Journal of the American College of Cardiology
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Nov 2013
ReviewStent thrombosis with drug-eluting stents: is the paradigm shifting?
First-generation drug-eluting stents (DES), which impart the controlled release of sirolimus or paclitaxel from durable polymers to the vessel wall, have been consistently shown to reduce the risk of restenosis and target vessel revascularization compared with bare metal stents (BMS). However, stent thrombosis (ST) emerged as a major safety concern with first-generation DES early after their adoption in clinical practice, requiring prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy. Pathological studies have shown that first-generation DES are associated with delayed arterial healing and polymer hypersensitivity reactions resulting in chronic inflammation, predisposing to late and very late ST. ⋯ The thin-strut structure of the stent platform, the thromboresistant properties of the fluoropolymer, and the reduced polymer and drug load may contribute to the low rate of ST with CoCr-EES. The notion of DES being safer than BMS represents a paradigm shift in the evolution of percutaneous coronary intervention. The relative safety and efficacy of fluoropolymer-coated CoCr-EES, DES with bioabsorbable polymers, and fully bioresorbable scaffolds are the subject of numerous ongoing large-scale trials.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Nov 2013
CommentSelective heart rate reduction with ivabradine unloads the left ventricle in heart failure patients.
The study aimed to determine whether isolated heart rate (HR) reduction with ivabradine reduces afterload of patients with systolic heart failure. ⋯ Isolated HR reduction by ivabradine improves TAC, thus reducing Ea. Because Ees is unaltered, improved ventricular-arterial coupling is responsible for increased SV. Therefore, unloading of the heart may contribute to the beneficial effect of isolated HR reduction in patients with systolic heart failure.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Nov 2013
Multicenter Study Clinical TrialRenal denervation in moderate treatment-resistant hypertension.
This study sought to investigate the effect of renal denervation (RDN) in patients with treatment-resistant hypertension according to the established definition (Joint National Committee VII and European Society of Hypertension/European Society of Cardiology guidelines), that is, office blood pressure (BP) ≥140/90 mm Hg (with at least three antihypertensive drugs, including a diuretic, in adequate doses) and confirmed by 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM). ⋯ Our data indicate that RDN may reduce office and 24-h ambulatory BP substantially in patients with moderate treatment-resistant hypertension. (Renal Denervation in Treatment Resistant Hypertension; NCT01687725).