Most preoperative stress tests fail to comply with practice guideline indications and do not reduce cardiac events.

BACKGROUND: There is wide variation in stress test utilization before major vascular surgery and adherence to practice guidelines is unclear. We defined rates of stress test compliance at our institution and led a quality improvement initiative to improve compliance with American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines. METHODS: We implemented a stress testing order set in the electronic medical record at one tertiary hospital. We reviewed all patients who underwent elective, major vascular surgery in the 6 months before (Jan 1, 2022 - Jul 1, 2022) and 6 months after (Aug 1, 2022 - Jan 31, 2023) implementation. We studied stress test guideline compliance, changes in medical or surgical management, and major adverse cardiac events (MACE). RESULTS: Before order set implementation, 37/122 patients (30%) underwent stress testing within the past year (29 specifically ordered preoperatively) with 66% (19/29) guideline compliance. After order set implementation, 50/173 patients (29%) underwent stress testing within the past year (41 specifically ordered preoperatively) with 80% (33/41) guideline compliance. In the pre- and postimplementation cohorts, stress testing led to a cardiovascular medication change or preoperative coronary revascularization in 24% (7/29) and 27% (11/41) of patients, and a staged surgery or less invasive anesthetic strategy in 14% (4/29) and 4.9% (2/41) of patients, respectively. All unindicated stress tests were surgeon-ordered and none led to a change in management. There was no change in MACE after order set implementation. CONCLUSIONS: Electronic medical record-based guidance of perioperative stress testing led to a slight decrease in overall stress testing and an increase in guideline-compliant testing. Our study highlights a need for improved preoperative cardiovascular risk assessment prior to major vascular surgery, which may eliminate unnecessary testing and more effectively guide perioperative decision-making.

The impact of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansion in Medicare beneficiaries with peripheral artery disease.

Background: In 2014, the Affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansion (ME) increased Medicaid eligibility for adults with an income level up to 138% of the federal poverty level. In this study, we examined the impact of ME on mortality and amputation in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Methods: The 100% MedPAR and Part-B Carrier files from 2011 to 2018 were queried to identify all fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries with PAD using International Classification of Diseases codes. Our primary exposure was whether a state had adopted the ME on January 1, 2014. Our primary outcomes were the change in all-cause 1-year mortality and leg amputation. We used a state-level difference-in-differences (DID) analysis to compare the rates of the primary outcomes among patients who were in states (including the District of Columbia) who adopted ME (n = 25) versus those who were in states that did not (n = 26). We performed a subanalysis stratifying by sex, race, region, and dual-eligibility status. Results: Over the 8-year period, we studied 37,743,929 patients. The average unadjusted 1-year mortality decreased from 2011 to 2018 in both non-ME (9.5% to 8.7%, p < 0.001) and ME (9.1% to 8.3%, p < 0.001) states. The average unadjusted 1-year amputation rate did not improve in either the non-ME (0.86% to 0.87%, p = 0.17) or ME (0.69% to 0.69%, p = 0.65) states. Across the entire cohort, the DID model revealed that ME did not lead to a significant change in mortality (p = 0.15) or amputation (p = 0.34). Conclusion: Medicaid Expansion was not associated with reduced mortality or leg amputation in Medicare beneficiaries with PAD.

Extending venous thromboembolism secondary prevention with apixaban in cancer patients. The EVE trial.

BACKGROUND: Cancer-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE) management guideline recommendations include continued therapeutic anticoagulation while active cancer persists. The Federal Drug Administration label for apixaban for secondary VTE prevention includes a dose reduction to 2.5 mg twice daily after 6 months of treatment. OBJECTIVES: The study's purpose was to determine whether this dose reduction is advisable for cancer-associated VTE. METHODS: A randomized, double-blind trial compared apixaban 2.5 mg with 5 mg twice daily for 12 months among cancer patients with VTE who had completed 6 to 12 months of anticoagulation therapy. The primary outcome was combined major bleeding plus clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding. RESULTS: Of 370 patients recruited, 360 were included in the intention-to-treat analyses. Major plus clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding occurred in 16 of 179 patients (8.9%) in the apixaban 2.5 mg group compared with 22 of 181 patients (12.2%) in the 5 mg group (hazard ratio [HR], 0.72; 95% CI, 0.38-1.37; P = .39). Major bleeding occurred in 2.8% of the apixaban 2.5 mg group and in 2.2% of the 5 mg group (HR, 1.26; 95% CI, 0.34-4.66; P = .73). Recurrent VTE or arterial thrombosis occurred in 9 of 179 patients (5.0%) in the apixaban 2.5 mg group and 9 of 181 patients (5.0%) in the 5 mg group (HR, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.40-2.53; P = 1.00). All-cause mortality rates were similar between groups, 13% vs 12% (HR, 1.14; 95% CI, 0.63-2.04; P = .67). CONCLUSION: For secondary prevention of cancer-associated VTE, apixaban 2.5 mg compared with 5 mg twice daily did not lower combined bleeding events (EVE trial NCT03080883).

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder After Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: A Report of the International Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection Registry.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial infarction secondary to spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) can be traumatic and potentially trigger posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In a large, multicenter, registry-based cohort, we documented prevalence of lifetime and past-month SCAD-induced PTSD, as well as related treatment seeking, and examined a range of health-relevant correlates of SCAD-induced PTSD. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients with SCAD were enrolled in the iSCAD (International SCAD) Registry. At baseline, site investigators completed medical report forms, and patients reported demographics, medical/SCAD history, psychosocial factors (including SCAD-induced PTSD symptoms), health behaviors, and health status via online questionnaires. Of 1156 registry patients, 859 patients (93.9% women; mean age, 52.3 years) completed questionnaires querying SCAD-induced PTSD. Nearly 35% (n=298) of patients met diagnostic criteria for probable SCAD-induced PTSD in their lifetime, and 6.4% (n=55) met criteria for probable past-month PTSD. Of 811 patients ever reporting any SCAD-induced PTSD symptoms, 34.8% indicated seeking treatment for this distress. However, 46.0% of the 298 patients with lifetime probable SCAD-induced PTSD diagnoses reported never receiving trauma-related treatment. Younger age at first SCAD, fewer years since SCAD, being single, unemployed status, more lifetime trauma, and history of anxiety were associated with greater past-month PTSD symptom severity in multivariable regression models. Greater past-month SCAD-induced PTSD symptoms were associated with greater past-week sleep disturbance and worse past-month disease-specific health status when adjusting for various risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Given the high prevalence of SCAD-induced PTSD symptoms, efforts to support screening for these symptoms and connecting patients experiencing distress with empirically supported treatments are critical next steps. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT04496687.

Prognostic Role of Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion to Systolic Pulmonary Artery Pressure Ratio for the Identification of Early Clinical Deterioration in Intermediate-High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism Patients.

The ratio of tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) to echocardiographically measured systolic pulmonary artery pressure (PASP) has been proposed as a surrogate of RV-arterial coupling. In this analysis, we assess the prognostic role of TAPSE/PASP for early clinical deterioration and short-term mortality in an often clinically challenging population of intermediate-high-risk patients with pulmonary embolism (PE). A post hoc analysis of intermediate-high-risk patients with PE enrolled in the Italian Pulmonary Embolism Registry (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01604538) was performed. All patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography at admission. The primary and secondary outcomes were clinical deterioration within 48 hours from admission and 30-day all-cause mortality, respectively. In 422 intermediate-high-risk patients with PE (mean age 71.2 ± 5.3 years, 238 men), 37 (8.7%) experienced clinical deterioration within 48 hours of admission. The 30-day mortality rate was 6.6% (n = 28). The receiver operating characteristic analysis established 0.33 as the optimal cut-off value for the TAPSE/PASP in predicting 48-hour clinical deterioration (area under the curve 0.79 ± 0.1). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 81%, 88.5%, 40.5%, and 97.9%, respectively. The multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that a TAPSE/PASP ≤0.33 was an independent predictor of 48-hour clinical deterioration (hazard ratio 2.06, 95% confidence interval 1.98 to 2.11, p <0.0001) and 30-day mortality (hazard ratio 2.28, 95% confidence interval 2.25 to 2.33, p <0.001). TAPSE/PASP shows promise as a noninvasive prognostic predictor to identify intermediate-high-risk patients with PE at a higher risk of early clinical deterioration and short-term mortality.

Risk Stratification and Management of Intermediate-Risk Acute Pulmonary Embolism.

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is the third most common cause of cardiovascular death and necessitates prompt, accurate risk assessment at initial diagnosis to guide treatment and reduce associated mortality. Intermediate-risk PE, defined as the presence of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in the absence of hemodynamic compromise, carries a significant risk for adverse clinical outcomes and represents a unique diagnostic challenge. While small clinical trials have evaluated advanced treatment strategies beyond standard anticoagulation, such as thrombolytic or endovascular therapy, there remains continued debate on the optimal care for this patient population. Here, we review the most recent risk stratification models, highlighting differences between prediction scores and their limitations, and discuss the utility of serologic biomarkers and imaging modalities to detect right ventricular dysfunction. Additionally, we examine current treatment recommendations including anticoagulation strategies, use of thrombolytics at full and reduced doses, and utilization of invasive treatment options. Current knowledge gaps and ongoing studies are highlighted.

Complications of exercise and pharmacologic stress echocardiography.

Stress echocardiography is a diagnostic cardiovascular exam that is commonly utilized for multiple indications, including but not limited to the assessment of obstructive coronary artery disease, valvular disease, obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and diastolic function. Stress echocardiography can be performed via both exercise and pharmacologic modalities. Exercise stress is performed with either treadmill or bicycle-based exercise. Pharmacologic stress is performed via either dobutamine or vasodilator-mediated (i.e., dipyridamole, adenosine) stress testing. Each of these modalities is associated with a low overall prevalence of major, life-threatening adverse outcomes, though adverse events are most common with dobutamine stress echocardiography. In light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the risk of infectious complications to both the patient and stress personnel cannot be negated; however, when certain precautions are taken, the risk of infectious complications appears minimal. In this article, we review each of the stress echocardiographic modalities, examine major potential adverse outcomes and contraindications, assess the risks of stress testing in the setting of a global pandemic, and examine the utilization and safety of stress testing in special patient populations (i.e., language barriers, pediatric patients, pregnancy).

Therapeutic anticoagulation after index peripheral endovascular intervention in patients with claudication.

OBJECTIVE: Antiplatelet agents are commonly used after peripheral endovascular intervention (PVI). However, the effect of full-dose anticoagulation on outcomes after PVI is not well-established. We sought to investigate whether full-dose anticoagulation after PVI is associated with adverse events. METHODS: We utilized the Vascular Quality Initiative to study patients undergoing index PVI for claudication (2010-2019), stratified by the presence or absence of an anticoagulant on discharge. The primary outcomes were 2-year patency, major adverse limb events (MALE), and mortality. We built a propensity score adjusting for comorbidities and employed inverse probability weighting to estimate the association of anticoagulation with outcomes. RESULTS: We identified 26,240 patients; 9.1% were discharged on an anticoagulant. Patients receiving any anticoagulation had a significantly higher risk of mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.35-1.92), but not MALE, or patency loss. Patients receiving a vitamin K antagonist had a significantly higher risk of patency loss (aHR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.09-1.60), MALE (aHR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.13-1.57), and mortality (aHR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.27-1.69). Patients on an oral Factor Xa inhibitors had a significantly lower risk of patency loss (aHR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.41-0.93) but increased mortality (aHR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.19-1.92). CONCLUSIONS: Therapeutic anticoagulation after PVI is associated with higher risk of all-cause mortality. Although oral Factor Xa inhibitors are associated with decreased risk of patency loss, vitamin K antagonists are associated with higher risk of patency loss, MALE, and death. Further prospective studies are necessary to study the safety and efficacy of full-dose anticoagulation after PVI.

Myocardial stunning secondary to erroneous administration of intravenous epinephrine.

Epinephrine is a commonly used medication for emergent conditions, such as anaphylaxis, respiratory distress, and shock. However, its versatility can also lead to iatrogenic errors in dosages, concentrations, and routes of administration. In this case, a 47-year-old female experiencing anaphylaxis received an intravenous dose of 0.3 mg (1:1000) epinephrine formulated for intramuscular injection, resulting in cardiac arrest and acute heart failure due to myocardial stunning, as diagnosed by echocardiography. Management included invasive ventilation and hemodynamic support until cardiac function recovered. This case highlights the potential dangers of epinephrine overdose, and to our knowledge, is the first reported case of iatrogenic epinephrine-induced Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in a rural area. In addition, we review the literature on iatrogenic epinephrine toxicity-associated cardiomyopathy and the epidemiology of epinephrine errors. Safety measures must be considered for improving communication in emergencies, increasing awareness via training, and changing epinephrine's antiquated packaging design.

Association of Anticoagulation and Major Adverse Limb Events After Index Peripheral Endovascular Intervention.

Dual-antiplatelet therapy is commonly prescribed after endovascular intervention for peripheral artery disease. However, it is not known whether therapeutic anticoagulation affects outcomes after peripheral endovascular intervention. We sought to investigate whether therapeutic anticoagulation after peripheral endovascular intervention is associated with lower risk of major adverse limb events (MALEs) and all-cause mortality. We studied patients who underwent index endovascular intervention for peripheral artery disease in the Vascular Study Group of New England (2010 to 2018). The main exposure was anticoagulation at the time of discharge. Outcomes included patency loss (occlusion or target lesion reintervention), MALE (any major amputation or reintervention), and all-cause mortality. We compared outcomes between patients who received anticoagulation on discharge versus those who did not receive anticoagulation using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression. In the cohort of 6,809 patients, 15% were discharged on an anticoagulant (mostly warfarin). These patients had a higher prevalence of acute or chronic limb ischemia than those not receiving an anticoagulant (74% vs 47%, p < 0.001) and were less likely to receive any antiplatelet agent after peripheral endovascular intervention (5% vs 14%, p < 0.001). After risk adjustment, compared with patients not on an anticoagulant, patients receiving therapeutic anticoagulation had a higher risk of 2-year patency loss (hazard ratio [HR] 1.41, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05 to 1.89), MALE (HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.76), and all-cause mortality (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.47). In conclusion, anticoagulation after peripheral endovascular intervention was associated with higher risk of adverse events, including patency loss, MALE, and all-cause mortality.

Preoperative evaluation and perioperative management of patients undergoing major vascular surgery.

Patients undergoing major vascular surgery have an increased risk of perioperative major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). Accordingly, in this population, it is of particular importance to appropriately risk stratify patients' risk for these complications and optimize risk factors prior to surgical intervention. Comorbidities that portend a higher risk of perioperative MACE include coronary artery disease, heart failure, left-sided valvular heart disease, and significant arrhythmic burden. In this review, we provide a current approach to risk stratification prior to major vascular surgery and describe the strengths and weaknesses of different cardiac risk indices; discuss the role of noninvasive and invasive cardiac testing; and review perioperative pharmacotherapies.

The financial implications of cardiac stress testing prior to abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

BACKGROUND: The utilization and cost-effectiveness of stress testing before abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair remains insufficiently studied. We examined the variation and financial implications of stress testing, and their association with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). METHODS: We studied patients who underwent elective endovascular (EVAR) or open AAA repair (OAR) at Vascular Quality Initiative centers from 2015 to 2019. We grouped centers into quintiles of preoperative stress testing frequency. We calculated the risk of postoperative MACE, a composite of in-hospital myocardial infarction, heart failure, or death, for each center-quintile. We obtained charges for stress tests locally and applied these to the cohort to estimate charges per 1000 patients. RESULTS: We studied 32,459 patients (EVAR: 27,978; OAR: 4481; 283 centers). Stress test utilization varied across quintiles from 13.0% to 68.6% (median: 36.8%) before EVAR and 15.9% to 85.0% (median: 59.4%) before OAR. The risk of MACE was 1.4% after EVAR and 10.2% after OAR. There was a trend towards more common MACE after EVAR among centers with higher utilization of stress testing: 0.9% among centers in the lowest quintile, versus 1.7% in the highest quintile (p-trend = 0.068). There was no association between MACE and stress testing frequency for OAR (p-trend = 0.223). The estimated financial charges for stress testing before EVAR ranged from $125,806 per 1000 patients at 1st-quintile centers, to $665,975 at 5th-quintile centers. Charges before OAR ranged from $153,861 at 1st-quintile centers, to $825,473 at 5th-quintile centers. CONCLUSION: Stress test use before AAA repair is highly variable and associated with substantial cost, with an unclear association with postoperative MACE. This highlights the need for improved stress testing paradigms prior to surgery.

Rivaroxaban and Risk of Venous Thromboembolism in Patients With Symptomatic Peripheral Artery Disease After Lower Extremity Revascularization.

Importance: Prior studies have observed an association between the burden of atherosclerotic vascular disease and the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). The association is not well described in peripheral artery disease (PAD) after lower extremity revascularization (LER). Objective: To describe the risk of, factors associated with, and outcomes after VTE, as well as the association of low-dose rivaroxaban plus antiplatelet therapy with VTE after LER. Design, Setting, and Participants: This global, multicenter cohort study used data from the Vascular Outcomes Study of ASA (acetylsalicylic acid) Along With Rivaroxaban in Endovascular or Surgical Limb Revascularization for PAD (VOYAGER PAD) randomized clinical trial, which enrolled patients from 2015 to 2018 with median follow-up of 28 months. Participants included patients with PAD undergoing LER. Patients with an indication for therapeutic anticoagulation were excluded. Data were analyzed from September 2020 to September 2021. Exposure: Randomization to rivaroxaban 2.5 mg twice daily or placebo on a background of aspirin 100 mg daily; short-term clopidogrel was used at the discretion of the treating physician. Main Outcomes and Measures: Symptomatic VTE was a prespecified secondary outcome and prospectively collected. Results: Among 6564 patients (median [IQR] age, 67 [61-73] years; 4860 [74.0%] men), 66 patients had at least 1 VTE. The 3-year rate of VTE in patients receiving placebo was 1.7%, and the pattern of risk was linear (year 1: 0.5%; year 2: 1.1%). After multivariable modeling, weight (hazard ratio [HR], 3.04; 95% CI, 1.09-8.43), hypertension (HR, 2.11; 95% CI, 0.91-4.89), prior amputation (HR, 2.07; 95% CI, 0.95-4.53), and older age (HR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.06-3.11) were associated with increased risk of VTE. VTE was associated with risk of subsequent mortality (HR, 7.22; 95% CI, 4.66-11.19). Compared with aspirin alone, rivaroxaban plus aspirin was associated with lower VTE risk (HR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.37-0.998; P = .047), with benefit apparent early and sustained over time. This association was not modified by use of clopidogrel at randomization (without clopidogrel: HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.29-1.07; with clopidogrel: HR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.32-1.48; P for interaction = .67). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, there was continuous risk for VTE after LER in patients with PAD, with greater risk in patients who were older and had obesity and those with more severe PAD, as reflected by prior amputation. Low-dose rivaroxaban plus aspirin was associated with lower VTE risk compared with aspirin alone, with benefits apparent early and continued over time. The spectrum of venous and arterial thrombotic events and overall benefits of more potent antithrombotic strategies for prevention should be considered after LER for PAD.