Advances in clinical cardiology

Abstract

Multiple, potentially practice-changing cardiology trials have been presented or published over the past year. In this paper, we summarize and place in clinical context, new data regarding management of acute coronary syndrome and ST-elevation myocardial infarction (copeptin assessment, otamixaban, cangrelor, prasugrel, sodium nitrite, inclacumab, ranolazine, preventive coronary intervention of non-culprit lesions, immediate thrombolytic therapy versus transfer for primary intervention), new coronary intervention data (thrombectomy, radial access, pressure wire fractional flow reserve, antiplatelet therapy duration and gene-guidance, permanent and biodegradable polymers, coronary bifurcation and strategies), and coronary artery bypass data (off pump vs. on pump). Latest trials in trans-aortic valve implantation, heart failure (eplerenone, aliskiren, spironolactone, sildenafil, dopamine, nesiritide, omecamtiv mecarbil, the algisyl left ventricular augmentation device, and echo-guided cardiac resynchronization), atrial fibrillation (edoxaban, dabigatran, and ablation), cardiac arrest (hypothermia, LUCAS™ mechanical chest compression), and cardiovascular prevention (vitamins, renal denervation for resistant hypertension, renal artery stenting, saxagliptin, alogliptin, and gastric banding) are also discussed.