Coronary Intravascular Lithotripsy.

Coronary artery calcification is strongly associated with adverse cardiac events and can impede the success of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) due to challenges with delivery of equipment and expansion of stents. Current treatment modalities for mitigation of coronary calcification have limitations and inherent risk of complications. Coronary intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) is a novel technique to modify coronary artery calcification via acoustic pressure waves. IVL utilizes an easy-to-use device, which does not require a steep learning curve. Prospective studies have shown this technique to be safe and effective and can be used to adequately modify calcified coronary stenoses in preparation for PCI and stent deployment and optimization. IVL has unique features that can be used alone or as an adjunctive therapy to other available calcium modification tools. As compared to the currently established modalities of calcium modification, IVL has the potential to facilitate successful PCI with fewer serious procedural complications. In this review article, we discuss the importance of coronary artery calcification, the role of IVL, its mechanism, the current clinical data behind its use and future directions. Overall, coronary IVL is a promising technology for the treatment of severely calcified coronary stenoses, with a need for, long-term clinical outcome data of IVL-facilitated PCI.

Radial vs. Femoral Access for Percutaneous Coronary Artery Intervention in Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of transradial vs transfemoral access for coronary angiography and intervention in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) without cardiogenic shock. METHODS: PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Central were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing outcomes of STEMI patients who underwent transradial angiography (TRA) compared to transfemoral angiography (TFA). Our outcomes of interest were major adverse cardiac events (MACE), all-cause mortality, severe bleeding, access site bleeding, myocardial infarction, stroke, and major vascular complications. Summary statistics are reported as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: In a pooled analysis of 17 RCTs with 12,118 randomized patients, the use of transradial compared to transfemoral approach in STEMI patients without cardiogenic shock was associated with a significant reduction in MACE [OR 0.85 (95% CI 0.73-0.99; p = 0.04; NNT = 111; I2 = 0%)] and all-cause mortality [OR 0.71 (95% CI 0.57-0.88; p < 0.01; NNT = 111; I2 = 0%)]. Severe bleeding [OR 0.57 (95% CI 0.44-0.74; p < 0.01; NNT = 77; I2 = 0%)], access-site bleeding [OR 0.39 (95% CI 0.26-0.59; p < 0.01; NNT = 67; I2 = 24%)], and major vascular complications [OR of 0.31 (95% CI 0.17-0.55; p < 0.01; NNT = 125; I2 = 0%)] were lower in TRA compared to TFA. There was no difference in stroke (0.6% vs 0.5%) or recurrent myocardial infarction (2.01% vs 2.02%) between the two approaches. CONCLUSIONS: For coronary intervention in STEMI patients without cardiogenic shock, there is a clear mortality benefit with the TRA over TFA. Further studies are needed to see if this mortality benefit persists over the long-term.

Complete versus culprit only revascularization in ST-elevation myocardial infarction-a perspective on recent trials and recommendations.

The presence of multivessel coronary artery disease (CAD) is strongly associated with higher 30-day mortality, reduced myocardial reperfusion success, reinfarction, and occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at 1 year compared with single-vessel CAD. Despite higher morbidity and mortality in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and coexistent multivessel CAD, major guidelines recommended against percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on non-culprit lesions at the time of primary PCI in patients with STEMI who are hemodynamically stable. The presence of multivessel CAD often poses a therapeutic dilemma for interventional cardiologists. A few larger scale randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses have been conducted. The conclusions regarding multivessel PCI generally trend towards lower risk of MACE, repeat revascularization, with similar risks of recurrent myocardial infarction (MI) and mortality. However, none of the RCTs were adequately powered for hard outcomes of death and MI.

Temporal Trends and Sex Differences in Revascularization and Outcomes of ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction in Younger Adults in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Older women presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are less likely to receive revascularization and have worse outcomes relative to their male counterparts. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine temporal trends and sex differences in revascularization and in-hospital outcomes of younger patients with STEMI. METHODS: We used the 2004 to 2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample databases to identify all patients age 18 to 59 years hospitalized with STEMI. Temporal trends and sex differences in revascularization strategies, in-hospital mortality, and length of stay were analyzed. RESULTS: From 2004 to 2011, of 1,363,492 younger adults (age <60 years) with acute myocardial infarction, 632,930 (46.4%) had STEMI. Younger women with acute myocardial infarction were less likely than men to present with STEMI (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.73 to 0.75). Younger women with STEMI were less likely to receive reperfusion as compared with younger men (percutaneous coronary intervention adjusted OR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.73 to 0.75) (coronary artery bypass grafting adjusted OR: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.60 to 0.62) (thrombolysis adjusted OR: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.78 to 0.82). From 2004 to 2011, use of percutaneous coronary intervention for STEMI increased in both younger men (63.9% to 84.8%; ptrend < 0.001) and women (53.6% to 77.7%; ptrend < 0.001). In-hospital mortality was significantly higher in younger women compared with men (4.5% vs. 3.0%; adjusted OR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.07 to 1.15). There was an increasing trend in risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality in both younger men and women during the study period. Length of stay decreased in both younger men and women (ptrend < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Younger women are less likely to receive revascularization for STEMI and have higher in-hospital mortality as compared with younger men. Use of percutaneous coronary intervention for STEMI and in-hospital mortality have increased, whereas length of stay has decreased in both sexes over the past several years.