Paclitaxel Coated Vs. Conventional Drug-Coated Balloon: Three-year Outcomes of the Agent IDE Trial

The AGENT drug-coated balloon (DCB) is designed to deliver paclitaxel directly to the diseased artery without a permanent metal implant. This is the first U.S. randomized controlled trial to examine the efficacy and safety of the AGENT DCB in patients with coronary in-stent restenosis (ISR). These data support the use of AGENT DCB for the treatment of coronary ISR.

The CARPOOL Study: Comparison of Radial to Peripheral and Femoral Artery Approaches for Revascularization of Lower Limb Arteries

Radial-to-peripheral (R2P) has emerged as an alternative to common femoral artery (CFA) access. The study showed that an R2P approach does not carry an increased risk of poor outcomes, though it was not adequately powered to demonstrate the superiority of either approach.

Clopidogrel Vs Aspirin Monotherapy Beyond 12 months after PCI

There remains uncertainty as to the optimal antiplatelet monotherapy beyond 12 months after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This study adds data suggesting that after 1 year of dual antiplatelet therapy following PCI in high-risk patients, clopidogrel provides greater clinical efficacy than aspirin without increasing bleeding complications.

Results of the CREST-2 Trial: Medical Therapy and Revascularization for Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis

Transfemoral carotid artery stenting (CAS) has been used for over 30 years, yet uncertainty remains about its stroke-prevention benefit in asymptomatic patients. Recent improvements in medical therapy have further called into question the added value of stenting and its safety in broader clinical practice. This trial shows that CAS is effective, safe, and accessible for patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis.

Plaque Modification with Orbital Athrectomy? Two-Year Outcomes of the ECLIPSE Trial

This study addressed whether plaque modification with orbital atherectomy (OA) improved clinical outcomes compared to conventional balloon angioplasty prior to drug-eluting stent implantation. OA did not appear to be superior to conventional balloon angioplasty (BA) prior to DES placement, and routine use in lesion preparation cannot be recommended based on the one- and two-year follow-up of the ECLIPSE trial.

Health Status Outcomes Seven Years After TAVR/SAVR in Low Surgical Risk Patients with Severe Aortic Stenosis (PARTNER 3 Substudy)

Patients with severe aortic stenosis and low surgical risk undergoing TAVR and SAVR have similar clinical outcomes at 7 years. This study demonstrates that while there is an early improvement in health status outcomes with TAVR compared to SAVR, both provide similar long-term health status outcomes.

Evaluating Standard Shielding vs. Novel Enhanced Radiation Protection Devices in the Cath Lab

In this prospective study of 135 coronary angiography and PCI cases, enhanced radiation protection devices (ERPDs) markedly reduced scatter radiation exposure across the entire cath lab team. The magnitude of reduction suggests that when ERPDs are utilized, operators may safely transition to ultralight or potentially no-lead aprons while maintaining exposures well within accepted occupational safety thresholds.

New SELUTION DeNovo Insights From the 12-Month Outcomes

Does a sirolimus-eluting balloon that elutes sirolimus over a 90-day period using a polymer micro-reservoir technology reduce target vessel failure after PCI, suggesting that a “no stent strategy” can be a viable option for patients with coronary artery disease? In this multicenter, open-label, randomized trial of 3,323 participants across 62 sites, 80% of patients with DEB did not require a stent.

5-Year Follow-up of the SUGAR Randomized Controlled Trial

Drug-carrier-based sirolimus-eluting stents have theoretical advantages compared to polymer-based zotarolimus-eluting stents. In patients with diabetes, was the benefit of drug-carrier-based sirolimus-eluting stents over polymer-based zotarolimus-eluting stents maintained with long-term follow-up to five years?

Tirzepatide Therapy Reduces Subclinical Leaflet Thrombosis and Paravalvular Leak After TAVR (The TAVR-MET Trial)

Tirzepatide therapy initiated pre-TAVR and continued post-procedure significantly reduced subclinical leaflet thrombosis and PVL in obese patients. The TAVR-MET trial provides the first evidence that metabolic modulation can improve bioprosthetic valve healing and hemodynamics in obesity-associated aortic stenosis.