highlighted Original Research: Interventional and Structural and the Year in Review B405

8:30 - 9:45 a.m. Session 914: Highlighted Original Research: Multimodality Imaging and the Year in Review B213

9:00 - 10:30 a.m. Session 1099: New Analyses From Heart Failure Clinical Trials Moderated Poster Theater 03

9:00 - 10:30 a.m. Session 1102: Not Just a Number: Ischemic Heart Disease in Older Populations Moderated Poster Theater 06

9:00 - 10:30 a.m. Session 1103: Quantitative Markers of Clinical Risk From Multimodality Imaging Moderated Poster Theater 07

9:00 - 10:30 a.m. Session 1104: Sex, Gender, Hormones, and the Heart Moderated Poster Theater 08

9:45 - 10:30 a.m. Session 1482: Vascular Medicine: Special Populations 15 Hall B4-5

9:45 - 10:30 a.m. Session 1487: Ischemic Heart Disease: Special Populations 15 Hall B4-5

9:45 - 10:30 a.m. Session 1489: Multimodality Imaging: MR 15 Hall B4-5

9:45 - 10:30 a.m. Session 1492: Prevention and Health Promotion: Lipids 15 Hall B4-5

10:45 - 11:30 a.m. Session 1501: Complex Clinical Cases: FIT Ischemic Heart Disease and Heart Failure 16 Hall B4-5

10:45 - 11:30 a.m. Session 1504: Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathies: Clinical Science 16 Hall B4-5

10:45 - 11:30 a.m. Session 1505: Ischemic Heart Disease: Population Science 16 Hall B4-5

10:45 - 11:30 a.m. Session 1508: Interventional and Structural: Coronary Interventions 16 Hall B4-5

11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Session 734: Finding Balance: Wellness in the CHD Clinician B308

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Session 1114: Trends in Ischemic Heart Disease Moderated Poster Theater 06

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Session 1115: Imaging Science on the Verge of Clinical Translation Moderated Poster Theater 07

11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Session 1520: Complex Clinical Cases: MD/PhD 17 Hall B4-5

11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Session 1523: Vascular Medicine: Clinical Science 17 Hall B4-5

12:45 - 1:30 p.m. Session 1546: Ischemic Heart Disease: Special Populations 18 Hall B4-5

12:45 - 2:00 p.m. Session 742: 2024 Eugene Braunwald Keynote Thomas B. Murphy Ballroom 4

2:30 - 3:45 p.m. Session 759: Step-by-Step Management of Patients With AFIB and LAA Occlusion in 2024 B405

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Yale Faculty Present Groundbreaking Clinical Research at the 2024 American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions - Yale School of Medicine

Cardiology

Getting Too Little Sleep Linked to High Blood Pressure – Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology

April 1, 2024 Sleeping fewer than seven hours is associated with a higher risk of developing high blood pressure over time, according to a study to be presented during the April 6-8American College of Cardiologys Annual Scientific Session & Expo, ACC.24.

While the association between sleep patterns and high blood pressure has been reported, evidence about the nature of this relationship has been inconsistent, according to researchers. The current analysis pools data from 16 studies conducted between January 2000 and May 2023, evaluating hypertension incidence in 1,044,035 people from six countries who did not have a prior history of high blood pressure over a median follow-up of five years (follow-up ranged from 2.4 to 18 years). Short sleep duration was significantly associated with a higher risk of developing hypertension after adjusting for demographic and cardiovascular risk factors, including age, sex, education, BMI, blood pressure, smoking status etc. Furthermore, the association was found to be even stronger for those getting less than five hours of sleep.

Based on the most updated data, the less you sleepthat is less than seven hours a daythe more likely you will develop high blood pressure in the future, said Kaveh Hosseini, MD, assistant professor of cardiology at the Tehran Heart Center in Iran and principal investigator of the study. In a news release summarizing the study, Hosseini added, We saw a trend between longer sleep durations and a greater occurrence of high blood pressure, but it was not statistically significant. Getting seven to eight hours of sleep, as is recommended by sleep experts, may be the best for your heart too.

The study found that sleeping less than seven hours was associated with a 7% increased risk of developing high blood pressure, which spiked to 11% when reported sleep duration was less than five hours. By comparison, diabetes and smoking are known to heighten ones risk of hypertension by at least 20%, Hosseini said.

While the study did not look at why this might be the case, Hosseini said that disrupted sleep could be to blame. For example, he said lifestyle habits or comorbid conditions such as overeating, alcohol use, nightshift work, certain medication use, anxiety, depression, sleep apnea or other sleep disorders may be factors.

Researchers were surprised there were no age-based differences in the association between sleep duration and hypertension given that sleep patterns tend to shift with age. The age of the participants ranged from 35.4 years to 60.9 years and more than half (61%) were female. When compared with men, females who reported less than seven hours of sleep had a 7% greater risk of developing high blood pressure.

Getting too little sleep appears to be riskier in females, Hosseini said. The difference is statistically significant, though we are not sure its clinically significant and should be further studied. What we do see is that lack of good sleep patterns may increase the risk of high blood pressure, which we know can set the stage for heart disease and stroke.

It's important for people to talk with their health care team about their sleep patterns, especially if they have disrupted sleep that might be due to obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea has been tied to higher rates of high blood pressure, stroke and coronary artery disease.

This study has several limitations, including that sleep duration was based on self-reported questionnaires, so changes in sleep duration over the follow-up period were not assessed. Moreover, there were variations in how short sleep duration was defined between the studies (fewer than five or six hours).

Further research is required to evaluate the association between sleep duration and high blood pressure using more accurate methods like polysomnography, a method for evaluating sleep quality more precisely, Hosseini said. Moreover, the variations in reference sleep duration underline the need for standardized definition in sleep research to enhance the comparability and generalizability of findings across diverse studies.

Aayushi Sood, MD, lead author and medical resident at The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, will present the study, Sleep Duration and Hypertension Incidence: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, on Sunday, April 7 at 9:15 a.m. / 13:15 UTC in Hall B4-5.

ACC.24 will take place April 6-8, 2024, in Atlanta, bringing together cardiologists and cardiovascular specialists from around the world to share the newest discoveries in treatment and prevention.

For more information: http://www.acc.org

Find more ACC24 conference coverage here

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Getting Too Little Sleep Linked to High Blood Pressure - Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology

Cardiology

What’s Going to Be Hot at ACC 2024 – TCTMD

Later this week, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2024 Scientific Session celebrates its 75th anniversary by heading back to Atlanta for the first time since 2010, with the plans to return in 2021 dashed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In this years lineup are some eagerly awaited cardiovascular trials in the drug and device space, but also some less traditional approaches assessing game-based and financial incentives, spirituality, and unique population approaches.

According to Douglas Drachman, MD (Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston), the scientific sessions chair, 2024 will be a blockbuster of a year for the meeting, which received 1,100 more abstracts than last year and the most its received in two decades, with submissions coming from 79 countries worldwide. There was truly global input into this meeting and certainly we hope for global impact, Drachman told a media telebriefing last week.

Late-Breaking Lineup

There will be a total of five late-breaking clinical trial (LBCT) sessions spread over the 3-day meeting. LBCT I, on Saturday, showcases just three trials: RELIEVE-HF, EMPACT-MI, and AEGIS II. This last trial, we already know from top-line results, came up empty-handed and in doing so delivered what might be a mortal blow to the HDL-raising hypothesis.

RELIEVE-HF, by contrast, is exploring newer terrain. This the second-ever randomized trial of an atrial shunt to relieve pulmonary pressure in heart failure: early positive signals reported 2 years ago raised some hopes that this trial might yield better results than REDUCE LAP-HF II, where a different atrial shunt device proved no better than a sham procedure for relieving pulmonary wedge pressures.

From my standpoint, Im hopeful that this allows us to advance the care of people who are still refractory, said Katie Berlacher, MD (University of Pittsburgh, PA), who serves as the meetings vice chair and co-moderated the briefing. There are many patients who we have, both with reduced and preserved ejection fraction, that despite many of our really good medical therapies, they either can't be on more because they don't tolerate more, or they're on the most and they are still having heart failure [symptoms]. So I'm incredibly curious about a structural change to the heart that then treats this.

Rounding out LBCT I is EMPACT-MI, testing empagliflozin (Jardiance; Boehringer Ingelheim/Eli Lilly) prescription immediately after acute MI to reduce subsequent MACE over usual care. Here, too, ACC attendees will be thinking of a predecessor: DAPA-MI, presented at last years American Heart Association meeting, which tested dapagliflozin (Farxiga; AstraZeneca) in acute MI and also came up empty-handed. Notably, however, DAPA-MI specifical excluded patients with diabetes, whereas EMPACT-MI did not.

Sunday morning features two late-breaking sessions. LBCT II, at 8 AM, features a mix of lipid-lowering trials, the phase II KARDIA-2 hypertension trial testing zilebesiran (Alnylam), and a novel approach using gamification, financial incentives, or both to induce patients at risk of adverse CV events to be more physically active.

LBCT III, at 11 AM, is dominated by MI and ACS trials, the most hotly anticipated being DANGER-SHOCK testing the Impella percutaneous transvalvular micro-axial flow pump (Abiomed) in patients presenting with acute MI complicated by cardiogenic shock. As previously reported by TCTMD, this trial has faced uphill battles enrolling and randomizing the sickest of patients, leading to a steady stream of imperfect, observational studies to try to fill the knowledge gap.

Other LBCT III trials also will likely make headlines. TACT2 is revisiting the enticing idea that chelation might help post-MI in patients with diabetes. REDUCE-AMI is tackling the long-running question of whether long-term beta-blockers are helpful after MI in patients with preserved ejection fraction, particularly in the current era of guideline-directed medical therapy. Lastly, the ULTIMATE DAPT trial is the latest trial to try to cut down on post-PCI antiplatelet therapy regimens, this time with a strategy of just 1-month of ticagrelor monotherapy after ACS.

A lone structural heart disease trial appears in that session: the SMART trial is comparing a balloon-expandable and a self-expanding TAVI valve in patients with small aortic annuli.

Cardiomyopathies get the spotlight Monday morning. LBCT IV features two new agents and one old, in this space. ARISE-HF tested a selective aldose reductase inhibitor (at-001; Applied Therapeutics) for the treatment of diabetic cardiomyopathy. IMPROVE-HCM examined ninerafaxstat (Imbria Pharmaceuticals), a novel cardiac mitotrope, in patients with symptomatic nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. PROACT, however, features an old drug, the ACE inhibitor enalapril, for the possibility of preventing anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity in breast cancer and lymphoma patients. The last two trials in LBCT IV are a study of tranexamic acid to prevent seizures after cardiac surgery and TACTiC, testing a technology-assisted means of administering nonprescription rosuvastatin.

The last late-breaking session of ACC 2024 delivers an interventional cardiology wallop. LBCT V includes ORBITA-COSMIC, a placebo-procedure-controlled trial of a coronary sinus reducer for refractory angina; DEDICATE-DZHK6, pitting surgery against TAVI in low- and intermediate-risk patients; the Target BP I trial of renal denervation, an IVUS versus angiography to guide drug-coated balloon therapy in femoropopliteal artery disease; and preventive PCI versus medical therapy in patients with unstable coronary plaques. This last, said Drachman during the ACC press briefing, is sort of the Holy Grail of cardiologypreventing a future heart attack[and] I hope this trial will give more insights.

More Science

Each of the late breakers get a second look in deep-dive sessions scheduled later in the day each day. There are also three featured clinical research sessions, one per day, showcasing updates from recent trials or novel registry analyses.

Some outside-the-box studies have been grouped under the umbrella of Clinical and Investigative Horizons on Saturday and include a registry-based, decentralized trial addressing ways of providing more equitable cardiovascular care, a study of CVD risk factors among National Football League players and families, an implementation science study aimed at increasing heart failure therapies among members of the Navajo Nation, and a study gauging the effects of spirituality on blood pressure.

It's not all trials and science, of course, as the meetings CV Team Lead Kimberly Guibone, DNP (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA), explained to the media. There are dedicated sessions focused on business of medicine concerns for healthcare professionals, 11 game show-style sessions complete with quizzes, lights, and buzzers, andby popular demandthe puppies are back for stressed out conference attendees to get their hands on.

For more on whats to come at ACC 2024, check out the latest Rox Heart Radio. The TCTMD team will be on-site in Atlanta. Please reach out with tips, complaints, and comments: we hope to see you there.

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What's Going to Be Hot at ACC 2024 - TCTMD

Cardiology

E-cigarette use linked to increased risk of heart failure, large study finds – News-Medical.Net

People who use e-cigarettes are significantly more likely to develop heart failure compared with those who have never used them, according to one of the largest prospective studies to date investigating possible links between vaping and heart failure. The findings are being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session.

Heart failure is a condition affecting more than 6 million U.S. adults in which the heart becomes too stiff or too weak to pump blood as effectively as it should. It can often lead to debilitating symptoms and frequent hospitalizations as people age. Electronic nicotine products, which include e-cigarettes, vape pens, hookah pens, personal vaporizers and mods, e-cigars, e-pipes and e-hookahs, deliver nicotine in aerosol form without combustion. Since they were first introduced in the U.S. in the late 2000s, electronic nicotine products have often been portrayed as a safer alternative to smoking, but a growing body of research has led to increased concern about potential negative health effects.

More and more studies are linking e-cigarettes to harmful effects and finding that it might not be as safe as previously thought. The difference we saw was substantial. It's worth considering the consequences to your health, especially with regard to heart health."

Yakubu Bene-Alhasan, MD, a resident physician at MedStar Health in Baltimore and the study's lead author

For the study, researchers used data from surveys and electronic health records in All of Us, a large national study of U.S. adults run by the National Institutes of Health, to analyze associations between e-cigarette use and new diagnoses of heart failure in 175,667 study participants (an average age of 52 years and 60.5% female). Of this sample, 3,242 participants developed heart failure within a median follow-up time of 45 months.

The results showed that people who used e-cigarettes at any point were 19% more likely to develop heart failure compared with people who had never used e-cigarettes. In calculating this difference, researchers accounted for a variety of demographic and socioeconomic factors, other heart disease risk factors and participants' past and current use of other substances, including alcohol and tobacco products. The researchers also found no evidence that participants' age, sex or smoking status modified the relationship between e-cigarettes and heart failure.

Breaking the data down by type of heart failure, the increased risk associated with e-cigarette use was statistically significant for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF)-;in which the heart muscle becomes stiff and does not properly fill with blood between contractions. However, this association was not significant for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF)-;in which the heart muscle becomes weak and the left ventricle does not squeeze as hard as it should during contractions. Rates of HFpEF have risen in recent decades, which has led to an increased focus on determining risk factors and improving treatment options for this type of heart failure.

The findings align with previous studies conducted in animals, which signaled e-cigarette use can affect the heart in ways that are relevant to the heart changes involved in heart failure. Other studies in humans have also shown links between e-cigarette use and some risk factors associated with developing heart failure. However, previous studies attempting to assess the direct connection between e-cigarette use and heart failure have been inconclusive, which Bene-Alhasan said is due to the inherent limitations of the cross-sectional study designs, smaller sample sizes and the smaller number of heart failure events seen in previous research.

Researchers said the new study findings point to a need for additional investigations of the potential impacts of vaping on heart health, especially considering the prevalence of e-cigarette use among younger people. Surveys indicate that about 5% to 10% of U.S. teens and adults use e-cigarettes. In 2018, the U.S. Surgeon General called youth e-cigarette use an epidemic and warned about the health risks associated with nicotine addiction.

"I think this research is long overdue, especially considering how much e-cigarettes have gained traction," Bene-Alhasan said. "We don't want to wait too long to find out eventually that it might be harmful, and by that time a lot of harm might already have been done. With more research, we will get to uncover a lot more about the potential health consequences and improve the information out to the public."

Bene-Alhasan also said e-cigarettes are not recommended as a tool to quit smoking, since many people may continue vaping long after they quit smoking. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a combination of counseling and medications as the best strategy for quitting smoking.

Researchers said that the study's prospective observational design allows them to infer, but not conclusively determine, a causal relationship between e-cigarette use and heart failure. However, with its large sample size and detailed data on substance use and health information, Bene-Alhasan said the study is one of the most comprehensive studies to assess this relationship to date.

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E-cigarette use linked to increased risk of heart failure, large study finds - News-Medical.Net

Cardiology

Osso VR and ACC to Develop Cardiac Procedure Training with VR – HIT Consultant

What You Should Know:

Osso VR, the leader in immersive procedural training, announces a groundbreaking collaboration with the American College of Cardiology (ACC) to develop a state-of-the-art training curriculum for left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) procedures.

The strategic partnership marks a significant leap forward in the field of medical education, leveraging virtual reality (VR) technology to enhance interventional cardiologists training.

The Focus: Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion (LAAO)

The co-developed curriculum focuses on LAAO, a critical procedure that reduces stroke risk in patients with atrial fibrillation. Mastering LAAO requires a diverse skillset, including Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE). Osso VRs immersive platform addresses this by providing:

ACCs goal is to improve access to high-quality cardiovascular care. We are thrilled to collaborate with Osso VR to augment traditional interventional training for some of the more complex and cutting-edge procedures in our field, said Ami Bhatt, MD, FACC, ACC Chief Innovation Officer. This collaboration is the first step in a broader effort to increase access to consistent interventional cardiovascular care in the U.S. and globally.

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Osso VR and ACC to Develop Cardiac Procedure Training with VR - HIT Consultant

Cardiology

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center cardiologist to be honored by American Heart Association – American Heart Association

BOSTON The American Heart Association will present the 2024 Paul Dudley White Award to Dr. Robert E. Gerszten in recognition of his contributions to the field of cardiovascular medicine and outstanding record of mentoring the next generation of researchers, educators and health care professionals.

Dr. Gerszten is chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Herman Dana Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He will receive the award at the Boston Heart and Stroke Ball on May 4.

The Paul Dudley White Award has been presented annually since 1974 to a Boston-based medical professional who has made extraordinary contributions to cardiovascular or stroke care. It is named after one of the citys most revered cardiologists, Dr. Paul Dudley White, a founder of the American Heart Association who is regarded as the father of preventive cardiology.

Dr. Gerszten was selected to receive this years award by a committee of area physicians. In choosing Dr. Gerszten, the committee praised him for his work around predicting, preventing, and treating patients with cardiovascular disease. They also credited his more than 30 years as a volunteer for the American Heart Association and his extensive record of mentorship.

Several colleagues nominated Dr. Gerszten for the award. Among them was Dr. Robert W. Yeh, a cardiologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Smith Family Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. In his nominating letter, Dr. Yeh commended Dr. Gerszten for dedicating his life to preventing and treating cardiovascular disease.

He has done this through his groundbreaking research, through the mentorship of multiple generations of physician scientists, through a consistent presence at the bedside caring for critically ill patients, and through his leadership of one of the countrys premier cardiovascular divisions, said Dr. Yeh. He has carried out his lifes work with honesty, integrity, professionalism, grace, good humor and relentless determination.

Dr. Gersztens contributions to the scientific community are extensive. He has played a significant role in our understanding of how metabolic issues impact cardiac health. His research has consistently been published in top scientific journals, and his laboratory has continually been funded by prestigious organizations including the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Gerszten has also served in various volunteer roles for the American Heart Association throughout his career. This includes participating in working groups, grant review activities, and the coordination of community-based fundraising through the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Boston Heart Walk team. Additionally, he has played a pivotal role in planning Scientific Sessions, an annual American Heart Association conference dedicated to highlighting the latest breakthroughs in cardiovascular research.

Dr. Gerszten is also known for being an exceptional mentor, showing an unwavering commitment to training the next generation of leaders in cardiovascular science. Colleagues credit him for fostering a collaborative work environment and for being an exemplary role model.

Over the past year of working daily with Dr. Gerszten in a leadership capacity, I have found him to represent every single humanistic quality that I might imagine distinguished Paul Dudley White, said Dr. Jennifer E. Ho, a cardiologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. He cares deeply about the people around him, whether they be colleagues, trainees or patients.

Dr. Gerszten received his bachelors degree from the University of Virginia and his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University. He completed his residency at the University of Pennsylvania and his clinical fellowship in cardiology at Massachusetts General Hospital.

He lives in Brookline with his wife Elena. He is happiest while fishing off Marthas Vineyard, or even while losing to his two sons in tennis. His career has been deeply impacted by his parents, both of whom dedicated their lives to academic medicine as a physician educator and as a social worker.

The Boston Heart and Stroke Ball is a celebration of the year-round Heart of Boston campaign, which supports the American Heart Associations 2024 Health Equity Impact Goal to reduce barriers to health care access and quality. It will be held on Saturday, May 4, at the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport.

Dr. Gersztens commitment to the mission of the American Heart Association has been instrumental in our efforts to ensure that every person has the opportunity to live a full, healthy life, said Eric Green, chair of the Heart of Boston campaign and senior vice president and head of development programs at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals. We look forward to honoring his contributions to cardiology and health when we gather at the Heart and Stroke Ball in May.

For more information about the Heart and Stroke Ball, visit heart.org/BostonHB or contact Rachel Adjemian, associate vice president of development, at rachel.adjemian@heart.org.

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About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the publics health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for nearly a century. Connect with us onheart.org,Facebook,Xor by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

For Media Inquiries:

Chris Camire, Marketing Communications Director

chris.camire@heart.org

For Public Inquiries:

1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

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Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center cardiologist to be honored by American Heart Association - American Heart Association

Cardiology

Kapil Yadav, M.D., Joins UAMS to Lead Nuclear Cardiology and Vascular Medicine Program – UAMS News

View Larger Image Kapil Yadav, M.D.

March 18, 2024 | LITTLE ROCK Kapil Yadav, M.D., an established interventional cardiologist in central Arkansas, has joined the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) to lead its Nuclear Cardiology and Vascular Medicine Program.

An associate professor in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine in the UAMS College of Medicines Department of Internal Medicine, Yadav will treat patients at the UAMS Neighborhood Clinic in Maumelle and at the Outpatient Center on the UAMS campus.

I am delighted that Dr. Kapil Yadav has chosen to move his practice to UAMS, said Paul Mounsey, M.D., Ph.D., director of the UAMS Division of Cardiovascular Medicine.A prominent local cardiologist with wide clinical interests, Dr. Yadav will strengthen both our noninvasive cardiology services, particularly nuclear cardiology, and our interventional cardiology group.

Mounsey added, His interest in peripheral vascular disease will add a new dimension to the cardiovascular disease management at UAMS. He will also have an important role in educating our fellows and residents about cardiology.

Yadav, an interventional and endovascular cardiologist, completed a fellowship in interventional and structural cardiology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson in 2018 and a fellowship in cardiovascular disease at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans in 2017.

He completed a residency in internal medicine at Cook County Hospital in Chicago in 2014, after receiving his medical degree from SMS Medical College in India with rotations at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.

UAMS has an outstanding cardiovascular team, and we are growing the program to provide a wide variety of specialized care, Yadav said.

He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology, the National Board of Echocardiography and the Board of Nuclear Cardiology.

To schedule an appointment with Yadav, call 501-686-8000 and request the location that works best for you. He will be at the Maumelle clinic on Fridays.

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Kapil Yadav, M.D., Joins UAMS to Lead Nuclear Cardiology and Vascular Medicine Program - UAMS News

Cardiology

Doctors form new coalition focused on reducing private equity’s role in cardiology, other healthcare specialties – Cardiovascular Business

Thousands of U.S. physicians have joined forces to launch the Coalition for Patient-Centered Care (CPCC), a new organization focused on reducing the involvement and influence of private equity in the American healthcare system.

CPCCs members include more than 5,000 physicians from 46 U.S. states. The OrthoForum, a Tennessee-based group of private orthopedic practices, the Association for Independent Medicine (AIM) and PELTO are also listed as founding members on the organizations website.

According to the newly formed group, it wants to eliminate tax breaks associated with private equity-funded acquisitions and close loopholes that allow private equity-backed groups to circumvent the ban on the corporate practice of medicine. The group also aims to ensure private equity-funded acquisitions of physician practices are regulated just as closely as any other healthcare merger or acquisition.

Independent physicians across specialties including radiology, anesthesiology, cardiology and more will have a better chance of influencing policy in the right direction than any one specialty standing alone, AIM President Marco Fernandez, MD, a veteran cardiac anesthesiologist and CPCC founding member, told Cardiovascular Business.

When private equity takes over, they often hire less-expensive, less-experienced providers and make them work harder, added surgeon Stephen McCollam, MD, another founding CPCC member. From what Ive seen, this results in lower quality care, higher utilization rates of expensive specialty testing due to a lack of experience and lack of confidence in their clinical abilitiesand higher burnout rates. Ultimately, these effects of private equity ownership cost the patient more while providing lower quality care.

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Doctors form new coalition focused on reducing private equity's role in cardiology, other healthcare specialties - Cardiovascular Business