Angioplasty News and Research

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In angioplasty procedures, a balloon is fed through a catheter and used to prop open an artery that has become narrowed or blocked. In cases where stenting is appropriate, a stent mounted on a balloon is inserted and inflation of the balloon expands the stent against the blocked artery wall to hold the vessel open. The balloon is then deflated and the catheter is withdrawn. Stent treatment of arteries holds them open and improves blood flow to the heart. In cases where post-dilatation is needed, a high-pressure balloon is inflated inside a stent to help better place the stent against the vessel wall.

Major bleeding after PCI may increase in-hospital mortality

In a study that included 3.3 million percutaneous coronary intervention procedures, major bleeding after PCI was associated with significantly increased in-hospital mortality, with an estimated 12 percent of deaths after PCI related to bleeding complications, according to a study appearing in the March 13 issue of JAMA.

13 Mar 2013

EDTA chelation, high-dose vitamins/minerals may provide additional benefit for MI patients

Heart attack patients given a combination of high-dose oral vitamins and minerals do not exhibit a significant reduction in recurrent cardiac events, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 62nd Annual Scientific Session.

13 Mar 2013

High-dose rosuvastatin reduces acute kidney injury caused by imaging dye in ACS patients

High doses of a popular cholesterol-lowering drug significantly reduced the rate of acute kidney injury caused by dye used in imaging in acute coronary syndrome patients who underwent a coronary procedure, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 62nd Annual Scientific Session.

12 Mar 2013

Study: On-site surgery services unnecessary for patient safety in non-emergency angioplasty

Non-emergency angioplasty performed at hospitals without on-site cardiac surgery capability is no less safe and effective than angioplasty performed at hospitals with cardiac surgery services, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 62nd Annual Scientific Session.

12 Mar 2013

Inclacumab reduces damage to heart muscle during angioplasty

A single dose of an investigational anti-inflammatory drug called inclacumab considerably reduces damage to heart muscle during angioplasty (the opening of a blocked artery), according to a recent international clinical trial spearheaded by Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif, Director of the Research Centre at the Montreal Heart Institute, affiliated with the University of Montreal.

11 Mar 2013

Failure to use aspirin before angioplasty increases death rate

Despite recommendations from leading medical groups, a surprising number of patients are not given aspirin before artery-clearing coronary angioplasty and stenting, and those patients have a significantly higher in-hospital death rate, according to research from a Michigan network being presented at the American College of Cardiology's 62nd Annual Scientific Session.

8 Mar 2013

Upheaval caused by Hurricane Katrina seems to have disrupted heart attack timing

The upheaval caused by Hurricane Katrina seems to have disrupted the usual timing of heart attacks, shifting peak frequency from weekday mornings to weekend nights, in a change in pattern that persisted a full five years after the storm, according to research being presented at the American College of Cardiology's 62nd Annual Scientific Session.

8 Mar 2013

Registration open for Society of Interventional Radiology's Annual Scientific Meeting

Online meeting registration is open for the Society of Interventional Radiology's Annual Scientific Meeting April 13 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.

1 Mar 2013

Pivotal study of olesoxime in Spinal Muscular Atrophy receives positive interim review

Trophos SA, a clinical stage pharmaceutical company developing innovative therapeutics from discovery to clinical validation for under-served medical needs in neurology and cardiology, announced the completion of the interim analysis of the pivotal efficacy study of olesoxime in the rare neurodegenerative condition Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).

1 Mar 2013

CellAegis Devices to use autoRIC Device for Chronic Remote Ischemic Conditioning

CellAegis Devices, Inc., announced today that it has received an Investigational Testing Approval from Health Canada that allows the initiation of clinical testing in Canada of the Company's autoRIC Device for Chronic Remote Ischemic Conditioning (CRIC).

27 Feb 2013

Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute, USF partner for novel gene therapy trial

Cardiovascular disease specialists at Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute and Dr. Kiran C. Patel Research Institute affiliated with the University of South Florida announced they have enrolled their first patients into a clinical trial testing a novel gene therapy for the treatment of heart failure after ischemic injury. The therapy may promote the regeneration of heart tissue by encouraging the body to deploy more stem cells to the injury site.

22 Feb 2013

Meridian Health, Bayshore Community Hospital announce $5 million charitable contribution

Bayshore Community Hospital and Meridian Health Affiliated Foundations today announced a $5 million charitable contribution from Mrs. Janice Mitchell Vassar, whose sole desire, in her words, is to "make my hospital the best hospital it can be."

16 Feb 2013

Patients with preinfarction angina have smaller heart attacks, improved cardiac function

Patients who experience chest pain in the 24 hours preceding a heart attack, also called preinfarction angina, have smaller heart attacks and improved cardiac function in the contemporary cardiac stenting era, researchers found in a study published Jan. 22 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions.

5 Feb 2013

SIR, Society for Vascular Surgery partner on IVC filter study

The Society of Interventional Radiology and Society for Vascular Surgery jointly will launch PRESERVE-the first large-scale, multispecialty prospective study to evaluate the use of inferior vena cava (IVC) filters and related follow-up treatment.

2 Feb 2013

New AngioSculpt catheters from AngioScore can treat peripheral artery disease below the knee

AngioScore, Inc., a developer of novel angioplasty catheters for use in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, today announced the launch of its new 100 mm length AngioSculpt PTA Scoring Balloon Catheters for the treatment of peripheral artery disease (PAD) below the knee (BTK).

28 Jan 2013

Interventional Radiology launches IR Quarterly magazine

Interventional Radiology announces the launch of IR Quarterly-a new magazine that communicates updates critical to the practice of interventional radiology, augmented with stories, interviews and in-depth analysis in each four-color, 40-page issue. IR Quarterly delivers quality reporting on political advocacy, practice management and the latest specialty news and information.

23 Jan 2013

EBV reactivation can increase risk of heart disease

A new study could provide the link that scientists have been looking for to confirm that reactivation of a latent herpes virus is a cause of some heart problems.

23 Jan 2013

Stent placement ‘effective alternative to IVT in stroke patients’

In stroke patients in whom intravenous thrombolysis is either contraindicated or has failed, intra-arterial revascularization with cerebral angioplasty and stent placement is an effective and well-tolerated treatment, say Czech researchers.

31 Dec 2012

Study shows dramatic underuse of basic medical therapy

Patients who quit smoking and took an aspirin and statin before undergoing treatment for blocked leg arteries were less likely to suffer a complication six months later, according to new research led by the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center.

21 Dec 2012

Clopidogrel pretreatment for PCI does not reduce risk of overall mortality

Among patients scheduled for a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI; procedures such as balloon angioplasty or stent placement used to open narrowed coronary arteries), pretreatment with the antiplatelet agent clopidogrel was not associated with a lower risk of overall mortality but was associated with a significantly lower risk of major coronary events, according to a review and meta-analysis of previous studies published in the December 19 issue of JAMA.

19 Dec 2012