Journal of the American Heart Association
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Background We sought to examine patient characteristics, peri-infarction invasive and pharmacologic management, and in-hospital major bleeding in myocardial infarction patients with atrial fibrillation or flutter, based on home anticoagulant use. Methods and Results We stratified patients by home anticoagulant: (1) no anticoagulant, (2) warfarin, and (3) direct oral anticoagulants ( DOAC s) among ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction ( STEMI ) and non-STEMI (NSTEMI) patients with atrial fibrillation or flutter treated at 761 US hospitals in the ACTION (Acute Coronary Treatment and Intervention Outcomes Network) Registry from January 2015 to December 2016. The primary outcome of our study was in-hospital major bleeding. ⋯ NSTEMI patients on anticoagulant were less likely to undergo angiography (49.3% no anticoagulant, 33.4% on warfarin, 36.4% on DOAC s; P<0.01) or percutaneous coronary intervention within 24 hours (21.1% no anticoagulant, 14.3% on warfarin, 15.9% on DOAC s; P<0.01). After multivariate adjustment, use of home warfarin (odds ratio: 1.00 [95% CI , 0.79-1.27] in STEMI and 1.13 [95% CI , 0.97-1.30] in NSTEMI ) or DOAC (odds ratio: 0.93 [95% CI , 0.73-1.20] in STEMI and 0.97 [95% CI , 0.81-1.16] in NSTEMI ) was not associated with increased in-hospital major bleeding compared with no anticoagulant. Conclusions In routine clinical practice, home warfarin or DOAC therapy is not associated with an increased risk of in-hospital bleeding compared with no anticoagulant.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Efficacy and Safety of Bempedoic Acid in Patients With Hypercholesterolemia and Statin Intolerance.
Background Inability to tolerate statins because of muscle symptoms contributes to uncontrolled cholesterol levels and insufficient cardiovascular risk reduction. Bempedoic acid, a prodrug that is activated by a hepatic enzyme not present in skeletal muscle, inhibits ATP -citrate lyase, an enzyme upstream of β-hydroxy β-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase in the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway. Methods and Results The phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled CLEAR (Cholesterol Lowering via Bempedoic acid, an ACL-Inhibiting Regimen) Serenity study randomized 345 patients with hypercholesterolemia and a history of intolerance to at least 2 statins (1 at the lowest available dose) 2:1 to bempedoic acid 180 mg or placebo once daily for 24 weeks. ⋯ Conclusions Bempedoic acid offers a safe and effective oral therapeutic option for lipid lowering in patients who cannot tolerate statins. Clinical Trial Registration URL : https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT 02988115.
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Comparative Study
Risk-Adjusted Comparison of In-Hospital Outcomes of Transcatheter and Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement.
Background Transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TF-TAVR) is recommended for patients suffering from aortic valve stenosis at increased operative risk. Beyond that, patients with different comorbidities could benefit from TF-TAVR. The present study compares real-world in-hospital outcomes of surgical aortic valve replacement and TF-TAVR. ⋯ TF-TAVR was superior in patients with renal failure and in NYHA (New York Heart Association)-Class III/IV. Other risk groups were not found to be factors favoring a treatment strategy. Conclusions The present study indicates a superiority of TF-TAVR in clinical practice for patients at increased operative risk, aged >80 years, in NYHA-Class III/IV, and with renal failure.
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Background Hyperkalemia has been associated with increased mortality in patients with myocardial infarction, but few data exist regarding hyperkalemia in cardiac intensive care unit ( CICU ) patients. We hypothesize that hyperkalemia is associated with increased mortality in unselected CICU patients. Methods and Results We retrospectively reviewed a historical cohort of 9681 CICU patients admitted from January 2007 to December 2015. ⋯ After adjustment for illness severity and renal function, hospital survivors with admission hyperkalemia remained at increased risk for postdischarge mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.08-1.34; P<0.001). Conclusions Hyperkalemia on CICU admission is associated with higher in-hospital and postdischarge mortality, independent of renal function and illness severity. These findings emphasize the importance of potassium abnormalities as a risk predictor in patients admitted to the CICU .
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Background The role of subtle disturbances of brain perfusion in the risk of transient ischemic attack ( TIA) or ischemic stroke remains unknown. We examined the association between global brain perfusion and risk of TIA and ischemic stroke in the general population. Methods and Results Between 2005 and 2015, 5289 stroke-free participants (mean age, 64.3 years; 55.6% women) from the Rotterdam Study underwent phase-contrast brain magnetic resonance imaging at baseline to assess global brain perfusion. ⋯ We found that lower global brain perfusion was associated with a higher risk of TIA , but not with the risk of ischemic stroke (adjusted hazard ratio, 95% CI, per standard deviation decrease of global brain perfusion: 1.29, 1.07-1.55 for TIA and adjusted hazard ratio of 1.06, 0.87-1.30 for ischemic stroke). Across strata of wider arteriolar retinal calibers, lower brain perfusion was more prominently associated with TIA , but not with ischemic stroke. Conclusions In a community-dwelling population, impaired global brain perfusion increased the risk of TIA , but not of ischemic stroke.