Coronary Arterial Function and Disease in Women With No Obstructive Coronary Arteries.

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is the leading cause of mortality in women. While traditional cardiovascular risk factors play an important role in the development of IHD in women, women may experience sex-specific IHD risk factors and pathophysiology, and thus female-specific risk stratification is needed for IHD prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Emerging data from the past 2 decades have significantly improved the understanding of IHD in women, including mechanisms of ischemia with no obstructive coronary arteries and myocardial infarction with no obstructive coronary arteries. Despite this progress, sex differences in IHD outcomes persist, particularly in young women. This review highlights the contemporary understanding of coronary arterial function and disease in women with no obstructive coronary arteries, including coronary anatomy and physiology, mechanisms of ischemia with no obstructive coronary arteries and myocardial infarction with no obstructive coronary arteries, noninvasive and invasive diagnostic strategies, and management of IHD.

Early coronary angiography in NSTEMI: a regional Victorian perspective.

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines highlight a paucity of evidence guiding optimal timing for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) in high-risk and non-high-risk cases. AIM: We assessed long-term major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in NSTEMI patients undergoing early (<24 h) versus delayed (>24 h) coronary angiography at 6 years. Secondary end-points included all-cause mortality and cumulative MACE outcomes. METHODS: Baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes were assessed among 355 patients presenting to a tertiary regional hospital between 2017 and 2018. Cox proportional hazard models were generated for MACE and all-cause mortality outcomes, adjusting for the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score, patient demographics, biomarkers and comorbidities. RESULTS: Two hundred and seventy patients were included; 147 (54.4%) and 123 (45.6%) underwent early and delayed coronary angiography respectively. Median time to coronary angiography was 13.3 and 45.4 h respectively. At 6 years, 103 patients (38.1%) experienced MACE; 41 in the early group and 62 in the delayed group (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.23; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.50-3.31). After multivariable adjustment, the delayed group had higher rates of MACE (HR = 1.79; 95% CI = 1.19-2.70), all-cause mortality (HR = 2.76; 95% CI = 1.36-5.63) and cumulative MACE (incidence rate ratio = 1.54; 95% CI = 1.12-2.11). Subgroup analysis of MACE outcomes in rural and weekend NSTEMI presentations was not significant between early and delayed coronary angiography (HR = 1.49; 95% CI = 0.83-2.62). CONCLUSION: Higher MACE rates in the delayed intervention group suggest further investigation is needed. Randomised control trials would be well suited to assess the role of early invasive intervention across all NSTEMI risk groups.

Outcomes of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients with Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection.

OBJECTIVES: To compare outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) patients versus conservative therapy. BACKGROUND: SCAD is an important cause of myocardial infarction (MI) in young-to-middle-aged women. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is often pursued, but outcomes compared to conservative therapy are unclear. METHODS: 403 nonatherosclerotic SCAD patients were enrolled between 2011 and 2017 and prospectively followed up in our Vancouver General Hospital registries. Detailed baseline, hospital, PCI, and outcomes were recorded. We explored the outcomes of SCAD patients who underwent PCI during their initial presentation. RESULTS: PCI was performed in 75 patients, the average age was 48.9 ± 10.1 yrs, and 94.7% were women. All presented with MI; 50.7% STEMI, 49.3% NSTEMI, and 13.3% had VT/VF. PCI was successful in 34.7%, partially successful in 37.3%, and unsuccessful in 28.0%. Stents were deployed in 73.3%, 16.0% had balloon angioplasty alone, 10.7% had wiring attempts only, and 5.3% required bailout surgery. Major adverse cardiovascular event rates (MACE) were significantly higher with the PCI group in hospital (29.3% versus 2.8%, p < 0.001), and at median follow-up of 3.7 yrs (58.7% versus 22.6% (p < 0.001) compared to the non-PCI group. CONCLUSION: PCI in SCAD patients was associated with high failure rate and MACE in hospital and at long-term follow-up. These findings support the recommendation of conservative therapy as first-line management unless high-risk features are present.

Strategies for Recovering an Embolized Percutaneous Device.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Device embolization is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of transcatheter structural heart interventions and may require prompt intervention. The present work aims to provide an overview of strategies for device retrievals in order to better guide the evaluation and management of device embolization. RECENT FINDINGS: Although the evolution of transcatheter device therapies has had a tremendous impact on the management in structural heart disease, availability of various retrieval devices, knowledge in how to use them, and multidisciplinary collaboration are key for successful device retrieval. Understanding the reasons for embolization, strategies to avoid embolization, and the techniques for retrieval of devices used in structural heart disease should be appreciated by the treating physician.

Prevalence of Familial Hypercholesterolaemia in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients in a Large Regional Coronary Care Unit.

BACKGROUND: Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is an under recognised cause of coronary artery disease, despite the proven reductions in risk with early detection and treatment. METHODS: Data from 180 consecutive patients presenting to a large regional hospital with acute coronary syndrome were collected. Potential FH was assessed using the Dutch Lipid Clinic Network Criteria (DLCNC), and if patients were on statins, pre-treatment cholesterol was estimated according to a validated algorithm. RESULTS: Ninety per cent (90%) of patients presented with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) or ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). A total of 11 patients (6%) were classified as having phenotypic FH. The phenotypic FH cohort was younger (mean age 53.1 vs 62.0, p=0.011); and more likely to have documented ischaemic heart disease (63.6% vs 20.7%, p=0.001). PHENOTYPIC FH PATIENTS: Familial hypercholesterolaemia patients had a higher rate of ezetimibe use (18.2% vs 2.4%, p=0.005), but fibrate use was not significantly different. Phenotypic FH patients also had higher levels of total cholesterol, corrected LDL and triglycerides, but no statistically significant difference in HDL levels compared with non-FH counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of FH is relatively high among patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes. This has now been established in a regional Australian population, with similar prevalence to large European registries. This highlights the need for improved access to specialised services in regional and rural areas to reduce adverse cardiovascular (CV) outcomes.

Incidence of Premature Lead Failure in 2088 TendrilTM Pacing Leads: A Single Centre Experience.

BACKGROUND: Recent reports describe a high rate of premature lead failure in the St Jude/Abbott TendrilTM 2088 (St. Jude Medical Inc., St. Paul, MN, USA) pacing lead principally manifested by electrical noise. This finding awaits confirmation. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 2088 TendrilTM leads among 362 patients implanted from 2010 to 2018. Eligible leads were those with device interrogations beyond one month from lead implantation. Review of serial device interrogations was conducted for each lead, particularly focussing on electrical noise as a marker of premature lead dysfunction. RESULTS: Four hundred and eight (408) leads among 337 patients were included in this study, with an average patient age of 81±11 years at the time of lead implantation. Mean follow-up was 2.5±1.8 years. There were eight leads with electrical noise indicating premature lead failure. This reflects an overall 1.7% rate of lead dysfunction; the failure rate was 6.2% at 4 years. The majority of cases were detected during routine checks without adverse clinical consequences. Four (4) cases required device reprogramming to avoid interference or inhibition due to noise. CONCLUSION: The rate of Tendril TM 2088 premature lead failure appears to be similar to recent local and international studies. This study reports a significantly higher rate of lead dysfunction at 4 years (6.2%) than the published Abbott product performance reports.

Balloon aortic valvuloplasty via a bilateral trans-radial artery approach prior to transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) intervention is used as destination therapy or as a bridge to percutaneous or surgical aortic valve intervention. BAV is traditionally performed via a transfemoral approach; however, this may not be feasible in all patients due to peripheral vascular disease. We present a case of BAV performed via bilateral transradial access utilizing simultaneous deployment of two angioplasty balloons.

Can medications be safely withdrawn in patients with stable chronic heart failure? systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) therapy involves use of multiple medications. There is little guidance on the safety and impact on clinical outcomes of stopping HF medications. METHODS AND RESULTS: A comprehensive systematic search for studies of drug therapy withdrawal in HF was performed. Meta-analysis of the risk ratio (RR) was performed with the use of the Mantel-Haenszel random effects model for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular outcomes. Twenty-six studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies on withdrawal of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors and beta-blockers in HF are scarce and small, yet show relatively convincingly that such withdrawals have untoward effects on cardiac structure, symptoms, and major outcomes. Meta-analysis of 7 studies of digoxin withdrawal (2,987 participants) without background beta-blocker showed increased HF hospitalizations (RR 1.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16-1.46; P < .0001), but no impact on all-cause mortality (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.90-1.12; P = .06) nor reduction in all-cause hospitalization (RR 1.03, 95% CI 0.98-1.09; P = .27). Diuretic withdrawal trials demonstrated an ongoing need for these agents in chronic HF. Studies in peripartum cardiomyopathy showed that medications could be successfully withdrawn after recovery. CONCLUSION: Current evidence discourages any attempt to discontinue RAAS inhibitors or beta-blockers in patients with stable HF, regardless of clinical and/or echocardiographic status. Formal withdrawal trials of other classes are needed.

Stroke Prevention With Left Atrial Appendage Closure in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and Prior Intracranial Hemorrhage.

Background: Oral anticoagulation (OAC) is deemed a relative contraindication after intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) if the cause cannot be eliminated and the risk of recurrence is high. That leaves atrial fibrillation (AF) patients at high risk of thromboembolic events. Endovascular left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) can be an alternative to OAC for patients requiring stroke prevention. Methods: We performed a retrospective single-centre analysis of 138 consecutive ICH patients with nonvalvular AF and high stroke risk who underwent LAAC between 2010 and 2022 at Vancouver General Hospital. We report the baseline characteristics, procedural results, and follow-up data, comparing the observed stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) rate with the predicted event rate based on their CHA2DS2-VASc scores. Results: The average age was 76.1 ± 8.5 years; the mean CHA2DS2-VASc score was 4.4 ± 1.5; and the mean HAS-BLED score was 3.7 ± 0.9. The procedural success rate was 98.6%, and the complication rate was 3.6% with no periprocedural death, stroke, or TIA. The antithrombotic regimen post-LAAC consisted of short-term dual antiplatelet therapy (1-6 months) followed by aspirin alone for a minimum of 6 months in 86.2%. At mean follow-up of 14.7 ± 13.7 months, 9 deaths (6.5%, 7 cardiovascular, 2 noncardiovascular), 2 strokes (1.4%), and 1 TIA (0.7%) had occurred. The annualized observed stroke/TIA rate was 1.8%, which was lower than the adjusted predicted stroke rate of 7.0% (95% confidence interval: 4.8%-9.2%). Two patients (1.5%) suffered another ICH (both on aspirin monotherapy). One device-related thrombus (0.7%) was confirmed and treated with OAC without sequelae. Conclusion: Endovascular LAAC is a feasible alternative to OAC for stroke prevention in patients with nonvalvular AF and prior ICH.

Contexte: L'anticoagulation par voie orale (ACO) est considérée comme une contre-indication relative après une hémorragie intracrânienne (HIC) si la cause ne peut être éliminée et si le risque de récidive est élevé. Les patients souffrant de fibrillation auriculaire (FA) sont donc exposés à un risque élevé d'événements thromboemboliques. La technique de fermeture percutanée de l'appendice auriculaire gauche (AAG) peut être une solution de rechange aux anticoagulants oraux en prévention des accidents vasculaires cérébraux (AVC). Méthodologie: Nous avons réalisé une analyse rétrospective unicentrique auprès de 138 patients consécutifs qui étaient atteints d'une HIC accompagnée d'une FA non valvulaire ainsi que d'un risque élevé d'AVC et qui ont subi une fermeture de l'AAG entre 2010 et 2022 à l'hôpital général de Vancouver. Nous présentons ici les caractéristiques initiales, les résultats de l'intervention et les données de suivi, en comparant le taux d'AVC/AIT (accident ischémique transitoire) observé avec le taux prédit d'événements sur la base de leurs scores CHA2DS2-VASc. Résultats: L'âge moyen était de 76,1 ± 8,5 ans. Le score CHA2DS2-VASc moyen était de 4,4 ± 1,5, et le score HAS-BLED moyen de 3,7 ± 0,9. Le taux de réussite de l'intervention a été de 98,6 % et le taux de complications de 3,6 %, sans décès périopératoires, ni AVC ou AIT. Le traitement antithrombotique après la fermeture de l'AAG consistait en une bithérapie antiplaquettaire de courte durée (de 1 à 6 mois), suivie de la prise d'aspirine seule pendant au moins 6 mois dans 86,2 % des cas. Après un suivi moyen de 14,7 ± 13,7 mois, 9 décès (6,5 %, 7 d'origine cardiovasculaire et 2 d'origine non cardiovasculaire), 2 AVC (1,4 %) et 1 AIT (0,7 %) sont survenus. Le taux annualisé d'AVC/AIT observé était de 1,8 %, ce qui est inférieur au taux prédit d'AVC après ajustement, soit 7,0 % (intervalle de confiance à 95 % : 4,8 % à 9,2 %). Deux patients (1,5 %) ont souffert d'une autre HIC (tous deux sous aspirine en monothérapie). Un thrombus lié au dispositif (0,7 %) a été confirmé et traité par anticoagulathérapie orale sans séquelles. Conclusion: La technique de fermeture de l'AAG représente une solution de rechange à l'anticoagulation par voie orale dans la prévention des AVC chez les patients souffrant de FA non valvulaire et ayant déjà subi une HIC.

Differences in Revascularization Strategy and Outcomes by Clinical Presentations in Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is an important cause of myocardial infarction (MI). However, the role of revascularization for SCAD according to presentation remains unclear. METHODS: We analyzed patients with SCAD who presented acutely and were participating in the Canadian SCAD Cohort Study. We compared revascularization strategy and clinical outcomes (in-hospital major adverse events and major adverse cardiovascular event [MACE] including recurrent MI at 1-year) in patients with SCAD presenting with ST-elevation MI (STEMI) vs unstable angina or non-STEMI (UA-NSTEMI). RESULTS: Among 750 patients with SCAD (mean 51.7 ± 10.5years; 88.5% were women; median follow-up was 373 days), 234 (31.2%) presented with STEMI. More patients with SCAD-STEMI (27.8%) were treated with revascularization (98.5% percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI]) compared with 8.7% of patients with UA-NSTEMI (93.3% PCI). For patients with SCAD and STEMI, 93.9% were planned procedures vs 71.1% for UA-NSTEMI. Successful or partially successful PCI was 65.5% for STEMI and 76.9% for UA-NSTEMI (P < 0.001). In revascularized patients, 1-year MACE was not different between STEMI and UA-NSTEMI. Revascularization was associated with higher in-hospital major adverse events and its association was more prominent in UA-NSTEMI (STEMI: 26.2% vs 10.7%, P < 0.001; UA-NSTEMI: 37.8% vs 3.6%, P < 0.001). The difference in adverse events according to revascularization diminished over time and was not evident at 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: Despite higher in-hospital events with revascularization in patients with SCAD, and higher revascularization with SCAD-STEMI, 1-year MACE was not different compared with UA-NSTEMI. This is reassuring, as revascularization may be required for ongoing ischemia at the time of initial presentation in STEMI-SCAD, and emphasizes the need for careful patient selection for revascularization in UA-NSTEMI.