JACC. Cardiovascular interventions
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JACC Cardiovasc Interv · Dec 2013
Review Meta AnalysisLeft main coronary artery stenosis: a meta-analysis of drug-eluting stents versus coronary artery bypass grafting.
The goal of this study was to provide a systematic review comparing the long-term outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DES) versus coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) for unprotected left main coronary artery (UPLM) stenosis. ⋯ Our findings suggest that PCI with DES is a safe and durable alternative to CABG for the revascularization of UPLM stenosis in select patients at long-term follow-up.
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JACC Cardiovasc Interv · Nov 2013
ReviewTransradial versus transfemoral percutaneous coronary intervention in acute coronary syndromes: re-evaluation of the current body of evidence.
Recent literature has argued the superiority of radial access compared with femoral access for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Three particular trials-RIVAL (Radial Versus Femoral Access for Coronary Intervention), RIFLE-STEACS (Radial Versus Femoral Randomized Investigation in ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome), and STEMI-RADIAL (ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction Treated by Radial or Femoral Approach-Randomized Multicenter Study Comparing Radial Versus Femoral Approach in Primary PCI)-demonstrated lower rates of bleeding and vascular complications with the transradial approach. Bleeding is a major independent predictor of negative long-term outcomes including death, predisposes patients to transfusions, and attenuates the ability to administer cardioprotective post-procedural anticoagulation. ⋯ These are important considerations especially for high-risk and ACS patients, in whom the negative implications of major bleeding are even greater. Without an optimized design, the applications of the trial findings are uncertain. Ultimately, a trial comparing femoral versus radial access in patients on bivalirudin, potent oral antiplatelet medication, and without adjunctive glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors is needed to assess outcomes based on access site alone.
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JACC Cardiovasc Interv · Nov 2013
ReviewSystematic use of transradial PCI in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: a call to "arms".
A growing body of evidence now supports the use of transradial percutaneous intervention (TRI) as the preferred access site for the treatment of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Historically, TRI has been avoided in the STEMI population due to concerns over longer procedure time, longer door-to-device time, higher crossover rates, and the experience level required with TRI compared with transfemoral access. However, in recent years, recognition of the impact of periprocedural bleeding on mortality in patients with acute coronary syndromes has garnered interest in the utility of TRI as an established method to reduce bleeding. ⋯ Additional benefits of TRI include enhanced patient comfort, reduced hospital length of stay, and reduced cost. Despite the evidence, trends in use of TRI in the United States have shown a slow adoption rate as a result of multiple barriers in clinical practice and doubts about the mechanism and causal relationship of mortality reduction with TRI. We summarize the current evidence and propose a call to action to foster training of TRI in cardiovascular fellowship programs and post-fellowship courses, and for more widespread implementation of TRI in STEMI patients.
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JACC Cardiovasc Interv · Nov 2013
ReviewResponse variability to P2Y12 receptor inhibitors: expectations and reality.
P2Y12 inhibitors are widely used in patients with acute coronary syndromes and in the secondary prevention of thrombotic events in vascular diseases. Within the past few years, several pharmacological, genetic, and clinical limitations of the second-generation thienopyridine clopidogrel have raised major concerns. High on-treatment platelet reactivity, which is common in clopidogrel-treated patients, and its clinical implications led to the development of the more effective platelet P2Y12 inhibitors prasugrel (a third-generation thienopyridine) and ticagrelor (a cyclopentyl-triazolo-pyrimidine). ⋯ Therefore, cardiologists might be facing a new challenge in the future: to individualize the level of platelet inhibition in order to decrease thrombotic events without increasing bleeding. The current review focuses on the use of platelet function testing and pharmacogenomic testing in order to identify patients who either do not respond to or are at risk of not responding sufficiently to P2Y12 inhibitors. Moreover, this paper discusses randomized trials, which so far have failed to show that tailored antiplatelet therapy improves clinical outcome, and treatment options for patients with high on-treatment platelet reactivity.
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JACC Cardiovasc Interv · Aug 2013
Review Meta AnalysisRadial versus femoral access for primary percutaneous interventions in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
This study sought to determine the safety and efficacy of radial access compared with femoral access for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). ⋯ In STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI, the radial approach is associated with favorable outcomes and should be the preferred approach for experienced radial operators.