Journal of the American College of Cardiology
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Mar 2019
ReviewUnderstanding Social Media: Opportunities for Cardiovascular Medicine.
Cardiology professionals have used social media platforms such as Twitter to gain exposure to new research, network with experts, share opinions, and engage in scientific debates. The power of social media to communicate openly, with wide-reaching access worldwide, and at a rate faster than ever before makes it a formidable force and voice. However, evolving individual and institutional use has resulted in uncertainty for all parties on how to optimally advance this newer digital frontier. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to: 1) introduce the basics of social media usage (with the focus on Twitter); 2) provide perspective on best social media practices in academic and clinical cardiovascular medicine; and 3) present a vision for social media and the future of cardiovascular medicine.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Mar 2019
Multicenter StudyRelationships of Overt and Silent Brain Lesions With Cognitive Function in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.
Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) have an increased risk of cognitive decline, potentially resulting from clinically unrecognized vascular brain lesions. ⋯ Patients with AF have a high burden of LNCCIs and other brain lesions on systematic brain MRI screening, and most of these lesions are clinically silent. LNCCIs were associated with worse cognitive function, even among patients with clinically silent infarcts. Our findings raise the question of MRI screening in patients with AF.
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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. · Mar 2019
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyInterval From Initiation of Prasugrel to Coronary Angiography in Patients With Non-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.
In the ACCOAST (A Comparison of Prasugrel at PCI or Time of Diagnosis of Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction) trial, the prasugrel pre-treatment strategy versus placebo was associated with excess bleeding complications and no improved ischemic outcome in non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (MI). Whether patients with the longest pre-treatment duration had an ischemic benefit is unknown. ⋯ In non-ST-segment elevation MI patients, the excess risk of bleeding and the absence of ischemic benefit were consistent across the quartiles of increasing duration of prasugrel pre-treatment. (A Comparison of Prasugrel at PCI or Time of Diagnosis of Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction [ACCOAST]; NCT01015287).
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Atrioventricular valve failure (moderate or greater regurgitation, or valve operation) is a risk factor for adverse outcomes in patients undergoing Fontan palliation. ⋯ Atrioventricular valve failure occurs frequently in patients undergoing Fontan palliation. Patients with valve failure are twice as likely to have their Fontan circulation fail than those without valve failure.