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  • What You Need to Know

     
     
     
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    In this section, The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions presents news relevant to patients with heart or vascular disease.

  • Latest News

    Common Questions about Oral Antiplatelet Medications after Stent Placement

    Date: 7/8/2010
    When a patient receives a heart stent, the interventional cardiologist prescribes antiplatelet therapy - a combination of medicines that work together to prevent stent thrombosis, or the formation of blood clots in or around the stent that can block blood flow, possibly resulting in a heart attack or even death. Antiplatelet therapy usually consists of (1) aspirin and (2) either Plavix® (clopidogrel) or Effient® (prasugrel).

    SCAI Statement on the NEJM Study Showing Carotid Stenting is as Safe and Effective as Carotid Surgery in Patients at Risk for Stroke

    Date: 5/26/2010
    Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy vs. Stenting Trial (CREST), published in The New England Journal of Medicine this week, found carotid artery stenting (CAS) is equally safe and as effective as carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for stroke prevention. The study is the largest and most rigorous randomized stroke prevention trial ever undertaken, and its findings are the strongest evidence to date for clinical equality and long-term durability (out to four years) of both.

    SCAI Recognized for Commitment to Improving Women’s Heart Health

    Date: 5/23/2010
    The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) was awarded the 10th Annual Wenger Award for excellence in health care for the Society's dedication to raising awareness about disparities in heart health care. Awarded annually by WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease, the Wenger award seeks to honor individuals and organizations for their commitment to improving the lives of women with heart disease.

    Innovation Delivers Survival for Most Heart Attack Patients

    Date: 5/10/2010
    Progress in the fight against heart disease has been at times slow, but remarkably steady and effective. Over the years, however, coronary heart disease has remained the #1 killer in the United States, surpassing all cancer-related deaths.

    What’s Inside the FDA’s “Black Box” Warning on Plavix?

    Date: 5/10/2010
    The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced a "Black Box" warning for the drug Plavix (clopidogrel), a type of blood-thinner often given to patients who have had a heart attack or received stents. While most doctors agree that this medication is important for patients who are at risk for blood clots that can block an artery, possibly causing a heart attack or a stroke, the FDA is concerned about a small percentage of patients who may not receive the full benefits of the medicine.

    Drug-Eluting Peripheral Stent Continues to Show Positive Data at Two Years

    Date: 5/7/2010
    Patients treated with the Zilver® PTXTM Drug-Eluting Peripheral Stent maintained clinical improvement at two years, according to interim results from the Zilver® PTXTM Global Registry presented today as a late-breaking clinical trial at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 33rd Annual Scientific Sessions. The prospective, single-arm study is ongoing to evaluate the drug-eluting stent for the treatment of peripheral artery disease (PAD). Results of a separate pivotal randomized study in a similar cohort of patients are expected to be available later this year.

    MitraClip Safely Relieves Symptoms in Patients with No Surgical Options

    Date: 5/5/2010
    An innovative catheter-based procedure is providing relief to patients who suffer from shortness of breath and fluid overload as the result of a severely leaky heart valve, but who are too sick for open-chest surgery, according to a study presented today at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 33rd Annual Scientific Sessions.

    New Protection Device Exceeds Expectations in Carotid Stenting

    Date: 5/5/2010
    A novel device that takes a simple approach to protecting the brain during procedures to improve blood flow through arteries in the neck appears to be safer and more effective than existing protection devices, according to a study presented today at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 33rd Annual Scientific Sessions.

    Commitment Pays Off When Training for Transradial PCI

    Date: 5/5/2010
    There is increasing interest in using the radial artery in the wrist, rather than the femoral artery in the groin, for passing slender catheters into the heart during angioplasty and stenting, largely because it is safer and more comfortable for patients. But when launching a program to train cardiologists in the radial technique, cardiac catheterization laboratories should be prepared to face logistical challenges for a substantial period of time, according to a study presented today at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 33rd Annual Scientific Sessions.

    Early Warning System Alerts High-Risk Patients to Heart Attack

    Date: 5/5/2010
    An implantable pacemaker-sized monitor that sounds an alarm when it senses abnormal changes in the heart's electrical activity is proving an effective early warning system for patients at high risk of a heart attack or dangerous plaque rupture, according to data presented today at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 33rd Annual Scientific Sessions.
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