The American College of Cardiology 67th Annual Scientific Session (ACC)

Lisinopril, carvedilol may prevent chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity in some patients

Pearl Toh, 20180501110010

Taking either one of the antihypertensive medications lisinopril or carvedilol when initiating treatment with trastuzumab did not appear to prevent heart function decline in patients with breast cancer, but a subgroup of patients who were also receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy in addition to trastuzumab benefitted with a significantly reduced risk of heart damage, according to a study.

New-gen heart pump slashes thrombosis, improves stroke-free survival in MOMENTUM 3

Pearl Toh, 20180323110010

The latest-generation left ventricular assist device (LVAD) HeartMate 3 is clinically superior to its predecessor HeartMate II in improving survival at 2 years free of disabling stroke or reoperation due to device malfunction in patients with advanced heart failure (HF), the MOMENTUM* 3 trial has shown.

Canakinumab does not appear to prevent diabetes onset

Auto-inflammatory drug falls short for diabetes

Roshini Claire Anthony, 20180321140300

The interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) inhibitor canakinumab did not prevent the progression from pre-diabetes to diabetes in patients with prior myocardial infarction (MI), according to results of the CANTOS* trial.

Conversations with Dr Andrew Kates, vice chair of ACC.18

Pearl Toh, 20180321110010

Pearl Toh spoke with Dr Andrew Kates, vice chair of ACC.18 Scientific Session about what’s new in cardiology and what ACC.18 has to offer.

Aspirin linked to lower mortality in patients with T2D, heart failure

Elaine Soliven, 20180321000000

The use of aspirin in older patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and heart failure appears to reduce mortality risk but paradoxically increases the rates of nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke, according to a retrospective analysis of health records presented at ACC.18.

TREAT: Ticagrelor noninferior to clopidogrel for TIMI major bleeding in STEMI patients after fibrinolysis

Pearl Toh, 20180320150010

Delayed administration of ticagrelor after fibrinolysis appears to be as safe as clopidogrel with regards to TIMI* major bleeding risk at 30 days in patients younger than 75 years with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), according to the TREAT** trial. However, there were more minor and minimal bleeding events with ticagrelor than with clopidogrel.

CVD-REAL 2 demonstrates CV benefits of SGLT-2 inhibitors in Asia-Pacific, Middle East populations

Roshini Claire Anthony, 20180320140700

Individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) who initiate therapy with sodium glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors have lower risks of all-cause death and cardiovascular (CV) outcomes, specifically myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke, compared with those who initiate other glucose-lowering therapies, according to results from the CVD-REAL* 2 study.

ODYSSEY: Alirocumab scores in ACS, cuts CV events

ODYSSEY: Alirocumab cuts CV events, deaths post-ACS

Pearl Toh, 20180320110010

Not only does treatment with the PCSK9* inhibitor alirocumab reduces cardiovascular (CV) events along with plunges in LDL-C levels, it was also associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality compared with placebo in patient with a recent acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and persistently high cholesterol despite maximal statin therapy, according to top-line results from the ODYSSEY** Outcomes trial.

Andexanet alfa cuts bleeding risk in patients taking factor Xa inhibitors

Audrey Abella, 20180320110000

The experimental reversal agent andexanet alfa effectively reversed the anticoagulant effect of factor Xa (fXa) inhibitors by controlling serious bleeding events, according to interim results of the ANNEXA-4* trial presented at the American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Session & Expo (ACC.18) in Orlando, Florida, US.

1-year DAPT remains standard of care for ACS patients undergoing PCI

Roshini Claire Anthony, 20180319140300

Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who received a 6-month course of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) fared similarly to those who received the standard ≥12-month DAPT course with regards to incidence of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events 18 months post-procedure, according to results from the SMART-DATE* trial. However, a higher incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) with 6-month DAPT precludes it from replacing the standard course.