Journal of the American College of Cardiology
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Nov 2013
ReviewStent thrombosis with drug-eluting stents: is the paradigm shifting?
First-generation drug-eluting stents (DES), which impart the controlled release of sirolimus or paclitaxel from durable polymers to the vessel wall, have been consistently shown to reduce the risk of restenosis and target vessel revascularization compared with bare metal stents (BMS). However, stent thrombosis (ST) emerged as a major safety concern with first-generation DES early after their adoption in clinical practice, requiring prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy. Pathological studies have shown that first-generation DES are associated with delayed arterial healing and polymer hypersensitivity reactions resulting in chronic inflammation, predisposing to late and very late ST. ⋯ The thin-strut structure of the stent platform, the thromboresistant properties of the fluoropolymer, and the reduced polymer and drug load may contribute to the low rate of ST with CoCr-EES. The notion of DES being safer than BMS represents a paradigm shift in the evolution of percutaneous coronary intervention. The relative safety and efficacy of fluoropolymer-coated CoCr-EES, DES with bioabsorbable polymers, and fully bioresorbable scaffolds are the subject of numerous ongoing large-scale trials.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Nov 2013
Comparative StudyWearable cardioverter-defibrillator use in patients perceived to be at high risk early post-myocardial infarction.
The aim of this study was to describe usage of the wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD) during mandated waiting periods following myocardial infarction (MI) for patients perceived to be at high risk for sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). ⋯ During the 40-day and 3-month waiting periods in patients post-MI, the WCD successfully treated SCA in 1.4%, and the risk was highest in the first month of WCD use. The WCD may benefit individual patients selected for high risk of SCA early post-MI.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Nov 2013
CommentSelective heart rate reduction with ivabradine unloads the left ventricle in heart failure patients.
The study aimed to determine whether isolated heart rate (HR) reduction with ivabradine reduces afterload of patients with systolic heart failure. ⋯ Isolated HR reduction by ivabradine improves TAC, thus reducing Ea. Because Ees is unaltered, improved ventricular-arterial coupling is responsible for increased SV. Therefore, unloading of the heart may contribute to the beneficial effect of isolated HR reduction in patients with systolic heart failure.