The American journal of cardiology
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After acute coronary syndrome (ACS), dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is the standard of care for both invasive management with percutaneous intervention and noninvasive (medical) management. Conversely, studies using dual antiplatelet in the population of patients presenting with ACS who undergo coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are conflicting. The appropriate antiplatelet regimen after CABG remains an area of controversy. ⋯ In conclusion, there is no clear consensus regarding the use of DAPT in patients after CABG. If not contraindicated, it is reasonable to use DAPT, starting in the postoperative period, in patients presenting with ACS. Large, multicenter, randomized clinical trials are needed to definitively investigate the role of DAPT in patients with ACS after CABG.
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There are limited population-based data available describing trends in the long-term prognosis of patients discharged from the hospital after an initial acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Our objectives were to describe multidecade trends in post-discharge mortality and their association with hospital management practices in patients discharged from all medical centers in Central Massachusetts after a first AMI. Residents of the Worcester, Massachusetts, metropolitan area discharged from all hospitals in Central Massachusetts after a first AMI from 1975 to 2009 comprised the study population (n = 8,728). ⋯ After adjusting for several demographic characteristics, clinical factors, and inhospital complications, there were no significant differences in the odds of dying at 1-year post-discharge during the years under study. After further adjustment for hospital treatment practices, the odds of dying at 1 year post-discharge was 2.43 (95% confidence interval = 1.83 to 3.23) times higher in patients hospitalized in 1999 to 2009 than in 1975 to 1984. In conclusion, the increased use of invasive cardiac interventions and pharmacotherapies was associated with enhanced long-term survival in patients hospitalized for a first AMI.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Balancing the Risk of Bleeding and Stroke in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (from the AVIATOR Registry).
Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are at elevated risk for bleeding and thromboembolic ischemic events. Currently, guidelines on antithrombotic treatment for these patients are based on weak consensus. We describe patterns and determinants of antithrombotic prescriptions in this population. ⋯ However, there was no significant association between bleeding risk and TT prescription in the overall cohort or within each CHADS2 risk stratum. The rates of major adverse cardiovascular events were similar for patients discharged on TT or DAPT (20% vs 17%, adjusted hazard ratio 0.8, 95% CI 0.5 to 1.1, p = 0.19), whereas the rate of Bleeding Academic Research Consortium ≥2 bleeding was higher in patients discharged on TT (11.5% vs 6.4%, adjusted hazard ratio 1.8, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.9, p = 0.02). In conclusion, the choice of the intensity of antithrombotic therapy correlated more closely with the risk of ischemic rather than bleeding events in this cohort of patients with AF who underwent PCI.
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Percutaneous catheter ablation is a safe and effective treatment for symptomatic drug-resistant atrial fibrillation (AF). Gastroparesis is a little known complication of AF ablation. We aimed to evaluate the frequency of gastroparesis in the patients who underwent catheter ablation for AF by cryoballoon (CB) or radiofrequency (RF) and to define risk factors for gastroparesis. ⋯ Although, clinically manifest gastroparesis is quite common with CB ablation, the process is generally reversible. However, damage may not be as reversible with RF ablation. In conclusion, during cryoablation, lower temperatures on inferior PVs and small left atrium size may be associated with increased risk of gastroparesis, and fluoroscopic guidance may be useful to avoid this complication.