Pre-Percutaneous Coronary Intervention TIMI Flow Grade in STEMI Patients Treated with Pre-Hospital Ticagrelor Loading.

Aim We hypothesised that pre-hospital ticagrelor loading would result in a higher proportion of STEMI patients presenting with pre percutaneous coronary intervention TIMI flow grade (ppTFG) 3 than had previously been reported in the clopidogrel era. Methods Retrospective observational analysis of all STEMI patients attending our centre from 01/01/2016 to 31/12/2019. Patients presenting with STEMI were required to have received pre-hospital load-ing with 180 mg ticagrelor. The coronary angiography images were assessed for each patient to determine the ppTFG in the infarct related artery. Results 590 patients met the inclusion criteria. 125 patients (21.2%) presented with ppTFG 3 on pre-PCI angiography with the remaining 465 patients (78.8%) presenting with ppTFG ≤ 2. In-hospital mor-tality was comparable between the two groups (4% vs 5.6%, p=0.48). Conclusion In STEMI patients loaded with ticagrelor in the field, over one-fifth present with ppTFG 3 on angi-ography pre-PCI. This data is comparable to data from the clopidogrel era.

Percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation: an update.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice. One of its most devastating complications is the development of thromboembolism leading to fatal or disabling stroke. Oral anticoagulation (OAC, warfarin) is the standard treatment for stroke prevention in patients with AF with an increased stroke risk. However, there are several obstacles to long-term OAC therapy, including the risk of serious bleeding, several drug-drug interactions and the need for frequent blood testing. Although newer oral anticoagulants have been developed, these drugs also face issues of major bleeding and non-compliance. Therefore, alternative treatment options for stroke prevention in patients with AF with a high stroke risk are needed. Percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion is an evolving therapy, which should be taken into consideration in those patients with non-valvular AF with a high stroke risk and contraindications for OAC. This article aims to discuss the rationale for LAA closure, the available LAA occlusion devices and their clinical evidence until now. Moreover, we discuss the importance of proper patient selection, the role of various imaging techniques and the need for a more tailored postprocedural antithrombotic therapy.

Clinical and psychological impact of prophylactic implantable cardioverter-defibrillators in a community heart failure population.

AIMS: ICD implantation for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction ≤ 35%) has increased since the publication of the SCD-HEFT and MADIT-II data. The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness and safety of prophylactic ICD use in a community heart failure population and to assess the impact on patient's quality of life. METHODS AND RESULTS: Seventy-one ICDs were inserted between the years 2002 and 2006. The mean follow-up from time of insertion was 24 ± 11 months. Eighteen patients (25%) had potentially life-saving therapy. Seven (10%) patients received inappropriate shocks. Complications were encountered in five patients (7%). CONCLUSION: In a community heart failure population, prophylactic ICD implantation is associated with a high incidence of life-saving therapy, a low complication rate and a high level of tolerability. These data indicate translation of clinical trial benefits to the general heart failure population.