TCTMD’s Top 10 Most Popular Stories for May 2017

Meeting news from EuroPCR and SCAI, a catheter recall, and a study questioning sodium guidelines topped the list this month.

TCTMD’s Top 10 Most Popular Stories for May 2017

Meeting news from SCAI and EuroPCR 2017 dominated headlines this month. Top stories included new information on scaffold thrombosis with the Absorb BVS, updates on instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) versus fractional flow reserve (FFR), cataract risks with radiation exposure, the best antiplatelet drug at 30 days after PCI, and sodium guidelines plus results from the EUROCTO and REPRISE III trials, among others. May 2017 was also a busy month for feature stories on TCTMD, which looked at everything from the safety of very aggressive LDL lowering to India’s decision to put a price cap on stents.

Scaffold Thrombosis ‘Unpredictable’ With Absorb: AIDA Analysis

Unlike in the ABSORB studies, even adhering to good implantation techniques failed to limit the risk of device thrombosis.

TOPIC: Replacing P2Y12 Inhibitors With Clopidogrel 1 Month After PCI Saves Money, Prevents Bleeding in ACS

The single-center study has economic and clinical implications for a strategy already in use in some parts of the world.

EUROCTO: Revascularization Bests Medical Therapy for Quality of Life in CTO Lesions

The data might not be enough to convince staunch CTO PCI opponents, but they should inform guidelines, the lead investigator says.

REPRISE III: Lotus Valve Matches CoreValve in First, Large Head-to-Head TAVR Trial

Lotus carried low rates of death, stroke, and paravalvular leak, but pacemaker implantations were higher than with CoreValve.

Nearly Half of Interventional Cardiologists May Have Pre-Cataract Lesions

Based on eye exams conducted at last year’s SCAI meeting, investigators say 47% of operators screened had radiation-related damage.

A Grain of Salt: Framingham Offspring Data Refute Dietary Sodium Guidelines

Individuals were more likely to have low systolic and diastolic blood pressures if their sodium intake was higher than currently recommended.

Big Questions for Bioresorbable Scaffolds: Experts and Innovators Debate

Strut size, implantation techniques, and PCSK9 inhibitors: everything was on the table during an innovation session that kicked off EuroPCR.

iFR and FFR Equally Safe for Deferring Revascularization, Pooled Analysis Shows

Combined data from DEFINE-FLAIR and iFR-SWEDEHEART suggest that clinical presentation may influence functional assessment results.

Abbott Vascular Recalls Three Coronary Catheters Because of Possible Sheath Removal Problems

Specific lots of the devices have been recalled due to potential difficulty in removing the protective balloon sheath, an issue that has resulted in at least one patient death.

Slimmest Stent to Date Looks Promising in Small Study

The single-arm study found low rates of target vessel failure at 1 year, but with no comparator arm, some questions remain.

Top Features

How Low Can You Go? Concerns Over Aggressive LDL Lowering Eased as PCSK9 Evidence Mounts

Experts say FOURIER helped assuage concerns over cognitive effects, cataracts, and diabetes but that many more years of data are needed.

Absorb in Europe: When, How, and by Whom the Beleaguered BVS Is Being Used After Restrictions

Just how many European centers will still use the bioresorbable scaffold? Turns out the actual number is difficult to pin down.

Stents as Essential Medicine: India’s Cap on Stent Prices Could Have Ripples Around the Globe

Coronary stents in India now cost a fraction of their former price—by government decree. But will patients see the benefits?

Shelley Wood is Managing Editor of TCTMD and the Editorial Director at CRF. She did her undergraduate degree at McGill…

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