Journal of the American College of Cardiology
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · May 2013
Comparative StudyTriple therapy with aspirin, prasugrel, and vitamin K antagonists in patients with drug-eluting stent implantation and an indication for oral anticoagulation.
This study sought to evaluate whether prasugrel may serve as an alternative to clopidogrel in patients with triple therapy. ⋯ These findings suggest that substitution of prasugrel for clopidogrel in patients needing triple therapy increases the risk of bleeding. However, specific randomized trials are needed to define the role of newer adenosine diphosphate receptor antagonists in this setting.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · May 2013
Renal impairment and ischemic stroke risk assessment in patients with atrial fibrillation: the Loire Valley Atrial Fibrillation Project.
This study sought to determine the risk of ischemic stroke (IS)/thromboembolism (TE) associated with renal impairment and its incremental predictive value over established risk stratification scores (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes, previous stroke [CHADS2] and congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes, previous stroke, vascular disease, age 65 to 74 years, sex category (female) [CHA₂DS₂-VASc]) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). ⋯ Renal impairment was not an independent predictor of IS/TE in patients with AF and did not significantly improve the predictive ability of the CHADS₂ or CHA₂DS₂-VASc scores.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · May 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialOutcomes after cardioversion and atrial fibrillation ablation in patients treated with rivaroxaban and warfarin in the ROCKET AF trial.
This study sought to investigate the outcomes following cardioversion or catheter ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) treated with warfarin or rivaroxaban. ⋯ Despite an increase in hospitalization, there were no differences in long-term stroke rates or survival following cardioversion or AF ablation. Outcomes were similar in patients treated with rivaroxaban or warfarin. (An Efficacy and Safety Study of Rivaroxaban With Warfarin for the Prevention of Stroke and Non-Central Nervous System Systemic Embolism in Patients With Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation [ROCKET AF]; NCT00403767).
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · May 2013
Magnitude and time course of changes induced by continuous-flow left ventricular assist device unloading in chronic heart failure: insights into cardiac recovery.
This study sought to prospectively investigate the longitudinal effects of continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD) unloading on myocardial structure and systolic and diastolic function. ⋯ Continuous-flow LVAD unloading induced in a subset of patients, both ischemic and nonischemic, early improvement in myocardial structure and systolic and diastolic function that was largely completed within 6 months, with no evidence of subsequent regression.