Journal of the American College of Cardiology
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Dec 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyEffect of atorvastatin therapy on fibrous cap thickness in coronary atherosclerotic plaque as assessed by optical coherence tomography: the EASY-FIT study.
The detailed mechanism of plaque stabilization by statin therapy is not fully understood. ⋯ Atorvastatin therapy at 20 mg/day provided a greater increase in fibrous cap thickness in coronary plaques compared with 5 mg/day of atorvastatin. The increase of fibrous cap was associated with the decrease in serum atherogenic lipoproteins and inflammatory biomarkers during atorvastatin therapy. (Effect of Atorvastatin Therapy on Fibrous Cap Thickness in Coronary Atherosclerotic Plaque as Assessed by Optical Coherence Tomography: The EASY-FIT Study; NCT00700037).
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Dec 2014
Aggressive risk factor reduction study for atrial fibrillation and implications for the outcome of ablation: the ARREST-AF cohort study.
The long-term outcome of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation demonstrates attrition. This outcome may be due to failure to attenuate the progressive substrate promoted by cardiovascular risk factors. ⋯ Aggressive RFM improved the long-term success of AF ablation. This study underscores the importance of therapy directed at the primary promoters of the AF substrate to facilitate rhythm control strategies.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Dec 2014
Implications of the 2013 ACC/AHA cholesterol guidelines for adults in contemporary cardiovascular practice: insights from the NCDR PINNACLE registry.
In a significant update, the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) cholesterol guidelines recommend fixed-dose statin therapy for those at risk and do not recommend nonstatin therapies or treatment to target low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, limiting the need for repeated LDL-C testing. ⋯ In U.S. cardiovascular practices, 32.4% of statin-eligible patients, as defined by the 2013 ACC/AHA cholesterol guidelines, were not currently receiving statins. In addition, 22.6% were receiving nonstatin lipid-lowering therapies and 20.8% had repeated LDL-C testing. Achieving concordance with the new cholesterol guidelines in patients treated in U.S. cardiovascular practices would result in significant increases in statin use, as well as significant reductions in nonstatin therapies and laboratory testing.