The American journal of cardiology
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The Long-term Effect of Goal Directed Weight Management in an Atrial Fibrillation Cohort: A Long-term Follow-up Study (LEGACY) demonstrated that weight reduction in a cohort of Australian patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) resulted in a reduction in AF burden and improvement in AF symptom severity. The applicability of LEGACY in US cardiovascular practice is not known. A cohort of patients with AF from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry Practice Innovation and Clinical Excellence (PINNACLE) registry of US cardiovascular ambulatory care practices was created. ⋯ In this cohort of patients in ambulatory practice in the United States with AF, over 1/2 were potential candidates for a weight management program. Differences between patients in practice and those enrolled in the trial could influence the success and impact of the LEGACY weight management intervention. Our study identifies a potential opportunity to improve AF morbidity and costs to the health care system in the United States by implementing a structured weight reduction program, such as that described in LEGACY.
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We investigated the prognostic value of newly developed T-wave inversion after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. New T-wave inversion was defined as new onset of T-wave inversion after the primary PCI, without negative T waves on the presenting electrocardiogram. The primary end point was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), which consisted of cardiovascular mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and rehospitalization for heart failure. ⋯ The cumulative MACE rate was significantly lower in patients with new T-wave inversion than in those without new T-wave inversion (8% vs 30%; odds ratio 0.197, 95% confidential interval 0.096 to 0.403; p <0.001). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, new T-wave inversion was an independent prognostic factor for MACE (hazard ratio 0.297, 95% confidential interval 0.144 to 0.611; p = 0.001). In conclusion, newly developed T-wave inversion after primary PCI was associated with favorable long-term outcome.
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The management of noninfarct-related arteries in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and multivessel coronary disease (MVD) is still debated. We evaluated the prognostic impact of staged complete revascularization with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in STEMI patients with MVD admitted to our hospital from 2005 to 2013. Patients undergoing staged complete revascularization (n = 300) were compared with 1:1 propensity score-matched patients with culprit lesion-only treatment (n = 300). ⋯ Although this difference was no longer significant when considering only the survivors at day 5, all-cause and cardiovascular mortalities were still reduced in the staged complete revascularization group. Complete revascularization was associated with a better outcome (hazard ratio 0.35, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.63, p = 0.005) if performed within 30 days of STEMI. In conclusion, compared with culprit lesion-only revascularization, in STEMI patients with MVD undergoing primary PCI, an approach of staged complete revascularization was associated with a better outcome.
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Multiple lines of evidence suggest that the physiologically normal levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and the thresholds for development of atherosclerosis and adverse coronary events are in the 30- to 70-mg/dl range. More patients have been studied in randomized controlled trials assessing the effects of statins on outcomes than any other drug class in the history of medicine. ⋯ Thus far, these agents appear to be safe even when LDL-C is lowered to about 50 mg/dl, although more robust outcome and safety data are required, particularly for the PCSK9 inhibitors and very low LDL-C levels (e.g., down to 25 mg/dl). In conclusion, the current national guidelines specifying only the use of a high-potency statin without specific LDL-C goals may lead to substantial undertreatment of high-risk patients, leaving them vulnerable to future adverse cardiovascular events.
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Poor data exist about predictors of long-term cardiac mortality in patients presenting acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS) treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (p-PCI), and current risk-adjustment models in this setting are not adequate. We retrospectively analyzed our registry of patients with AMI treated with p-PCI. The aim of this study was to identify the independent predictors of 2-year cardiac mortality in patients presenting CS. ⋯ The mortality rates among different score risk level were highly significant (p <0.001): 32% score risk 1 (points 0), 58% score risk 2 (points 0.5-2), and 83% score risk 3 (points >2), respectively. In conclusion, OHCA, age >75 years, and failed p-PCI are strong predictors of 2-year cardiac mortality. On the basis of this, a rapid score tool could be useful to identify patients at major risk of death.